It’s well known that taking omega-3 fish oil supplements can help to prevent mild to moderate depression and boost memory and cognition. Now it seems fish oil may play an even more dramatic effect in mental health, with a study in the Archives of General Psychiatry suggesting that it could help prevent psychotic disorders.
In a randomised, double-blind clinical trial, researchers from the University of Vienna gave teens and young adults with a high risk of psychotic behaviour (which was defined as already demonstrating mild psychotic symptoms or having a family history of schizophrenia or showing a decrease in their ability to function day-to-day) a dosage of fish oil providing 700mg of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and 480mg of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) daily for three months.
At the end of the trial period, those taking the supplements were 22.6 percent less likely to develop a psychotic disorder, compared to those taking placebos.
In addition, the authors suggest that fish oil supplements offer several bonuses that anti-psychotic drugs do not: they are relatively cheap, offer other general health benefits, and do not cause side effects like weight gain, which may be off-putting for young people to whom appearance is often of particular importance.
Your say: Do you take fish oil? Do you find it has an affect on your mental health? Share with us.
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