Study Shows No Benefit of Omega-3 Supplements for Cognitive Decline

A large clinical trial conducted by researchers from the National Institutes of Health found that omega-3 supplements did not slow cognitive decline in older people. The study, published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, followed 4,000 participants over a five-year period. During the study, all participants, which were 58-percent female, had early or intermediate age-related macular degeneration, were 72-years-old on average and were assigned to receive one of the following groups: placebo; omega-3 and eicosapentaenoic acid; lutein and zeaxanthin (nutrients found in large amounts in green leafy vegetables); and omega-3 and lutein/zeaxanthin. Participants were given cognitive function tests at the beginning of the study to establish a baseline, then at two- and four-years later. The tests, all validated and used in previous cognitive function studies, included eight parts designed to test immediate and delayed recall, attention, memory and processing speed. Results of the study showed that cognition scores of each subgroup decreased to a similar extent over time, indicating that no combination of nutritional supplements made a difference. “It may be, for example, that the timing of nutrients, or consuming them in a certain dietary pattern, has an impact. More research would be needed to see if dietary patterns or taking the supplements earlier in the development of diseases like Alzheimer’s would make a difference,” said the senior investigator of the study. To read more about this study, click here.