The REDUCE-IT Trial: A New Hope for Heart Health

The REDUCE-IT trial was a large clinical trial that studied the effects of icosapent ethyl, a form of EPA (an omega-3 fatty acid), on cardiovascular risk in people with high triglyceride levels and either known cardiovascular disease or multiple risk factors for cardiovascular disease. The trial found that icosapent ethyl was associated with a 25% reduction in the risk of cardiovascular death, nonfatal myocardial infarction, nonfatal stroke, coronary revascularization, or unstable angina, compared with placebo.

These findings suggest that EPA is a safe and effective way to reduce cardiovascular risk in people with elevated triglyceride levels. This was a major breakthrough for heart health as it showed that a simple, safe, and affordable supplement (also found in fish) could help to prevent heart disease and save lives.

The good news is that Americans can get EPA in their diets from wild seafood like salmon and sablefish. Salmon and sablefish are both delicious, and good sources of EPA!

• The trial included over 8,000 participants who were randomly assigned to receive either icosapent ethyl 2 g twice daily or a placebo

• The participants were followed for about 5 years During the follow-up period, there were 2,596 events in the placebo group and 2,011 events in the icosapent ethyl group.

• Risk was significantly lower in the icosapent ethyl group than in the placebo group The trial also found that icosapent ethyl was associated with a 20% reduction in the risk of all-cause mortality

This provides strong evidence that EPA can reduce cardiovascular risk in people with elevated triglyceride levels and therefore support the use of EPA as a treatment option for people with high triglyceride levels who are at high risk for cardiovascular disease. Great news!

In addition to EPA supplements, you can of course get EPA by eating fish! Here are some tips!

• Choose wild fish. When choosing fish, look for the words "wild" or "wild-caught" on the label.

• Look for a variety of fish. Salmon, tuna, and sablefish are all good sources of EPA, but there are many other fish that are also high in omega-3 fatty acids. Check out our post all about omega-3s here.

• Cook fish properly! Overcooking fish can destroy the omega-3 fatty acids. Check out our overflowing recipe collection here.

• Enjoy fish! Fish is a delicious and healthy food that can be enjoyed in many different ways. For some outside the box ideas, check out recipes like:

Folded Sushi Sandwich
Halibut Schnitzel Bowl
Coconut Curry Sablefish


Further Reading:

Check out the REDUCE-It Trial here
Rhonda Patrick’s thoughts on omega-3s here
American College of Cardiology’s summary of the trial here