Omega-3 Offers Long-Term Protection against Psychosis, Study Finds

Sharon Moore August 13, 2015

Omega-3 – the fatty acid found in oily fish like salmon and halibut, may aid in preventing the development and other psychotic disorder long after being consumed, according to a new study published in the journal Nature Communications.

Schizophrenia is a mental disorder characterised by delusions and hallucinations, such as hearing voices and seeing things that do not really exist. It usually emerges during adolescence or early adulthood, either gradually or abruptly. Currently, there is no known cure for schizophrenia.

In previous studies, it has been found that patients with the disease had exhibit reduced levels of polyunsaturated fatty acids, particularly omega-3 and omega 6. In fact, in one study carried out by scientists at the University of Melbourne nearly a decade ago, it was shown in clinical trials that ingesting the fatty acid delayed a first episode of psychotic disorder in high-risk subjects by up to year.

In a follow-up study, led by Paul Amminger, only 10 per cent of the omega-3 group developed psychosis compared to 40 per cent in the placebo group.

"We show that omega-3 significantly reduced the risk of progression to psychotic disorder during the entire follow-up period," the study concluded.

In the study, it was found that for up to seven years after taking omega-3 supplements for 12 weeks, young people at "ultra-high" risk were less likely to have suffered the debilitating condition than a control group given a placebo.

However, the researchers stopped short of recommending that all at-risk individuals start taking the fatty acid, available as a non-prescription supplement and in many foods, including salmon, sardines and walnuts.

"Replication of the findings is needed," according to Amminger, noting the relatively small, 81 patient size of the trial. "Several replication trials are underway."

They still don’t understand the underlying mechanism by which omega-3 might prevent the onset of schizophrenia. Fish oil rich in omega-3 "has no clinically relevant side effects, and thus is certainly a benign treatment option," Amminger said.

Source of this article: Longer-term outcome in the prevention of psychotic disorders by the Vienna omega-3 study