(February 3, 2010 - Insidermedicine)

Taking supplements that contain long-chain omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids may reduce the rate at which high risk individuals develop psychosis, according to research published in the Archives of Psychiatry.

Here is some information about psychosis:

•    It is a condition in which a person loses contact with reality

•    It is often associated with hallucinations, or perceiving things that are not there, and delusions, or having strange beliefs that are not true

•    There is evidence that those with schizophrenia, a psychotic disorder, have problems with their ability to metabolize long-chain omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids

Researchers from the Medical University of Vienna randomly assigned 81 individuals at ultra high risk for developing psychosis to receive daily supplements of fish oil capsules containing 1.2 grams of long-chain omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids or a placebo. The participants were considered to be high risk because they either had mild psychotic symptoms, transient psychosis, or a family history of psychotic disorders plus a decrease in functioning. Based on these criteria, the risk of becoming psychotic in a 12-month period could be as high as 40%.

At the end of the 12-week study, only 5% of those taking the fish oil supplements developed psychosis, as compared with nearly 28% taking a placebo. This represented a 23% reduced risk for psychosis with the capsules. Those who took the fish oil supplements also experienced significant improvements in their symptoms and had more improved functioning overall, as compared with those on placebo. The authors estimate that four high-risk adults would need to be treated with this therapy in order to prevent one from developing psychosis over a 12-month period.

Today’s research suggests that those at high risk for psychosis should try taking a long-chain omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid supplement.