Supplement may prevent onset of schizophrenia: Australian study

A new study from Australian researchers has revealed that omega-3 may prevent the onset of schizophrenia in young people.

The researchers, led by University of Melbourne professor Paul Amminger, set up a 12-week intervention where those deemed at-risk of developing the psychotic disorder were administered the polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA), omega-3.

The 81 participants chosen to partake met the "ultrahigh risk" criteria and were aged 13 to 25. Of those, 41 were assigned to the omega-3 PUFA group and 40 to the placebo group.

When participants were contacted by the study's researchers, on average around seven years later, 16 out of the 40 placebo group had developed the disorder, compared to just four out of the 41 who received the supplement.

At present there is no cure for the disease.

"Although early treatment has been linked to better outcomes, current treatment for schizophrenia provide control rather than cure," said the authors of the study, which was published on Wednesday in the Nature Communications journal.

Schizophrenia usually manifests itself in adolescence or in the early stages of adulthood and may cause sufferers to experience general cognitive malfunctions, like hallucinations and/or delusions.

One in every hundred people will exhibit signs of schizophrenia during their lifetime, according to SANE Australia.

Antipsychotic medications and various psychosocial treatments do not fully treat the disorder, with many forced to live with the chronic illness for the remainder of their lives.

"There may be alternatives to antipsychotic medication in treating and preventing the onset of psychotic disorder," Professor Amminger told LiveScience on Wednesday.

"Omega-3 fatty acids are basically a stigma-free and even longer-term preventive strategy with minimal associated risks and side effects."