Fish may have beneficial effect on cholesterol

For individuals who buy Lipitor to lower their cholesterol, adding a little more fish to their weekly diet may help bring their lipid levels down even further, which may help reduce their risk of suffering a stroke, according to a new study.

Researchers from the National Institute of Environmental Medicine in Sweden analyzed results from previously published studies involving nearly 400,000 individuals. The results showed that those who ate the most fish were 6 percent less likely to suffer a stroke.

The team noted that the primary reason for this may be the fact that fish is a good source of omega-3 fatty acids, which have been shown to lower cholesterol, the primary culprit behind many heart attacks and strokes.

"I think overall, fish does provide a beneficial package of nutrients, in particular the omega-3s, that could explain this lower risk," Dariush Mozaffarian, a researcher whose work was included in the study, told Reuters Health. "A lot of the evidence comes together suggesting that about two to three servings per week is enough to get the benefit."