Omega-3 May Greatly Reduce Psychosis in High Risk Individuals

by Pat Berry

Researchers are excited with the results of a new clinical trial that showed that omega-3 fatty acids seem to significantly reduce the probability of psychotic disorders developing in people who are at high risk of suffering from them.

For the 12-week study, recently published in the Archives of General Psychiatry, Volume 67, Issue 2 (2010), researchers divided 76 people considered at ultra-high risk of developing psychosis into 2 groups. One group was given fish oil supplements containing 1.2 grams of omega-3, and the other group took a placebo. At the end of the 12 weeks, only 4.9 per cent of the group receiving omega-3 "had progressed to psychotic disorder, compared with 27.5 per cent of the placebo group," reports Stephen Daniells at nutraingredients.com, where you can read his full article on the study.

Of course, one of the beauties of this result is that omega-3 is a natural substance with no adverse effects, and relatively low costs, as well as numerous other benefits for general health, as the researchers commented. Contrast that with the often serious adverse effects of antipsychotics, some of which the researchers also mention in their conclusion, and it certainly seems like omega-3 would be the preferred first line of attack in this sort of situation.