Dataset Information

Effect of omega-3 fatty acid supplementation on cancer incidence, non-vascular death, and total mortality: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Omega-3 fatty acids are known to prevent cardiac death. However, previous observational studies have suggested that omega-3 fatty acids are associated with cancer risk in adults. We conducted a meta-analysis based on randomized controlled trials to evaluate the effect of omega-3 fatty acids on the risk of cancer incidence, nonvascular death, and total mortality.

Methods

In February 2013, we performed electronic searches in PubMed, EmBase, and the Cochrane Library to identify randomized controlled trials on cancer incidence, nonvascular death, and total mortality. Relative risk (RR) was used to measure the effect of omega-3 fatty acid supplementation on the risk of cancer incidence, nonvascular death, and total mortality using a random-effect model. The analysis was further stratified by factors that could affect the treatment effects.

Results

Of the 8,746 identified articles, we included 19 trials reporting data on 68,954 individuals. These studies reported 1,039 events of cancer, 2,439 events of nonvascular death, and 7,025 events of total mortality. Omega-3 fatty acid supplementation had no effect on cancer incidence (RR, 1.10; 95% CI: 0.97-1.24; P?=?0.12), nonvascular death (RR, 1.00; 95% CI: 0.93-1.08; P?=?1.00), or total mortality (RR, 0.95; 95% CI: 0.88-1.03; P?=?0.24) when compared to a placebo. Subgroup analysis indicated that omega-3 fatty acid supplementation was associated with a reduction in total mortality risk if the proportion of men in the study population was more than 80%, or participants received alpha-linolenic acid.

Conclusions

Omega-3 fatty acid supplementation does not have an effect on cancer incidence, nonvascular death, or total mortality.

SUBMITTER: Zhang YF

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3938028 | biostudies-literature | 2014 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Publications

Effect of omega-3 fatty acid supplementation on cancer incidence, non-vascular death, and total mortality: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

Zhang Yu-Fei YF Gao Hong-Fang HF Hou An-Ji AJ Zhou Yu-Hao YH

BMC public health 20140226

<h4>Background</h4>Omega-3 fatty acids are known to prevent cardiac death. However, previous observational studies have suggested that omega-3 fatty acids are associated with cancer risk in adults. We conducted a meta-analysis based on randomized controlled trials to evaluate the effect of omega-3 fatty acids on the risk of cancer incidence, nonvascular death, and total mortality.<h4>Methods</h4>In February 2013, we performed electronic searches in PubMed, EmBase, and the Cochrane Library to ide ...[more]

PMID: 24568238

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Project description:Study questionIs self-reported use of omega-3 fatty acid supplements associated with fecundability, the probability of natural conception, in a given menstrual cycle?Summary answerProspectively recorded omega-3 supplement use was associated with an increased probability of conceiving.What is known alreadyIn infertile women, omega-3 fatty acid intake has been associated with increased probability of pregnancy following IVF. In natural fertility, studies are conflicting, and no study of natural fertility has evaluated omega-3 fatty acid supplementation and fecundity.Study design, size, durationSecondary data analysis of 900 women contributing 2510 cycles in Time to Conceive (TTC), a prospective, time to pregnancy cohort study from 2008 to December 2015.Participants/materials, setting, methodsWomen aged 30-44 years, trying to conceive <3 months, without history of infertility were followed using standardized pregnancy testing. While attempting to conceive, women daily recorded menstrual cycle events and supplement and medication intake using the Cerner Multum Drug Database. Supplements and vitamins containing omega-3 were identified. Omega-3 use, defined as use in at least 20% of days in a given menstrual cycle, in each pregnancy attempt cycle was determined. A discrete-time Cox proportional hazards model was used to calculate the fecundability ratio.Main results and the role of chanceWomen taking omega-3 supplementation were more likely to be younger, thinner, nulligravid, white and to take vitamin D, prenatal and multivitamins compared to women not taking omega-3s. After adjusting for age, obesity, race, previous pregnancy, vitamin D and prenatal and multivitamin use, women taking omega-3 supplements had 1.51 (95% CI 1.12, 2.04) times the probability of conceiving compared to women not taking omega-3s.Limitations, reasons for cautionOur study was not a randomized controlled trial. The women who used omega-3 supplements may represent a more health-conscious population. We sought to address this by adjusting for multiple factors in our model. Additionally, the omega-3 fatty acid supplements that TTC participants used included multiple types and brands with varying dosages of omega-3 fatty acids. Women reported the type of supplement they were taking but not the concentration of omega-3s in that supplement. It is therefore not possible to compare dosing or a dose-response relationship in our study.Wider implications of the findingsOmega-3 supplementation may present a feasible and inexpensive modifiable factor to improve fertility. Randomized controlled trials are needed to further investigate the benefits of omega-3 supplementation for women trying to conceive naturally.Study funding/competing interestsThis study was supported by the Division of Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, the NIH/NICHD (R21 HD060229-01 and R01 HD067683-01), and in part by the Intramural Research Program of the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (Z01ES103333). The authors declare that there is no conflict of interest.Trial registration numberN/A.

Project description:Omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) supplementation has been proposed as (adjuvant) treatment for major depressive disorder (MDD). In the present meta-analysis, we pooled randomized placebo-controlled trials assessing the effects of omega-3 PUFA supplementation on depressive symptoms in MDD. Moreover, we performed meta-regression to test whether supplementation effects depended on eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) or docosahexaenoic acid dose, their ratio, study duration, participants' age, percentage antidepressant users, baseline MDD symptom severity, publication year and study quality. To limit heterogeneity, we only included studies in adult patients with MDD assessed using standardized clinical interviews, and excluded studies that specifically studied perinatal/perimenopausal or comorbid MDD. Our PubMED/EMBASE search resulted in 1955 articles, from which we included 13 studies providing 1233 participants. After taking potential publication bias into account, meta-analysis showed an overall beneficial effect of omega-3 PUFAs on depressive symptoms in MDD (standardized mean difference=0.398 (0.114-0.682), P=0.006, random-effects model). As an explanation for significant heterogeneity (I(2)=73.36, P<0.001), meta-regression showed that higher EPA dose (?=0.00037 (0.00009-0.00065), P=0.009), higher percentage antidepressant users (?=0.0058 (0.00017-0.01144), P=0.044) and earlier publication year (?=-0.0735 (-0.143 to 0.004), P=0.04) were significantly associated with better outcome for PUFA supplementation. Additional sensitivity analyses were performed. In conclusion, present meta-analysis suggested a beneficial overall effect of omega-3 PUFA supplementation in MDD patients, especially for higher doses of EPA and in participants taking antidepressants. Future precision medicine trials should establish whether possible interactions between EPA and antidepressants could provide targets to improve antidepressant response and its prediction. Furthermore, potential long-term biochemical side effects of high-dosed add-on EPA supplementation should be carefully monitored.

Dataset Information

Effect of omega-3 fatty acid supplementation on cancer incidence, non-vascular death, and total mortality: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

Background

Methods

Results

Conclusions

Publications

Effect of omega-3 fatty acid supplementation on cancer incidence, non-vascular death, and total mortality: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

Similar Datasets

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