Taking omega 3 helps reduce aggression

Omega 3 are essential fatty acids present in fish, shellfish, oil seeds and dried fruit. They must be taken with food, because our body is not able to synthesize them independently, and they help protect …

Taking omega 3 helps reduce aggression

Omega 3 are essential fatty acids present in fish, shellfish, oil seeds and dried fruit. They must be taken with food, because our body is not able to synthesize them independently, and they help protect the heart and brain, lowering cholesterol levels and reducing the risk of heart attacks and strokes. That’s not all, because more and more research indicates a beneficial effect on mental health too. The most recent is a meta-analysis carried out by researchers at the University of Pennsylvania, according to which the use of omega 3 food supplements is able to reduce aggression, and could therefore be useful for anyone who wants to improve their ability to manage anger.

The backstory

The possibility that omega 3s are somehow linked to a reduction in aggression is not new. In the past, various research has shown that aggressive and antisocial behaviors are often linked to a nutritionally deficient diet. And it has been hypothesized that omega 3 is one of the key nutrients needed to keep anger and aggression below guard levels.

An intuition corroborated by a 2001 study, which identified an inverse correlation between fish consumption (and therefore dietary intake of omega 3) and the numbers of murders that occur in different areas of the United States. There is also no shortage of clinical trials that have evaluated the effects of omega 3 supplementation on aggression. But the results to date have been somewhat mixed. For this reason, researchers at the University of Pennsylvania decided to carry out a large meta-analysis, analyzing and weighing all the results obtained to date to reach a response.

The study

In total, the study took into consideration 29 trials carried out over the last few decades, involving a total of over 3,900 participants. The quality of the research was heterogeneous, and the available studies are often of short duration, and therefore do not allow particularly solid inferences to be drawn on the long-term effectiveness of omega 3. But the effects of supplementation seem rather evident, although limited: all things considered, omega 3 supplements would seem to reduce aggressive behavior by 30%.

The reduction would also concern both reactive aggression, i.e. that which arises in response to a provocation, and proactive aggression, i.e. aggressive behavior planned in advance. And as far as can be established from the available trials, it would affect all demographic and social groups, including children, the elderly, people with criminal backgrounds and patients with psychiatric illnesses. For definitive confirmation, further research will be needed, on a larger population and for a longer duration. But according to the authors of the meta-analysis, since these supplements are also beneficial for other aspects of health, and have no side effects, the results are probably sufficient to recommend their use, also for the purpose of improving the ability to manage anger and aggression.

“I think the time has come to implement omega 3 supplementation aimed at reducing aggression, and in all settings, from the community, to the clinic, to the judicial system”, comments Adrian Raine, neurocriminologist at the University of Pennsylvania and co-author of the study. “If nothing else, a parent seeking treatment to help a particularly aggressive child should know that in addition to any other possible therapy, even an extra serving or two of fish per week could be beneficial.”