Researchers from Massey University's Albany campus are seeking 200 healthy men and women to take part in a study to determine whether the consumption of omega-3 supplements over a six-month period will improve brain performance.

"Omega-3 fatty acids, particularly those from fatty fish like salmon and sardines and fish oil supplements, where they are found in abundance, play essential roles in both the structure and function of our brains," says nutrition researcher Associate Professor Welma Stonehouse.

"Our bodies can’t make these fatty acids very efficiently and therefore we need to consume them as part of our diet. However, most New Zealanders consume low levels of these fatty acids which could compromise their brain’s ability to perform at its peak," says Dr Stonehouse, who is leading the project with colleague Dr Cath Conlon from the Institute of Food, Nutrition and Human Health, and psychologists Professor John Podd and Dr Stephen Hill from the School of Psychology.

Research to date has focussed on the role of omega-3 in brain development and cognitive function in infants, children with learning disorders and older adults with dementia or Alzheimer’s disease.

"Very little is known about its effects in healthy adults. This research is leading the way in this regard," says Dr Stonehouse, who is the author of a number of published studies on omega-3's nutritional benefits.

The researchers are looking for healthy men and women aged between 18 and 45, who are not taking fish oil supplements or eating fatty fish more than twice a month. They cannot smoke, be pregnant or breastfeeding, or have allergies to seafood. Volunteers for the study, which starts in April 2010, will be required to visit Massey's Albany campus twice for a blood sample to be taken and to do an online cognitive test. They will have to take a fish oil supplement or placebo for six months.  

To find out more contact the researchers at omega.study@massey.ac.nz or (09) 414 0800, ext 41173.

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Originally posted April 2010.

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This is a summary article based on information from the Massey University. Knowledgeable New Zealand health consumers may also find this article useful. This information is intended solely for New Zealand residents and is of a general nature only and no person should act in reliance on any statement contained in the information provided and at all times should obtain specific advice from a health professional. All rights reserved. © UBM Medica (NZ) Ltd.