Fish oil supplements are not good for everyone because fish oil does not bring the same benefits to everyone, scientists have found.
Fish oil, a supplement made from fatty fish like salmon and mackerel, is widely touted for its omega-3 fatty acids, nutrients linked to heart health and often touted as brain benefits. However, new research suggests that the effects of fish oil supplements may not be beneficial for everyone, especially for people with repetitive head injuries.
Fish oil supplements don’t always help the brain recover
A study led by scientists at the Medical University of South Carolina, published in Cell Reports, found that certain components of fish oil may hinder the brain’s ability to recover after repeated mild traumatic brain injuries. The results challenge the common perception that omega-3 supplements are protective in all situations.
Fish oil supplements don’t always help the brain recover, because eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) is associated with slower recovery after repeated mild traumatic brain injuries, the study says.
Higher levels of EPA in the brain are associated with a lower ability to repair damage after injury. Research in mice showed that EPA doesn’t integrate into brain cells as well as DHA — docosahexaenoic acid, a key omega-3 fatty acid essential for brain, eye and nervous system health.
Neurovascular damage linked to EPA may worsen the accumulation of tau protein, which is found in Alzheimer’s disease and degenerative brain diseases such as encephalopathy, the Buz Post reports.
Traumatic brain injuries themselves cause poor blood vessel function in the brain
The findings do not prove a direct link between EPA and poor recovery after brain injury, but they do indicate that fish oil may not provide the same brain health benefits for all people, with many people taking these supplements without realizing the long-term effects.
Traumatic brain injuries themselves cause poor blood vessel function in the brain, and EPA reprogrammed these responses in a way that did not improve healing. Genetic analysis showed fewer signals for blood vessel repair and increased fat metabolism, meaning the body burns more fat for energy, which can lead to metabolic dysfunction.
Biology is context-dependent
The researchers noted that while fish oil supplements may not be beneficial for people with brain injuries, they may help prevent cognitive decline in healthy people, so this study should not discourage people from taking them.
The study’s lead author, Onder Albayram, said the findings shouldn’t be taken as a blanket warning against fish oil use.
He stressed that it’s not possible to say that fish oil is universally good or bad. What the data shows, he said, is that biology is context-dependent, and we need to understand how these supplements behave in the body over time, rather than assuming that the same effect applies to everyone.
The study focused on a specific condition — mild repetitive traumatic brain injury — and used tissue from chronic traumatic brain injury to provide supporting evidence, but not to prove direct causation.
As with any study, there are important limitations. Patterns can be observed in human tissue, but it cannot be proven what caused them. It also cannot account for all the factors that affect how the body processes omega-3s in real life, including overall diet, health status, and lifestyle./BuzPost/
