Men's Health Women's Health Senior's Health Antioxidants Sports Nutrition Diet & Weight Loss Vitamins & Minerals Herbs Specialty Supplements Targeted Supplements Spa Products Anti-Aging Basics Body Systems Body Structure Book Store Pet Health My Recommendation My Favorite Articles Our Most Popular Specials Bargain Basement Brands

MSM

Health News Archive 444 - Cognitive Function
<<back to structure/function index

Omega-3 Fatty Acid Reverses Minor Memory Loss

In the October 2006 Archives of Neurology, researchers reported that omega-3 fatty acids improved cognitive function in subjects with mild memory loss.

In this study, 204 patients with varying degrees of memory loss were randomized into two groups. One group received omega-3 essential fatty acids (EFA) consisting of 1,700 mg of DHA and 600 mg of EPA daily for six months. The other group received placebo. At the end of the six-month trial, all patients were put on omega-3 EFA's for an additional six months. A total of 174 patients completed the entire study.

It was found that for those with more advanced memory loss, omega-3 EFAs did not have any benefit. However, for patients with very mild memory loss, there was a significant reduction in memory decline for those supplementing with omega-3 fatty acids. How omega-3 essential fatty acids were able to confer benefit was not clear to the authors, but they felt it may be related to the anti-inflammatory effects of the fish oil. They further postulated that those whose memory loss was too advanced could not be substantially assisted by the anti-inflammatory benefits of fish oil.

Once you've allowed your cognitive function to decline, it becomes increasingly difficult to reverse the decline. The fact is, by the time you have advanced or severe memory loss, most of your brain cells have died and cannot be revived. However, taking precautionary measures, such as supplementing with omega-3 essential fatty acids, may very well mean the difference between suffering memory loss or not.

Source: Freund-Levi Y, Eriksdotter-Jönhagen M, Cederholm T, et. al. n-3 Fatty Acid Treatment in 174 Patients With Mild to Moderate Alzheimer Disease: OmegAD Study: A Randomized Double-blind Trial. Arch Neurol. 2006;63:1402-1408.

back to top