Fish Oil Pills Won’t Stop Alzheimer’s Disease

Researchers investigating the effects of fish oil supplements found no cognitive differences between individuals taking fish oil and those who did not, specifically as it relates to Alzheimer’s disease.

Alzheimer’s is a terminal brain disease causing dementia and ultimately death. The World Health Organization estimates there are currently 18 million people worldwide with Alzheimer’s disease.

Fish oil supplements, derived from the body tissue of oily fish like mackerel, sardines, and salmon, contain important omega-3 fatty acids; linked to reduced risk of cancer, heart disease, depression, and mental illness, such as Alzheimer’s disease.

Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), present in fish oil, is a brain-building fatty acid.

But a new study challenges fish oil’s potency against Alzheimer’s. Writing in the Journal of the American Medical Association, researchers found taking fish oil supplements did not slow the progression of Alzheimer’s disease. The scientists say taking fish oil is “not going to help” a patient already diagnosed with Alzheimer’s.

The study involved 400 men and women, average age 76, with mild to moderate Alzheimer’s disease. Participants were randomized to receive 2 grams daily of DHA or a placebo. Results showed despite raised blood levels of DHA, there were no differences in cognitive function between the DHA group and the placebo group.

Other food sources of omega-3 fatty acids include flaxseed oil, eggs, krill, and meat, milk, and cheese from grass-fed cows.