USC Trial Finds 2,000-mg DHA Fails to Improve Memory in 365 Older Adults
Updated
Updated · WZTV · Jun 25
USC Trial Finds 2,000-mg DHA Fails to Improve Memory in 365 Older Adults
3 articles · Updated · WZTV · Jun 25
Summary
A 24-month clinical trial in 365 adults aged 55 to 80 found high-dose DHA did not improve memory, thinking skills or hippocampus size versus placebo in people at risk for dementia.
2,000 milligrams of DHA daily did raise DHA levels in cerebrospinal fluid, showing the omega-3 reached the central nervous system even in participants carrying the APOE ε4 Alzheimer's risk variant.
Nearly half the participants had the APOE ε4 gene, but researchers saw no cognitive benefit in that subgroup either, undercutting the idea that earlier omega-3 trials failed because the nutrient never reached the brain.
No major safety issues emerged over the study period, and researchers said future work should examine how the brain processes DHA rather than simply increasing supplement intake.