Disappointing news this week if you've been holding your nose daily to down your recommended dose of fish oils in pill form.
Scientists have slammed persistent claims that fish oil supplements boost brain power, after monitoring the progress of over 4,000 over the course of five years.
The large-scale study found no evidence that omega-3 capsules had any effect on mental functions as the participants aged.
Lead author Dr Emily Chew, from the US National Eye Institute, said: "Contrary to popular belief, we didn't see any benefit of omega-3 supplements for stopping cognitive decline."
[caption id="attachment_253259" align="alignnone" width="474"]
handful of Omega-3 capsules[/caption]
Participants were randomly assigned to one of four groups. At the outset, they were tested on their immediate recall, attention and memory. They were then tested two and four years later.
The findings were published in the Journal of the American Medical Association and the study is one of the largest and longest in duration of its kind to date.
Scientists have added that for all-round better health, anyone worried about their Omega-3 intake would be better off eating foods naturally high in the fatty acids, such as salmon, flaxseed and walnuts.
handful of Omega-3 capsules[/caption]
