Omega-3 has does not slow mental aging, study says
“Contrary to popular belief, we didn’t see any benefit of omega-3 supplements for stopping cognitive decline,” said Emily Chew, M.D., deputy director of the Division of Epidemiology and Clinical Applications and deputy clinical director at the National Eye Institute (NEI), part of NIH.
Chew was originally studying age-related vision problems, but found an opportunity to test the effects of Omega-3.
Chew and her team conducted a five-year study to test the effects of Omega-3 in preventing brain damage. The study was published in the Journal of the American Medical Association.
The study worked with 4,000 participants, the average age was 72 years old and 58% were female. The seniors were divided into four groups to take the either:
- Omega-3 [specifically docosahexaenoic acid (DHA, 350 mg) and eicosapentaenoic acid (650 mg)]
- Lutein and zeaxanthin (nutrients found in large amounts in green leafy vegetables)
- Omega-3, Lutein , and zeaxanthin
Participants took cognitive function tests to create a baseline. Tests focused on areas like immediate and delayed recall, processing speed, attention, and memory. The participants took the same tests two and four years later. Test scores for all groups declined similarly over time, proving that all Omega-3 doses did not make a difference.
Category: Features, Pharmaceuticals
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