Arrhythmia Prevention With an Alpha-Linolenic Enriched Diet

An alpha linolenic acid (ALA) rich diet in the Lyon Diet Heart Study reduced sudden cardiac deaths possibly by reducing cardiac arrhythmias and ventricular fibrillation (Lancet 1994). Since then, there has been a growing interest in ALA, ω-3 fatty acid family precursor, as a cardioprotective nutrient. Much of the interest has focused on the potential antiarrhythmic effect of longer chain ω-3 fatty acids, DHA and EPA, derived from fish. We therefore concluded it important to test wether vegetable source ω-3 also had antiarrhythmic effects, as shown in animals by Leaf and McLennan, since this might also explain the beneficial effects seen on cardiovascular mortality in the Lyon Diet Heart Study.