Cognitive response to fish oil, blueberry, and combined supplementation in older adults with subjective cognitive impairment

What this study found

Fish oil and blueberry supplementation each improved self-reported cognitive inefficiency in everyday functioning, while the combined regimen did not add benefit. Compared with placebo, fish oil improved DEX at week 24, F(1,32) = 4.94, p = 0.03, Cohen's f = 0.39, and the effect persisted at week 48, F(1,27) = 5.70, p = 0.02, Cohen's f = 0.46. Blueberry also improved DEX at week 24, F(1,35) = 3.99, p = 0.05, Cohen's f = 0.34, and improved HVLT discrimination, F(1,35) = 4.24, p = 0.04, Cohen's f = 0.34; the DEX benefit persisted at week 48, F(1,29) = 4.85, p = 0.03, Cohen's f = 0.41, but the…

Study & population

In this U.S.

Intervention

Participants were randomized to oral fish oil, blueberry powder, fish oil plus blueberry powder, or placebo for 24 weeks.

Key limitation

The trial was relatively small and had multiple active arms, which limits power and increases the chance of unstable estimates.

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