New Study Suggests Fish Oil Supplements May Hinder Brain Recovery After Injury
A new study is challenging long-held assumptions about the benefits of fish oil supplements, suggesting they may actually impair brain recovery under certain conditions.
Researchers at the Medical University of South Carolina found that omega-3 supplements—widely promoted for supporting brain health, could interfere with healing following repeated mild traumatic brain injuries (TBI).
Published in the journal Cell Reports, the study was led by neuroscientist Onder Albayram. His team investigated how the brain repairs blood vessels after injury and discovered a “context-dependent” vulnerability linked to eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), a key component of fish oil. In experimental models, higher levels of EPA were associated with weaker recovery, particularly affecting the brain’s ability...