Omega-3 vetzuren tegen schizofrenie.*
Uit een kleine Australische studie blijkt dat visolie, rijk aan omega-3
vetzuren de kans op schizofrenie bij mensen met een verhoogde kans op het krijgen hiervan fors kan verlagen. In de studie onder 81
risicopersonen in de leeftijd van 15 tot 25 jaar, kreeg de ene helft 3 maanden lang 1,5 gram visolie capsules en de andere helft een placebo. Na een jaar bleek dat bij de personen in de visoliegroep slechts bij 3% schizofrenie had ontwikkeld tegenover bij 28% van de personen in de placebogroep. Dat is een bijzonder verrassend resultaat mede gelet op het feit dat uit eerdere studies gebleken is dat medicijnen met al hun gevaarlijke bijwerkingen slechts een reductie van 12% kunnen bereiken. De studie zal
nu in negen centra in de wereld worden herhaald.
Fish oil may prevent schizophrenia
Swallowing a daily dose of fish oil may stop young people vulnerable to schizophrenia from developing the condition, a landmark study has found.
An international psychiatry conference in Melbourne will be told today that omega-3 fatty acids, believed to be beneficial for conditions from heart disease to ADHD, could also help delay or prevent the onset of severe mental illness.
The findings could offer a safe way to treat a crippling condition and potentially prevent schizophrenia, without the drastic side-effects of anti-psychotic medications, say experts from the Orygen Research Centre in Melbourne.
"This is is an amazing result in a natural product that really puts it out as a serious treatment for people seen most likely to develop psychotic illness," said lead researcher Professor Paul Amminger.
"It performed even better than the traditional medications in this particularly vulnerable group so this really shouldn't be overlooked."
The researchers enlisted 81 'high risk' young people aged 13 to 24 who had previously suffered brief hallucinations or delusions.
Typically, if left untreated one-third of these individuals will go on to develop a sustained psychotic disorder.
Half were treated with capsules of fish oil, a rich source of omega-3 fats for three months, while the rest took a fishy-tasting dummy substitute.
One year on, three per cent of those who had taken fish oil supplements had developed schizophrenia. This compared with 28 per cent of those who had swallowed the placebo.
Previous studies have suggested that anti-psychotic drugs when used early in illness reduce the rate to about 12 per cent. However, their use is controversial as they have severe side-effects like heavy weight gain and increased risk of heart disease.
"What we have here, it seems, is a very good and non-invasive alternative that could be safely used on at-risk people where only a proportion were ever going to develop the condition," said Prof Amminger, who will present the findings at the World Psychiatry Association (WPA) Conference.
Researchers are now planning a larger, multi-centre trial in a bid to replicate the findings.
Orygen director Professor Patrick McGorry said the findings hold out great hope for young people and their families.
"This unique study shows that, just like in cancer and heart disease, early diagnosis is the key to safer and more effective treatments at lower cost and with less disruption to peoples' lives and future potential," Prof McGorry said.
Omega-3 oils have been touted as a possible treatment for a range of conditions, including depression, bipolar disorder, rheumatism, heart disease and cancer.
They have also been found to improve concentration and learning in children with ADHD and autism, and reduce aggression among
prisoners. (Januari
2008)
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