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Omega-3 shows mixed results for boosting memory
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Dietary supplements containing omega-3 fatty acids may help healthy seniors stay sharp but appear to do little to improve memory in people already suffering from Alzheimer's disease.
These findings come from two studies reported at the Alzheimer's Association 2009 International Conference on Alzheimer's Disease over the weekend.
In the more positive set of findings, older people with few physical problems who reported only minor trouble remembering things benefited fron taking capsules containing 900 mg of omega-3 fatty acids each day for six months. The study was conducted by employees of Martek Biosciences Corporation, which produces most of the world's supply of plant-derived pharmaceutical-grade omega-3 fatty acids in the form of DHA, or docosahexaenoic acid.
Individuals who participated in the Martek study and received omega-3 performed better on the CANTAB Paired Associate Learning memory test than did individuals who took a placebo. The average age of participants was 70 years.
According to Karin Yurko-Mauro, who led the Martek study team, "Healthy people with memory complaints who took algal DHA capsules for six months had almost double the reduction in errors on a test that measures learning and memory performance versus those who took a placebo. The benefit is roughly equivalent to having the learning and memory skills of someone three years younger."
Throwing some cold water on those results, a longer-term trial of omega-3 supplementation in people with diagnosed Alzheimer's disease or another form of dementia and an average age of 76 years showed no positive effects on mental function. Patients taking 2,000 mg of omega-3 each day for 18 months as part of a clinical trial conducted by Alzheimer's Disease Cooperative Study researchers, did no better on Alzheimer's disease assessment scale-cognitive scale or Clinical Dementia Scale-sum of the boxes assessments than did patients taking a placebo.
Both the Martek and the ADCS researchers noted their findings need further confirmation.
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