Omega-3 Supplementation Associated With Fewer And Shorter Seizures In Epileptics

February 6, 2019

A triple-blind trial reported in Clinical and Translational Medicine found a benefit for supplementation with the omega-3 fatty acids eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) among men and women with intractable seizures.

The trial included 50 patients with treatment-resistant epilepsy who received a placebo or 180 milligrams (mg) EPA plus 120 mg DHA twice daily for 16 weeks. Seizure frequency and duration, and blood levels of the inflammatory factors tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-a) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) were assessed at the beginning and end of the trial.