New research: Omega-3 supplements do not improve brain health

Billions of dollars are spent globally each year on fish oil supplements, largely based on claims that their omega-3 fatty acids can boost brain health. These essential nutrients are known to play a role in building and maintaining connections between brain cells, crucial for thinking and memory.

However, new research from the Keck School of Medicine at the University of Southern California suggests that increasing omega-3 levels through supplements may not yield the expected brain benefits. The study, published in eBioMedicine, found that while omega-3s from fish oil did reach the brain, they did not improve markers of brain health in older adults with an elevated risk of Alzheimer's disease.

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We all wish there was a simple solution for preventing Alzheimer's disease, but our results show that fish oil supplements do not appear to protect brain health.

Over a two-year, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial involving 365 participants aged 55 to 80 who rarely consumed fish, researchers administered high doses of omega-3 supplements. The study aimed to see if these supplements could improve memory, cognitive abilities, or slow brain cell loss in regions associated with Alzheimer's. Despite the omega-3s successfully reaching the brain, as confirmed by increased levels in cerebrospinal fluid, no measurable cognitive improvements were observed.

Dr. Hussein N. Yasin, director of the USC Center for Personalized Brain Health and lead investigator, stated, "We all wish there was a simple solution for preventing Alzheimer's disease, but our results show that fish oil supplements do not appear to protect brain health." He added that while omega-3s are vital for cognitive function, the findings do not support using fish oil supplements as a preventive measure against Alzheimer's disease.

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Although omega-3 fatty acids play an important role in forming the connections between brain cells necessary for cognitive function, our results do not support the use of fish oil supplements as a measure to prevent Alzheimer's disease.