Fish Intake Improves Brain Health in Teenagers

by | Aug 26, 2009 | 2009, Brain Health, Fish Oil Supplements

Written by Greg Arnold, DC, CSCS. Those eating fish more than once per week had scores of a summary of intelligence factors 36% higher than those not eating this much fish.

A new study (1) has found that fish and omega-3 fat intake can benefit teenage cognition over the course of several years.  In the study, nearly 4,000 15-year-old males completed a food questionnaire on their fish intake. They also competed a group of intelligence tests (2) broken down into  10 basic tests of logic, verbal, spatial perception, and technical/mechanical skills.  These scores were then tabulated into a Standard Nine (“stanine”) score that ranges between 0 and 1 (3).

The researchers found that, compared to those eating fish once per week, those eating fish more than once per week had stanine scores that were 38% higher for the combined intelligence scores (0.58 vs. 0.36), 56% higher for the verbal scores (0.46 vs.0.20), and 36% higher for spatial perception scores (0.51 vs. 0.33).

The researchers suggested that the increase in omega-3 intake from fish may help with mental health.  They pointed to research showing that omega-3 fats increase levels of a nerve chemical in the brain called BDNF (brain derived neurotrophic factor) (4), which reduces oxidative stress in the brain (4) and makes cell membranes more fluid.  This enhances their function and even improves blood sugar use (5), as well as the functioning of the part of the cell that makes energy, the mitochondria (6).

For the researchers, “Our study suggests that fish consumption may have a significant impact on cognitive function in adolescence.”

Source: Åberg, Maria AI, et al. “Fish intake of Swedish male adolescents is a predictor of cognitive performance.” Acta paediatrica 98.3 (2009): 555-560.

© 2008 The Author(s)/Journal Compilation 2008 Foundation Acta Pædiatrica/Acta Pædiatrica 2009 98, pp. 555–560

Posted August 26, 2009.

References:

  1. Aberg MA.  Fish intake of Swedish male adolescents is a predictor of cognitive performance.  Acta Ped 2009; 98(3): 555-560.
  2. Carlstedt B. Cognitive abilities—aspects of structure, process and measurement. University of Gothenburg. Thesis. Acta Universitatis Gothoburgensis, ISBN 91-7346-385-X, 2000.
  3. Salvia J, Ysseldyke JE. Assessment . 8th ed. Asheville : Houghton Mifflin, 2001: 96–100.
  4. Wu A, Ying Z, Gomez-Pinilla F. Dietary omega-3 fatty acids normalize BDNF levels, reduce oxidative damage, and counteract learning disability after traumatic brain injury in rats. J Neurotrauma 2004; 21: 1457–67.
  5. Pifferi F, Roux F, Langelier B, et al. (n-3) polyunsaturated fatty acid deficiency reduces the expression of both isoforms of the brain glucose transporter GLUT1 in rats. J Nutr 2005; 135: 2241–6.
  6. Flachs P, Horakova O, Brauner P, et al. Polyunsaturated fatty acids of marine origin upregulate mitochondrial biogenesis and induce beta-oxidation in white fat. Diabetologia 2005; 48: 2365–75.