No Effect of Omega-3 Fatty Acid Supplementation on Cognition and Mood in Individuals with Cognitive Impairment and Probable Alzheimer's Disease: A Randomised Controlled Trial.
Findings from epidemiological and observational studies have indicated that diets high in omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) such as docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) may reduce the risk of cognitive decline and Alzheimer's disease (AD). To determine if increasing intake of DHA and EPA through supplementation is beneficial to cognition and mood in individuals with cognitive impairment no dementia (CIND) or Alzheimer's disease (AD) a four month, randomised, double-blind, placebo controlled study was conducted. Fifty-seven participants with CIND and nineteen with AD were randomised to receive either omega-3 PUFAs (600 mg EPA and 625 mg DHA per day) or placebo (olive oil) over a four month period. Elevating depleted levels of EPA and DHA through supplementation in individuals with CIND or AD was found to have negligible beneficial effect on their cognition or mood. These findings confirm an overall negligible benefit of omega-3 PUFA supplementation for those with cognitive impairment and dementia. More intervention studies need to be undertaken with longer study durations and larger sample sizes. It may prove fruitful to examine effects of different doses as well as effects in other dementia subtypes.
School of Experimental Psychology, University of Bristol, Bristol BS8 1TU, UK. michelle.brown@bristol.ac.uk.
Michelle A
MA
Phillips
Human Development and Health Academic Unit, Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton, Southampton SO16 6YD, UK. cch@mrc.soton.ac.uk.
Caroline E
CE
Childs
Human Development and Health Academic Unit, Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton, Southampton SO16 6YD, UK. pcc@soton.ac.uk.|NIHR Southampton Biomedical Research Centre, University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust and University of Southampton, Southampton SO16 6YD, UK. pcc@soton.ac.uk.
Philip C
PC
Calder
School of Experimental Psychology, University of Bristol, Bristol BS8 1TU, UK. peter.rogers@bristol.ac.uk.
Peter J
PJ
Rogers
D000339:Affect / Q000187:drug effects; D000368:Aged; D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000503:physiopathology*; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000503:physiopathology*; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D004281:Docosahexaenoic Acids; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D015118:Eicosapentaenoic Acid; D015525:Fatty Acids, Omega-3; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male
D015525:Fatty Acids, Omega-3; D004281:Docosahexaenoic Acids; D015118:Eicosapentaenoic Acid
Alzheimer’s disease (AD); cognitive impairment no dementia (CIND); docosahexaenoic acid (DHA); eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA); omega-3 fatty acids