In 2009 a study was published in American Journal of Clinical Nutrition that showed eating walnuts (another source of ALA but of a lower concentration than chia) did lower plasma (blood) cholesterol and triglyceride concentrations in a clinical trial.

Interestingly the decrease was significantly greater than was found in either the control group or the group that ate fish.

Obviously this is good news and shows that consuming ALA, of which chia is the highest plant source, can have a significant effect on human health.