Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids and Atrial Fibrillation: Friend or Foe?

Abstract

Polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) are essential fatty acids that cannot be synthesized endogenously and must therefore be obtained through dietary intake.PUFAs are broadly classified into omega-3 PUFAs, represented by eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), and omega-6 PUFAs, represented by arachidonic acid (AA) and dihomo-γ-linolenic acid (DGLA).The relationship between PUFAs and atrial fibrillation (AF) has attracted considerable attention for many years.Previous studies have suggested that omega-3 PUFAs may exert antiarrhythmic effects and reduce the risk of AF 1) .Several mechanisms have been proposed to explain the anti-arrhythmic effects of omega-3 PUFAs.Experimental studies suggest that EPA and DHA may suppress AF by modifying the ionic channels in the atrial cell membrane and stabilizing atrial electrophysiology through inhibition of pulmonary vein ectopy and early afterdepolarizations, attenuating inflammatory signaling pathways, reducing atrial structural remodeling through modulation of connexins, matrix metalloproteinases, and collagen expression, and influencing autonomic regulation 2,3) .Collectively, these effects may contribute to the prevention of atrial fibrosis and remodeling, and the maintenance of atrial electrical stability.However, growing evidence in recent years has raised concerns regarding a potential association between omega-3 PUFAs and an increased risk of AF.Several large randomized controlled trials evaluating high-dose omega-3 PUFA supplementation have attracted particular attention.In the STRENGTH trial (patients with various cardiovascular disease risks; EPA+DHA, 4 g/day), the REDUCE-IT trial (patients with various cardiovascular disease risks; EPA, 4 g/

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BibTeX RIS

BibTeX

@article{sato2026polyunsaturated,
  title = {{Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids and Atrial Fibrillation: Friend or Foe?}},
  author = {Takeo Sato},
  journal = {Journal of Atherosclerosis and Thrombosis},
  year = {2026},
  month = sep,
  doi = {10.5551/jat.ed310},
  url = {https://www.jstage.jst.go.jp/article/jat/33/9/33_ED310/_article},
  note = {CC BY-NC-SA},
}

RIS

TY  - JOUR
TI  - Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids and Atrial Fibrillation: Friend or Foe?
AU  - Takeo Sato
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/09/01
JO  - Journal of Atherosclerosis and Thrombosis
DO  - 10.5551/jat.ed310
UR  - https://www.jstage.jst.go.jp/article/jat/33/9/33_ED310/_article
AB  - Polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) are essential fatty acids that cannot be synthesized endogenously and must therefore be obtained through dietary intake.PUFAs are broadly classified into omega-3 PUFAs, represented by eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), and omega-6 PUFAs, represented by arachidonic acid (AA) and dihomo-γ-linolenic acid (DGLA).The relationship between PUFAs and atrial fibrillation (AF) has attracted considerable attention for many years.Previous studies have suggested that omega-3 PUFAs may exert antiarrhythmic effects and reduce the risk of AF 1) .Several mechanisms have been proposed to explain the anti-arrhythmic effects of omega-3 PUFAs.Experimental studies suggest that EPA and DHA may suppress AF by modifying the ionic channels in the atrial cell membrane and stabilizing atrial electrophysiology through inhibition of pulmonary vein ectopy and early afterdepolarizations, attenuating inflammatory signaling pathways, reducing atrial structural remodeling through modulation of connexins, matrix metalloproteinases, and collagen expression, and influencing autonomic regulation 2,3) .Collectively, these effects may contribute to the prevention of atrial fibrosis and remodeling, and the maintenance of atrial electrical stability.However, growing evidence in recent years has raised concerns regarding a potential association between omega-3 PUFAs and an increased risk of AF.Several large randomized controlled trials evaluating high-dose omega-3 PUFA supplementation have attracted particular attention.In the STRENGTH trial (patients with various cardiovascular disease risks; EPA+DHA, 4 g/day), the REDUCE-IT trial (patients with various cardiovascular disease risks; EPA, 4 g/
SN  - 1880-3873
SN  - 1340-3478
ER  -

Abstract

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