Health News: Omega-3 Fatty Acids May Not Help Thinking Skills, University Of Iowa Study Suggests

Omega-3 fatty acids have long been considered as a brain food for its benefits on a person's thinking skills, but a new study by researchers from the University of Iowa suggested otherwise.

According to the study that was recently published in the online issue of Neurology, the group of researchers led by study author Eric Ammann claimed that omega-3 fatty acids are not capable of delaying cognitive decline.

"There has been a lot of interest in omega-3s as a way to prevent or delay cognitive decline, but unfortunately our study did not find a protective effect in older women. In addition, most randomized trials of omega-3 supplements have not found an effect," said Ammann, who is a doctoral student in the College of Public Health Department of Epidemiology of University of Iowa.

To test the alleged effectiveness of omega-3 acids on a person's thinking skills, Ammann and his group conducted a study involving 2,157 women of 65 to 80 years of age in average.

The group conducted a blood test on each participant before the study started to determine the amount of the omega-3 fatty acid on the blood of the participant. The women then underwent thinking and memory skills tests annually for six years.

The first test quickly showed that the level of omega-3 fatty acids in the blood of each participant was not a factor in the memory tests. The next five tests also showed that there was no significant decline in the thinking skills of the participant over the span of their study.

Despite the results of their research, Ammann said that people who are used to taking foods that are rich in omega-3 fatty acids, such as fatty fish and salmon, should not change their diet regimen.

"We do not recommend that people change their diet based on these results," Ammann said. "Researchers continue to study the relationship between omega-3s and the health of the heart, blood vessels, and brain. We know that fish and nuts can be healthy alternatives to red meat and full-fat dairy products, which are high in saturated fats."