Long-chain Omega-3 fatty acids supplementation and cognitive performance throughout adulthood: A 6-month randomized controlled trial.

What this study found

Six months of n-3 PUFA supplementation did not improve cognitive performance versus placebo in healthy adults, and APOE genotype and age did not alter the overall treatment effect. Post-intervention adjusted scores were similar between active and placebo groups for visuospatial ability (0.087 vs 0.132, p = 0.639), working memory (0.139 vs 0.012, p = 0.251), episodic memory (0.286 vs 0.227, p = 0.483), and executive function (0.199 vs 0.195, p = 0.967). Dropouts due to side effects thought related to treatment were 4 in the n-3 PUFA group and 6 in the placebo group. Some subgroup analyses…

Study & population

Randomized, placebo-controlled trial in cognitively healthy adults across the adult lifespan, roughly 20 to 80 years old.

Intervention

Participants in the active arm took 4 oral capsules per day for 6 months, with 2 capsules at breakfast and 2 at dinner.

Key limitation

The trial was only 6 months long and included healthy, cognitively normal adults, which limits generalizability to other populations or longer-term outcomes.

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