Two-year trial finds no cognitive benefit from fish oil supplements
A two-year clinical trial has found no evidence that fish oil supplements improve memory or protect the brain from Alzheimer’s-related shrinkage, despite delivering omega-3 fatty acids to the brain.
The result adds nuance to the widespread use of fish oil for cognitive health. Rather than suggesting that dietary omega-3s are unimportant, the researchers suspect that obtaining the nutrients through a healthy diet may provide benefits that supplements alone do not capture. Further research is needed to understand how the source of omega-3s and the broader dietary pattern affect outcomes.