Omega 3s May Protect Against Schizophrenia.

You should know by now that I'm big on Omega 3 Fatty Acids.  If you aren't taking them, you should.

A new study suggests that taking fish oil may help prevent full-blown psychotic illness in at-risk adolescents and young adults.

These at-risk individuals may have small or fleeting symptoms and show brain changes akin to schizophrenia, and while they can be identified, treating them is challenging as valid guidelines don't exist.   Traditional anti-psychotics aren't always welcome as they can have serious associated effects that teenagers do not want to commit to.

However, researchers indicate that substantial evidence exists showing that abnormal fatty acid metabolism may contribute to the development of schizophrenia.  Researchers investigated whether omega-3 fatty acids might help prevent psychotic illness.   They randomly assigned 81 at-risk individuals, 13 to 25 years old, to take 1.2 grams a day of omega-3s in fish oil capsule form or a placebo for 12 weeks and then followed them for another 40 weeks.

These people had one of the following three criteria:

• low-level psychotic symptoms;
• transient psychotic symptoms; or
• a schizophrenia-like personality disorder or a close relative with schizophrenia, along with a sharp decline in mental function within the past year.

Ninety four percent completed the study, and at one year, 5 percent of the study participants taking omega-3s had developed a psychotic disorder (2 of 41 people), compared to 28 percent of those on placebo (11 of 40). People taking fish oil also showed significant reductions in their psychotic symptoms and improvements in function, while they were at no greater risk of adverse effects than people taking placebo capsules.

The effect of fish oil capsules was similar to that seen in two trials of antipsychotic drugs in at-risk individuals, according to the researchers.

But why?

Well, omega 3s are a major component of brain cells and are also key to the proper function of two brain chemical signaling systems, dopamine and serotonin, which have been implicated in schizophrenia. Fish oil also boosts levels of glutathione, an antioxidant that protects the brain against oxidative stress.

This may be a route to treating individuals under 18 years of age as typical medical protocols are dangerous for this population.  However, if future research (it's always needed, right?) corroborates this study's results, then fish oil supplementation may offer a safe way to help prevent psychosis in at-risk people, and could also potentially be used to prevent or delay the onset of chronic depression, bipolar illness, and substance abuse disorder -- all of which are far more common than psychotic illness.

As noted in other articles, omega 3s are extraordinarily useful in good health and wellness.