Rapid Effects of Omega-3 Fats on Brain Function

Seth Roberts

University of California, Berkeley

Outline

• background

• choosing a dose

• 2 self-experiments

• other people, other effects

• conclusions

Chemical Background

• omega-3 fats are polyunsaturated fats

• Three versions vary in number of carbons: 18 (ALA), 20 (EPA), 22 (DHA)

• ALA in plants. EPA & DHA in fish. Humans make EPA & DHA from ALA.

• Flaxseed oil rich in ALA.

• Brain 2/3rds fat (not counting water). DHA most abundant fat.

Health Effect?

• 1972 Eskimos much less heart disease than Danes. Much more EPA & DHA in blood.

• Now: Effect of fish oil on heart disease not entirely clear.

• Now: Inconsistent effects on mood• Now: Several studies correlate fish

consumption & better cognition in elderly• Now: Consistently improves ADHD

How I Got Involved

• The Shangri-La Diet (SLD) showed how to drink olive oil & lose weight.

• Many SLD dieters reported better sleep.

• Due to omega-3? I took flaxseed oil capsules one evening.

• Next morning my balance was better.

• Could this be confirmed?

Measuring Balance

Measuring Balance

• Slow learning, continues for a long time

• One test/day, to keep learning constant

• 30 trials/session – the most I could bear

• Took about 15 minutes

• Every morning. Before any flaxseed oil that day.

What Dose?

What Dose?

What Dose? Conclusions

• 3 T/day flaxseed oil better than 2 T/day

• 4 T/day about the same as 3 T/day

• Dose effect inconsistent with placebo effect. (Initial effect also inconsistent.)

• With other effects of omega-3 the best dose is unclear.

Expt 1: flaxseed oil vs olive oil

• Took 4 T/day flaxseed oil most days (4 T flaxseed oil contains 28 g ALA)

• For 9 days took 4 T/day olive oil instead

Expt 1: balance results

Expt 1: memory-scan measure

Expt 2: memory-scan measure

• Each test: 5 blocks of 100 digits each.

• Took about 4 minutes.

Expt 1: memory-scan results

Expt 1: arithmetic measure

• Simple arithmetic problems, randomly-chosen:

• 5+3, 7-4, 7*8

• Answer (type answer, hit return) as quickly as possible. Measure of performance is reaction time.

• 100 problems/session. Each session took about 2 minutes.

Expt 1: arithmetic results

Expt 1: digit-span measure

• Typical digit span task. See digits 1/sec in center of screen. 3 sec pause. Test: recall all digits in correct order.

• Adaptive staircase: number of digits increases after correct answer, decreases after incorrect answer.

• About 15 trials/session. Takes about 8 minutes.

Expt 1: digit span results

Expt 2: flaxseed oil vs. nothing

• Took 4 T/day flaxseed oil most of expt.

• For 12 days, stopped taking flaxseed oil

Expt 2: balance results

Expt 2: memory-scan results

Expt 2: arithmetic results

Expt 2: digit-span results

Summary of t values

Experiment

Measure vs. olive oil vs. nothing

balance >5 7

memory scan 8 8

arithmetic 1 7

digit span 2 2

Other People

• Tim Lundeen, software developer, Bay Area. Simple arithmetic.

• Sander Van de Cruz, graduate student, Copenhagen University. Iconic memory task.

• My mom. Balance test.

Tim Lundeen

Sander Van De Cruys

My Mom

Other Effects

• Gums better (less inflammation)

• Sports injuries better (less pain & swelling)

Dental Health

• Me. Dentist noticed gums not inflamed. Never before like this.

• Tyler Cowen, Marginal Revolution. Gum surgery cancelled.

• Three other people.

Dental Health: Tyler Cowen

• January 2007. Gum specialist: “You’ll need surgery either right now, or within a few months. We cut open the gum, clean out the inflammation, and sew your mouth right back up. Only sometimes do we have to eliminate the tooth.”

• July 2007. Gum surgeon: “We can cancel this morning’s surgery, it seems OK for now.”

Sports Injuries

• Starting taking flaxseed oil (2 T/day) because of Cowen story. Gums stopped bleeding.

• “Full contact fighting leads to all kinds of sprains, strains, dislocations, etc. Ever since I started taking it --in caplets, equivalent of 2 tablespoons a day--I have noticed a big reduction in the number of small injuries, and a reduction in recovery time for those injuries.”

Sports Injuries (cont.)

• “I used to have to take four Advil every day before I went to class because I was so sore from the previous days. Now I don't take any--and I haven't changed anything other than the flaxseed tablets.”

• Stopped taking flaxseed oil. In about 10 days, soreness and bleeding gums returned.

Placebo Effect?

• Placebos never show a dose effect. This does (2 vs 3 T/day).

• Placebos never have unexpected effects. This does (dental & sports injury effects).

Conclusions: Substance

• Flaxseed oil produces rapid improvement in cognitive functions and balance. Improvement disappears slowly.

• Omega-3 the crucial ingredient

• Best dose around 3 Tablespoons/day (= 350 calories). Health benefits clear with 2 T/day.

Conclusions: Method

• Self-experimentation allowed fast, flexible study of accidental effect. Long ingestion better digestion.

• Got source (flaxseed oil) & dose right.• Benefits much clearer than before.• Blogging caused others to try.• Methods of cognitive psychology can

improve health. Optimize brain optimize body.