NEURAPRO: a multi-centre RCT of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids versus placebo in young people at ultra-high risk of psychotic disorders—medium-term follow-up and clinical course
npj Schizophrenia (2018)4:11; doi:10.1038/s41537-018-0052-x
B. Nelson1,2, G. P. Amminger1,2,3, H. P. Yuen1,2, C. Markulev1,2, S. Lavoie1,2, M. R. Schafer1,3, J. A. Hartmann1,2, N. Mossaheb4,
M. Schlogelhofer , S. Smesny5,1. B. Hickie6, G. Berger7, E. Y. H. Chen8, L. de Haan9, D. H. Nieman9, M. Nordentoft10, A. Riecher-Rossler11, S. Verma12, A. Thompson1,13,14, A. R. Yung1,15,16 and P. D. McGorry1,2
The study speculated as to why no benefit was found
"The failure to replicate the original study may have been due the lack of efficacy of omega-3 PUFA in this patient population. However, other possible reasons are that the lower than expected transition rate (~11% across groups) prevented a test of the efficacy of this treatment and that the other treatments received in both groups (cognitive-behavioural case management (CBCM) and antidepressant medication) may have introduced a ceiling effect beyond which omega-3 PUFA, even if effective, could not be shown to confer additional benefit"
Note: Omega-3 may not have as much efficacy for those with poor guts (need probiotics)
Items in both categories Depression and Omega-3 are listed here:
- Depression treatments: diet, exercise, bright light, Vitamin D, B12, Omega-3, Zinc, Music, etc. – May 2019
- Omega-3 helps treat Major Depression – International Consensus Sept 2019
- Mental disorders fought by Omega-3 etc. - meta-meta-analysis Oct 2019
- Omega-3 reduces Depression. Anxiety, Stress, PTSD, etc. – Aug 2018
- Depression treated by Omega-3 (again) – meta-analysis Aug 2019
- Depression after childbirth 5 X less likely if good Omega-3 index – April 2019
- Occupational burnout reduced after 8 weeks of Omega-3 – RCT July 2019
- Anxiety severity reduced if more than 2 grams of Omega-3 – meta-analysis Sept 2018
- Psychotic disorders not treated by Omega-3 when patents take anti-depressants and get therapy – June 2018
- Happy Nurses Project gave Omega-3 for 3 months – reduced depression, insomnia, anxiety, etc for a year – RCT July 2018
- Depression – is it reduced by Vitamin D and or Omega-3 – RCT 2019
- Benefits of Omega-3 beyond heart health - LEF Feb 2018
- Omega-3 improves gut bacteria, reduces inflammation and depression – Dec 2017
- Unipolar depression treated by Omega-3, Zinc, and probably Vitamin D – meta-analysis Oct 2017
- Omega-3 reduces many psychiatric disorders – 2 reviews 2016
- Omega-3 does not consistently treat depression if use small amounts for short time period – review Oct 2016
- How Omega-3 Fights Depression – LEF July 2016
- Depression due to inflammation reduced by Omega-3 (children and pregnant) – Nov 2015
- Depression treated somewhat by Omega-3 (St. John's Wort better) – RAND org reviews 2015
- Depression substantially decreased with Omega-3 – Sept 2015
- Omega-3 for just 3 months greatly reduced psychosis for 80 months – RCT Aug 2015
- Omega-3 prevents PTSD and some mood disorders - Aug 2015
- Omega-3, Vitamin D, and other nutrients decrease mental health problems – March 2015
- Serotonin regulated by Vitamin D – part 1 autism – Feb 2014
Depression appears to also be treated by Vitamin D, Magnesium, Zinc, St. John's Wort
- Anti-depression medication about as good as big increase in vitamin D – meta-analysis of flawless data April 2014
- Vitamin D depression RCT canceled: too many were taking Vitamin D supplements, etc. Feb 2018
- Depression is associated with low Magnesium – meta-analysis April 2015
- Depression – is it reduced by Vitamin D and or Omega-3 – RCT 2019 future
- Unipolar depression treated by Omega-3, Zinc, and probably Vitamin D – meta-analysis Oct 2017
- Depression treated somewhat by Omega-3 (St. John's Wort better) – RAND org reviews 2015
Probably a combination would help more than just a single one
Download the PDF from Vitamin D Life
This study reports a medium-term follow-up of a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) in ultra-high risk for psychosis (UHR) patients. Primary outcomes of interest were transition to psychosis and symptomatic and functional outcome. A secondary aim was to investigate clinical predictors of medium-term outcome. Three hundred four UHR participants were recruited across 10 specialised early psychosis services in Australia, Asia, and Europe. The intervention consisted of 1.4 g/daily of omega-3 PUFA or placebo, plus up to 20 sessions of cognitive-behavioural case management (CBCM), over the 6-month study period, with participants receiving further CBCM sessions on basis of need between months 6-12. Mean time to follow-up was 3.4 (median = 3.3; SD = 0.9) years. There was a modest increase in transitions between 12-month and medium-term follow-up (11-13%) and substantial improvement in symptoms and functioning between baseline and follow-up, with no differences between the treatment groups. Most improvement had been achieved by end of the intervention. 55% of the sample received mental health treatment between end of intervention and follow-up. Omega-3 PUFA did not provide additional benefits to good quality psychosocial intervention over the medium term. Although most improvement had been achieved by end of intervention the substantial rates of post-intervention mental health service use indicate longer-term clinical need in UHR patients. The post-intervention phase treatment or the longer-term effect of CBCM, or a combination of the two, may have contributed to maintaining the gains achieved during the intervention phase and prevented significant deterioration after this time.