Consuming EPA and DHA omega-3s at doses as low as 0.7 grams per day may produce clinically meaningful reductions in systolic blood pressure, says a new study from the UK. Data from 312 healthy men and women indicated that 0.7 grams of EPA + DHA per day for eight weeks was associated with a 5.20 mmHg reduction in systolic blood pressure, while a daily dose of 1.8 grams reduced systolic blood pressure by about 5.3 mmHg.
“Our main finding is that intakes of EPA+DHA, achievable through the consumption of 2–3 portions of oily fish/wk or 2 fish oil capsules/d, reduced systolic blood pressure by 5 mm Hg in those with [isolated systolic hypertension]. Such a reduction in BP would be associated with an approximate 20% reduction in CVD risk in middle age,” wrote researchers from the Universities of East Anglia, Reading, Southampton, Glasgow, and Newcastle in the Journal of Nutrition.