抄録
The influence of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), such as eicosapentaenoic acid and docosahexaenoic acid, on the development of cardiovascular disease has been attracting much attention among the health-conscious public. Omega-3 PUFAs are contained in fish or fish oil. Omega-3 PUFAs must be taken through these foods, because they are not synthesized in the human body. Therefore, they are called “essential fatty acids”. Omega-3 PUFAs have been reported to have anti-inflammatory and anti-thrombotic effects in competition with the inflammatory and thrombotic effects of arachidonic acid. An epidemiological study reported in the 1970s showed that Greenlanders or the Greenland Inuit having a dietary habit to eat food rich in omega-3 PUFAs had a lower risk of mortality from ishemic heart disease than Western people. Several epidemiological and clinical studies suggest that the consumption of fish, fish oil, and omega-3 PUFAs reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease. The epidemiological evidence of the beneficial effect of omega-3 PUFAs on the prevention of cardiovascular disease in communities-based Japanese populations has been introduced in this review.
