Fish oil doesn’t slow Alzheimer’s onset
A new study has found that the omega 3 fatty acid, DHA, found in fish oil does not slow the progress of Alzheimer’s disease, despite conclusions drawn from previous research.
American researchers at the Oregon Health and Science University report in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA ) on an 18 month study across 51 clinics on 400 patients with mild to moderate Alzheimer’s.
Those who had taken DHA scored no better than the controls in cognitive tests and showed no difference in brain shrinkage over the period of the study.
The results are a puzzle, given that previous studies have linked a diet rich in fish with reduced dementia. Another study had shown that DHA can reduce the brain damage caused by proteins associated with Alzheimer’s disease.
The researchers suggest that DHA might help if it were taken earlier in the progress of the disease.
“Individuals intermediate between healthy ageing and dementia, such as those with mild cognitive impairment, might derive benefit from DHA supplementation,” they say.
