A course of omega-3 fatty acids found in fish oil may help protect people who face a high risk of developing serious mental illness, researchers reported last night.
The findings are so convincing that researchers say fish oil may be a realistic alternative to powerful drugs, especially for young people who show early signs of problems.
A study in the February issue of Archives of General Psychiatry reveals that those with mild psychotic symptoms or a family history of psychosis may benefit from taking fish oil capsules containing long-chain omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids.
Dr G. Paul Amminger, of Medical University of Vienna, Austria, and Orygen Youth Health Research Centre, Melbourne, Australia, conducted a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial of their effect on the risk of progression to psychosis in 81 individuals who had mild psychotic symptoms, transient psychosis or a family history of psychotic disorders plus a decrease in functioning.
"The finding that treatment with a natural substance may prevent or at least delay the onset of psychotic disorder gives hope that there may be alternatives to antipsychotics for the prodromal [early symptomatic] phase," the authors write.
"Stigmatisation and adverse effects – which include metabolic changes, sexual dysfunction and weight gain – associated with the use of antipsychotics are often not acceptable for young people."
For 12 weeks, 41 participants took daily fish oil capsules containing 1.2 grams of omega-three polyunsaturated fatty acids and 40 were assigned to take placebo.
By the end of the study, two (4.9 per cent) in the omega-3 group and 11 (27.5 per cent) in the placebo group had developed symptoms of psychotic disorder.
It is thought the potential effects of fatty acids on psychosis development may result from changes to cell membranes and interactions with neurotransmitter systems in the brain.
The authors estimate that, based on the results in the trial, four adults would need to be treated with omega-3 fatty acids to prevent one from developing psychosis over a 12-month period. Polyunsaturated fatty acids also significantly reduced symptoms and improved functioning compared with placebo.
Arch Gen Psychiatry. 2010;67[2]:146-154.
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