A new study revealed that early intervention with fish oil supplements in those vulnerable to psychosis is potentially the safest 
way to prevent and treat this condition.
This new study published in the Archives of General Psychiatry reveals that a three-month course of the supplement appeared to be as effective as drugs, cutting the rate of psychotic illness like schizophrenia by a quarter. The study enrolled 81 people deemed to be at high risk for psychosis. This randomized, placebo-controlled trial provided a daily dose of 1200 mg of fish oil supplements to half the study subjects for just 12 weeks, while the other half received dummy pills. The results obtained were promising with only two participants in the fish oil group developing psychosis compared to eleven in the placebo group. Based on the results, the investigators estimate that one high-risk adult could be protected from developing psychosis for every four treated over a year.
Researchers believe that omega-3-fatty acids present in fish oil can alter signalling pathways in the brain and prevent psychosis. Antipsychotic drugs are potent and can have serious side effects, whereas natural remedies like fish oil are well tolerated and easy to take.
Lead author Dr. G. Paul Amminger, from the Youth Health Research Centre at the University of Melbourne in Australia states, “The finding that treatment with a natural substance may prevent or at least delay the onset of psychotic disorder gives hope that there may be alternatives to antipsychotics for the prodromal phase [symptoms leading up to psychosis onset].”
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.
However, experts recommend that before buying, patients check the credibility of fish oil supplements as many of the cheaper store-bought brands are largely made of olive oil filler combined with a tiny amount of fish oil extract.
Written by Snigdha Taduri for Biomed-ME