Study: Omega-3 supplements don’t prevent mental decline

Fish oil, containing Omega-3 fatty acids, is one of the most popular dietary supplements. Omega-3 fatty acids are highly concentrated in the brain, leading to the belief that they influence memory and brain performance. But researchers at the National Institutes of Health have said that Omega-3 supplements did not slow brain decline in aged people in a study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association. Dr. Emily Chew, M.D., the lead researcher of the study, and deputy director of the Division of Epidemiology and Clinical Applications and deputy clinical director at the National Eye Institute (NEI), part of National Institutes of Health, has been studying whether the daily intake of certain vitamins and minerals could reduce the risk of cataract and advanced age-related macular degeneration (AMD). Omega-3 fish oil supplements have “no statistically significant effect on cognitive function, not at least among the older age group”, she concluded after studying the results of the trial. But she said that there may be a slack in mental decline if people incorporate foods, like walnuts, salmons, flaxseed, that are rich in Omega-3 fatty acids into their diets and added that consuming these foods benefits not just the brain, but also the heart.

The Age-Related Eye Disease Study 2 (AREDS2) involved about 4,000 patients, the average age of the group being 72, for a five-year time frame (from 2006-2012) to check whether certain nutrients affected the development of eye diseases like cataracts and age-related macular degeneration (AMD). All the patients had early or intermediate AMD.

The researchers split the patients into four groups. One received long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LCPUFAs), one received a lutein and zeaxanthin combination, one was given both, and the other received a placebo. Each participant received cognitive function tests every two years during the study. The eight-part tests were designed to study immediate and delayed recall, attention and memory, and processing speeds. At the end of the study, the researchers noted no significant differences in scores between those that took the supplements and those that took the placebo.

But the researchers also admitted some limitations in the study. They only investigated the potential effects that Omega-3 fish oil pills have and did not include a control group of people who ate foods rich in Omega-3 fatty acids to compare the results. Also, they only looked at individuals with an average age of 72. Chew said that it is uncertain whether Omega-3 fish oil supplements might be beneficial to people in a younger age group. Scientists, however, are curious about other potential benefits and are studying Omega-3 fatty acids to see if they may help relieve symptoms of depression, rheumatoid arthritis and dry eye syndrome.