Omega-3 fatty acid supplementation in patients with recurrent self-harm
What this study found
Omega-3 supplementation was associated with better psychological outcomes than placebo over 12 weeks, especially for depression and perceived stress. BDI scores improved significantly in the n-3 EFA group (P=0.004), and more patients achieved greater than 50% and greater than 70% symptom reduction (both P=0.001); perceived daily stress also fell more than with placebo (P=0.021), with a significant 50% response (P=0.006) and greater DHUS improvement (P=0.027). Suicidality outcomes also favored treatment, with no suicidal ideation reported on the OAS-M suicidality sub-scale in the n-3 EFA…
- Study & population
- Placebo-controlled trial in adults aged 16 to 64 years presenting with self-harm and a history of prior self-harm, recruited from the accident and emergency department of Beaumont Hospital in Dublin, Ireland.
- Intervention
- The active regimen was EPAX 5500 omega-3 capsules providing 305 mg EPA and 227 mg DHA per capsule, four capsules daily for a total of 2128 mg/day of EPA plus DHA, taken in the morning for 12 weeks.
- Key limitation
- This was a small, single-center study with only 22 participants in the active arm and a 12-week follow-up, which limits precision and generalizability.
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Open PDFOriginal abstract
Background Trials have demonstrated benefits of long-chain omega-3 essential fatty acid (n-3 EFA) supplementation in a variety of psychiatric disorders. Aims To assess the efficacy of n-3 EFAs in improving psychological well-being in patients with recurrent self-harm. Method Patients (n=49) presenting after an act of repeated self-harm were randomised to receive 1.2 g eicosapentaenoic acid plus 0.9 g decosahexaenoic acid (n=22) or placebo (n=27) for 12 weeks in addition to standard psychiatric care. Six psychological domains were measured at baseline and end point. Results At 12 weeks, the n-3 EFA group had significantly greater improvements in scores for depression, suicidality and daily stresses. Scores for impulsivity aggression and hostility did not differ. Conclusions Supplementation achieved substantial reductions in surrogate markers of suicidal behaviour and improvements in well-being. Larger studies are warranted to determine if insufficient dietary intake of n-3 EFAs is a reversible risk factor for self-harm.