A Study Finds Mental Benefit of Fish Oil

[Guest guest]

Again another study comes out showing autism moms do know best.(Been 3

studies backing AU moms this year) This one shows the benefit of fish

oil and Psychosis.

Our problem is give our son fish oil pills and you will see them again

in 15 minutes or less, the express rout of course

Oh some one should send this to that Tribune writer.

Enjoy

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704107204575039590838522222.html

Associated Press

Fish oil pills may be able to spare some young people with signs of

mental illness from a progression into fully developed schizophrenia,

according to a preliminary study of 81 patients in Austria.

The study adds to evidence suggesting that severe mental illness may

be prevented with intervention. The researchers are starting a larger

study in eight cities, hoping to replicate the findings, which appear

in the February issue of Archives of General Psychiatry, released

Monday.

A severe mental illness, schizophrenia affects adolescents and young

adults. Some 2.4 million Americans have the disorder, which is treated

with antipsychotic medication.

" Schizophrenia is among the most mysterious and costliest diseases in

terms of human suffering, so anything that gives some hope to avoid

this is great,'' said lead author Dr. G. Amminger, formerly in

Vienna and now at the Orygen Youth Health Research Center at the

University of Melbourne in Australia.

Researchers have wondered if the disease could be stopped before it

overpowers a person's grip on reality. Studies have tried

antipsychotics in select young people, but side effects pose ethical

questions, and results have been mixed.

Researchers in the new study identified 81 people, ages 13 to 25, with

warning signs of psychosis, including sleeping much more or less than

usual, growing suspicious of others, believing someone is putting

thoughts in their head or believing they have magical powers.

Forty-one were randomly assigned to take four fish oil pills a day for

three months. The other patients took dummy pills.

After a year of monitoring, 2 of the 41 patients in the fish oil

group, or about 5%, had become psychotic, or completely out of touch

with reality. In the placebo group, 11 of 40 became psychotic, about

28%.

No one knows what causes schizophrenia but one hypothesis is that

people with the disease don't process fatty acids correctly, leading

to damaged brain cells. Omega-3 fatty acids in fish oil could help

brain cells repair and stabilize, the researchers speculate.

Dr. Janet Wozniak of Harvard Medical School said the findings might

reasonably cause psychiatrists to recommend fish oil to some patients

because there are known benefits and little risk.

Copyright 2010 Associated Press