Omega-3 capsules Omega-3 capsules (File photo) NEW YORK (Reuters
Health) - Sorry, Charlie, but fish oil supplements did not
prevent atrial fibrillation in patients who had already
experienced episodes of the heart rhythm malfunction, a new
clinical trial has found.  The study, published in the Journal
of the American College of Cardiology, adds to a growing pool of
disappointing evidence regarding the protective effects of
omega-3 fatty acids on heart health.  "The results for atrial
fibrillation are important negative findings, answering key
clinical and research questions," said Dr. Dariush Mozaffarian,
an omega-3 expert at the Harvard School of Public Health, who
was not involved in the current study.  The new research,
combined with other trials, "indicates that short-term fish oil
use is unlikely to prevent recurrent atrial fibrillation," he
said.  But if the supplements don't prevent heart rhythm
problems, they don't appear to be dangerous, either. "In all
these studies, fish oil was safe and well-toler