Fish and linseed oil not so great after all: "Fish oil may not quite be the elixir of life that we have been led to believe. Analysis of all the best trials on the subject has found little evidence that eating fish, or taking fish oil capsules, cuts the risk of dying of heart disease, stroke or cancer. The finding may come as a shock to those who believe that the benefits of omega 3 fatty acids, which are found not just in fish oils but also, in short chain form, in some plant oils such as linseed oil. The analysis indicates that, despite a lot of work and a multiplicity of trials, it is difficult to show clear benefits. The better the quality of the trial, the lower the apparent benefit. The findings, published in the British Medical Journal online by a team led by Lee Hooper, of the University of East Anglia, are unlikely to go uncontested. Other analyses, including one published as recently as 2002, have shown benefits".