Science and Health

Fish oil no benefit to new mums, babies: study

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2010-10-20 09:42

SYDNEY - Fish oil capsules have no noticeable benefit to pregnant women and their babies, an Australian major study revealed on Wednesday.

The research, conducted by Professor Maria Makrides from Human Nutrition at the University of Adelaide in South Australia over five years, looked at 2400 pregnant women who were given fish oil capsules or an identical vegetable oil placebo during the latter phase of their pregnancy.

The outcome was the same for both groups despite the benefits of fish oil being widely promoted on the internet and by some medical professionals and pregnancy health guidelines.

"There was no significant difference in either the incidence of post-natal depression (for mums) or neuro developmental outcomes of their children," said Makrides.

"These results show that recommendations to increase omega 3 fatty acids in pregnancy are being made without sound evidence," she added.

Similarly, 700 children from the study group were assessed for cognitive and language development at 18 months of age and there were no marked differences.
"Despite the paucity of hard evidence, women are being recommended to increase their intake of fish oil fats in pregnancy, and the nutritional supplement industry is successfully marketing products with fish oil, claiming they optimise brain function in both mother and infant," she said.

"Before omega 3 supplementation in pregnancy becomes widespread, it is important to establish not only any benefits, but also any risks to mother or child," she said.

The research is published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, following the release of a US study, published in October, in which scientists unexpectedly found a negative effect of fish oil.

"Our findings support a growing body of literature implicating harmful effects of high doses of fish oil consumption in relation to certain diseases," said the American researcher Jenifer Fenton, from Michigan State University.