Influence of supplementary vitamins, minerals and essential fatty acids on the antisocial behaviour of young adult prisoners

Randomized placebo-controlled trial in young adult prisoners in the United Kingdom, with participants aged 18 years or older. Disciplinary incidents were tracked during baseline and supplementation periods using Governor and minor reports, and dietary intake was assessed with 7-day food diaries.

The active regimen consisted of an oral daily supplement combining a vitamin/mineral capsule (Forceval) with essential fatty acids (Efamol Marine). Participants took four capsules daily for an average of 142.62 days in the active group, compared with 142 days in the placebo group.

Supplementation was associated with fewer disciplinary offences than placebo. Active treatment reduced offences by 26.3% (95% CI 8.3 to 44.33%; P=0.03), corresponding to 11.8 infringements per 1000 person-days. Among participants treated for at least 2 weeks (n=172), offences fell by 35.1% (95% CI 16.3 to 53.9%; P=0.001). Governor reports decreased by 37% and minor reports by 33.3%; no adverse reactions or withdrawals due to supplementation were reported. The authors concluded that vitamins, minerals, and essential fatty acids reduced antisocial behaviour in prison, including violence, while emphasizing that replication is still needed.

The trial was conducted in a prison setting, which limits generalizability to other populations. Some key participant details were not reported, including sex and mean age, and the active-arm randomized sample size was not explicitly stated. Follow-up was relatively short on average, and outcomes relied on disciplinary report data rather than broader behavioral or clinical measures.