Women's hearts 'get twice the benefit from fish oil than men's

The oils are known to improve chances of surviving a repeat heart attack, but a new study suggests women could benefit more from their effect on the heart, the Daily Mail reports.

Researchers at the University of Reading found fish oils have a direct impact on the muscle cells that control the elasticity of our blood vessels. In tests, women got double the benefit compared with men as elasticity improved four-fold in women compared with two-fold in men.

In fact the beneficial effect of the fish oil in women was as potent as that of drugs that are prescribed to people with poor blood vessel elasticity, such as those with diabetes.At least 39,000 women a year in the UK suffer heart attacks and their chances of dying are higher than a man’s.

Study leader Professor Christine Williams, the University’s first Hugh Sinclair Professor of Nutrition and Pro Vice-Chancellor for Research and Innovation, said: “Studies examining women’s heart health are much less common than those which study men, partly because the studies are harder to carry out in women due to the varying effects of hormones during the menstrual cycle.

“The good news here is that current recommendations that we should all eat more oily fish appears to be more effective for women than men.”