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Most of us have lost relatives or friends who have had a heart attack. Heart disease is the leading cause of death across the world and in our country. According to the CDC, about 660,000 Americans die from heart disease each year, accounting for 1 in every 4 deaths.

That’s why researchers at the National Institutes of Health’s National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) want to find out how to prevent cardiovascular disease, including heart attacks and stroke.

This summer they’re studying how omega-7, a “good” fatty acid found in macadamia nuts and fish, might help.

“[Fatty acids] tell our body to do something,” explained Dr. Marcelo Amar, principal investigator of the study. “Saturated fats cause inflammation and have been associated with Alzheimer’s disease and rheumatoid arthritis, [but unsaturated fatty acids] can be good, like olive oil or omega-3s.”

A previous study found that a diet rich in omega-7 can be beneficial, but until now it has been “very complicated” to isolate only the best parts of the compound as a supplement, Amar said. “Now there are ways to separate the good forms of omega-7 from the parts that are not as good.”

Four visits eight weeks apart

Once enrolled in the study, participants will visit NIH in Bethesda a total of four times, eight weeks apart; the study lasts 24 weeks.

At each visit, participants will have blood drawn and answer diet-related questions. Then they’ll get a bottle of pills to take twice a day for two months.

In this randomized, double-blind study, half of the 70 participants will receive olive oil pills, and the other will receive omega-7 pills. They’ll also be asked to keep track of what they eat in a “food journal.”

Researchers will compare participants’ cholesterol levels, inflammation markers (the body’s immune response to an irritant), and other cardio-protective markers throughout the study.

The lower your cholesterol and inflammation, the better. For instance, Amar said, “If we have less inflammation in the body, we may feel less stiff in the morning.”

Another interesting aspect of omega-7, at least in animals, is that it can reduce the appetite and lead to weight loss.

“Animals fed a diet rich in omega-7 developed a reduced body weight compared to controls, so it could help with appetite,” Amar said. “We’re also trying to measure markers of satiety. [Do] you feel full sooner than if you were not taking fatty acids?”

Once this important initial study is completed, Amar said, a larger study of omega-7 can move forward.

The current study is open to healthy adults over age 18, with some exceptions. If you’re interested in the study and want to see if you qualify, visit surveymonkey.com/r/DietaryOmega. Compensation may be available, but travel costs are not covered.

For more information, call the NIH Office of Patient Recruitment at 1-800-411-1222 or email ccopr@nih.gov and ask about study number 18-H-0019. Or contact Dr. Amar’s research team directly at joylynne.freeman@nih.gov or (301) 480-7632.