Omega-3s may not protect your brain after all
Taking daily omega-3 fatty acid supplements doesn’t seem to provide any protection against declines in thinking and memory skills in older adults, a new review of medical evidence suggests.
Because the brain is rich in the type of polyunsaturated fatty acids found in fish oil, researchers had figured that adding more of them to a person’s diet could boost memory and prevent the changes that lead to cognitive decline and dementia.
But so-called “gold standard” trials of the supplements have been disappointing.
Looking at three such studies lasting between six months and over three years, researchers found there was no difference in changes on learning and memory tests among 4,000 people who took either omega-3 fish oil supplements or sunflower or olive oil as a comparison.
“The evidence suggests, from what is available at the moment, that taking supplements rich in omega-3 fatty acids is not going to benefit cognitive health later in life,” said Alan Dangour, a nutrition researcher from the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, who worked on the new analysis.
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