Claims Appear Fishy that Fish Oil Supplements
Improve Cognitive Ability of Senior Citizens
Largest study ever of older people and fish oil finds
no improvement in brain power after two years
April
21, 2010 Senior citizens have been among the millions that flocked to
the lure of maintaining a health body and mind through consumption of
fish oil supplements. A new study focused on older people has found,
however, there is no evidence they can improve the cognitive ability of
older people.
The OPAL (Older People And omega-3 Long-chain
polyunsaturated fatty acids) study is the largest ever trial of fish oil
supplements. The study investigated the effects of taking omega-3
long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acid supplements over a two year period
on the cognitive function of participants aged 70-80 years.
The number of people with cognitive impairment is
rising and it is estimated that by 2040, more than 81 million people
globally will have dementia.
Some studies have suggested that high intakes of
omega-3 fatty acids, most commonly found in oily fish, are important for
the maintenance of good cognitive health in later life.
Published today in the American Journal of
Clinical Nutrition, the OPAL study was a randomized controlled trial
led by Alan Dangour, Senior Lecturer at the London School of Hygiene &
Tropical Medicine and colleagues.
The study enrolled 867 participants aged 70-80
years from General Practice clinics in England and Wales. Trial
participants who all had good cognitive health at the start of the study
were randomly assigned into two groups, one of which received fish oil
capsules while the other group received a placebo for two years.
Cognitive function was assessed at the start and
end of the study by trained research nurses using a series of paper and
pencil tests of memory and concentration.
After two years, those participants receiving fish
oil capsules had significantly higher levels of omega-3 fatty acids in
their blood than those participants receiving placebo capsules.
However, cognitive function did not change over the
course of the study in either group of participants and there was no
evidence that the consumption of omega-3 fatty acids had a benefit for
cognitive function in older people.
Dr. Alan Dangour urges caution in interpreting
these results.
"From the data we have collected in the OPAL study
there is no evidence of an important benefit for memory or concentration
of increased omega-3 fatty acid consumption over a two year period among
older people with good cognitive health, said Dangour..
However, it is important to keep in mind that poor
cognitive function can take many years to develop and although this is
the longest trial of its kind ever conducted, it may be that it was not
long enough for any true beneficial effects to be detected among this
healthy cohort of older people".
April
21, 2010 Senior citizens have been among the millions that flocked to
the lure of maintaining a health body and mind through consumption of
fish oil supplements. A new study focused on older people has found,
however, there is no evidence they can improve the cognitive ability of
older people.