Study: Fish Oil Won’t Save Your Brain

Fish oil may not help to protect the brain, a new study suggests. Some prior research had found a protective effect. The new study looked at levels of one omega-3 fatty acid in the blood of more than 2,100 women. These fats are found in fish and fish oil supplements. The women were age 65 or older when the study began. They had normal brain function. Omega-3 levels were tested at the beginning of the study. The women took tests of thinking and memory each year for 6 years. Researchers found no link between their blood levels of omega-3 fatty acids and changes in brain function. Women with higher omega-3 levels were not less likely to develop dementia. Specific aspects of thinking or memory also did not decline more slowly in women with higher omega-3 levels. The journal Neurology published the study. HealthDay News wrote about it September 25.