Does a taking fish oil supplement really help? A new study questions its impact.
For the past several years people have been clamoring for fish oil. From sushi to pill form, the extract has been touted to have positive health benefits in a variety of studies. Several studies have shown a link between fish oil and Alzheimer’s disease. Unfortunately, a new study brings into question the real link between mental decline and taking the supplement regularly.
The study of 402 people, who averaged 76 years old and had mild to moderate Alzheimer’s, to take two grams of fish oil (containing docosahexaenoic acid, or DHA) or a placebo daily. About a fourth of the participants had MRI scans of their brains done at the beginning and end of the study. Everyone’s cognitive and functional abilities were tested periodically.
After 18 months, ratings on standardized scales showed virtually no difference in the amount of cognitive decline, including such things as memory, attention, language and orientation, between people who took the supplements and those who did not. Also, MRIs revealed essentially no differences between the two groups in the rate at which their brains were shrinking, which occurs with dementia.
While this study shows fish oil does not appear to slow the pace of dementia the easy to take supplement has a variety of positive health benefits. Fish oil is used for a wide range of conditions but most often used for conditions related to the heart and blood system. Some people use fish oil to lower blood pressure or cholesterol.
Fish oil has also been tried for preventing heart disease or stroke. The scientific evidence suggests that fish oil really does lower high triglycerides, and it also seems to help prevent heart disease and stroke when taken in the recommended amounts. Ironically, taking too much fish oil can actually increase the risk of stroke.
Fish oil is also used for diabetes, asthma, developmental coordination disorders, movement disorders, dyslexia, obesity, kidney disease, weak bones, certain diseases related to pain and swelling such as psoriasis, and preventing weight loss caused by some cancer drugs. When fish oil is obtained by eating fish, the way the fish is prepared seems to make a difference. Eating broiled or baked fish appears to reduce the risk of heart disease, but eating fried fish or fish sandwiches not only cancels out the benefits of fish oil, but may actually increase heart disease risk.
You can read more about this study in the Nov. 3 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.
To learn more about Alzheimer’s disease at www.nia.nih.gov and www.alz.org
Always check with your doctor before taking any supplements!
