Try to stay calm Omega-3. A 2024 study found that fatty acids, which are provided as a dietary supplement through fish oil capsules and are thought to benefit mental and physical well-being, may also reduce aggression.
These findings did not come out of nowhere. Omega-3s have previously been linked to prevention of schizophrenia, while aggression and antisocial behavior have been linked in part to undernourishment. What we eat can affect our brain chemistry.
Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania built on a previous small study on the effects of omega-3 supplementation on aggression. Their meta-analysis examined 29 randomized controlled trials with a total of 3,918 participants.
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All trials found modest but noticeable short-term effects, with up to a 28% reduction in aggression across a range of variables (including age, gender, medical diagnosis, treatment duration and dose).
“I believe the time has come to implement omega-3 supplementation to reduce aggression, whether in the community, clinic, or criminal justice system.” said Adrian Raine, a neurocriminologist at the time the meta-analysis was published.
The trials included in this study were conducted between 1996 and 2024 and lasted an average of 16 weeks. They covered a variety of demographics. Children under 16 to Older people between 50 and 60 years old.
Moreover, reductions in aggression included both reactive aggression (response to provocation) and proactive aggression (premeditated behavior). Before this study, it was unclear whether omega-3s could help with these different types of aggression.
Large, long-term studies are needed to further solidify this relationship, but this adds to our understanding of how fish oil pills and the omega-3s in them may benefit the brain.
“At the very least, parents seeking treatment for their aggressive child should be aware that eating one or two additional servings of fish each week in addition to other treatment the child is receiving may be helpful.” said.
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Researchers think the same way about omega-3s. reduces inflammation Maintains important brain processes ticking It may help regulate aggression. Although there are still many unanswered questions, the team suggests there is enough evidence to investigate this issue further.
addition research showing Drugs derived from fish oil may help reduce the risk of fatal heart attacks, strokes and other heart health problems, and adding omega-3s to your diet appears to have many benefits.
“Omega-3 is not a magic bullet that will completely solve society’s problem of violence.” said lane.
“But can it help? Based on these findings, we firmly believe that it can be helpful, and we must begin to act on the new knowledge we have.”
This study was published in: Aggression and violent behavior.
An earlier version of this article was published in June 2024.
