Omega‐3 fatty acid supplementation in schizophrenic patients

There is evidence that certain n3 and n6 essential fatty acids (EFAs) are depleted in cell membranes from red blood cells (RBC) and brains of patients suffering from schizophrenia. If these findings are of primary significance, then the possibility is raised of modifying schizophrenic symptomatology by dietary supplementation with fatty acids. We have carried out detailed analysis of dietary fatty acid intake of 20 schizophrenic patients. It was found that a greater intake of n3 fatty acids and particularly eicosapentenoic (EPA) in the normal diet, was associated with less severe schizophrenic symptoms and particularly less positive symptoms, as well as less tardive dyskinesia (TD). Furthermore, supplementation of the diet for 6 weeks with 10 g/day of concentrated fish oil (MaxEPA) resulted in significant amelioration of both schizophrenic symptoms and TD. Multiple regression analysis showed that improvement in schizophrenic symptoms was importantly related to the increased level of n3 fatty acids in RBC membranes.