HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS Psychiatric Bulletin Advances in Psychiatric Treatment All RCPsych Journals		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) Submit an eLetter View responses Alert me when this article is cited Alert me when eLetters are posted Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Email this article to a friend Related articles in BJP Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via CrossRef Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by HALLAHAN, B. Articles by GARLAND, M. R. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by HALLAHAN, B. Articles by GARLAND, M. R.

Omega-3 fatty acid supplementation in patients with recurrent self-harm

Single-centre double-blind randomised controlled trial

Department of Psychiatry, Beaumont Hospital and The Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland

JOSEPH R. HIBBELN, MD

Laboratory of Membrane Biochemistry and Biophysics, National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, Rockville, Maryland, USA

JOHN M. DAVIS, MD

Institute of Psychiatry, University of Illinois at Chicago, Illinois, USA

MALCOLM R. GARLAND, MD, MRCPsych, MRCPI

Department of Psychiatry, Beaumont Hospital and the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, Ireland.

Correspondence: Dr Malcolm R. Garland, St Ita’s Hospital, Portrane, County Dublin, Ireland. Email: mgarland{at}ireland.com

Declaration of interest Pronova (now Epax) AS, Lysaker, Norway, provided the active preparation and placebo but were not otherwise involved in the study. Funding detailed in Acknowledgements.

See pp. 112–117, this issue.

Background Trials have demonstrated benefits of long-chain omega-3 essential fatty acid (n-3 EFA) supplementation in a variety of psychiatric disorders.

Aims To assess the efficacy of n-3 EFAs in improving psychological well-being in patients with recurrent self-harm.

Method Patients (n=49) presenting after an act of repeated self-harm were randomised to receive 1.2 g eicosapentaenoic acid plus 0.9 g decosahexaenoic acid (n=22) or placebo (n=27) for 12 weeks in addition to standard psychiatric care. Six psychological domains were measured at baseline and end point.

Results At 12 weeks, the n-3 EFA group had significantly greater improvements in scores for depression, suicidality and daily stresses. Scores for impulsivity, aggression and hostility did not differ.

Conclusions Supplementation achieved substantial reductions in surrogate markers of suicidal behaviour and improvements in well-being. Larger studies are warranted to determine if insufficient dietary intake of n-3 EFAs is a reversible risk factor for self-harm.

Related articles in BJP:

Lipids and essential fatty acids in patients presenting with self-harm

MALCOLM R. GARLAND, BRIAN HALLAHAN, MAIREAD McNAMARA, PHILIP A. CARNEY, HELEN GRIMES, JOSEPH R. HIBBELN, ANDREW HARKIN, and RONAN M. CONROY
BJP 2007 190: 112-117. [Abstract] [Full Text]  

Peter Tyrer
BJP 2007 190: 188. [Full Text]  

Highlights of this issue

KIMBERLIE DEAN
BJP 2007 190: 91-a5-91. [Full Text]  

This article has been cited by other articles:

				N. Vaisman, N. Kaysar, Y. Zaruk-Adasha, D. Pelled, G. Brichon, G. Zwingelstein, and J. Bodennec Correlation between changes in blood fatty acid composition and visual sustained attention performance in children with inattention: effect of dietary n-3 fatty acids containing phospholipids Am. J. Clinical Nutrition, May 1, 2008; 87(5): 1170 - 1180. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				D. Basu and P. K. Barnwal Omega-3 fatty acid for recurrent self-harm: unanswered questions The British Journal of Psychiatry, September 1, 2007; 191(3): 264 - 264. [Full Text] [PDF]

				Recurrent Self-Harm: Are Omega-3 Supplements Part of the Answer? Journal Watch Psychiatry, March 12, 2007; 2007(312): 2 - 2. [Full Text]

				M. R. GARLAND, B. HALLAHAN, M. McNAMARA, P. A. CARNEY, H. GRIMES, J. R. HIBBELN, A. HARKIN, and R. M. CONROY Lipids and essential fatty acids in patients presenting with self-harm The British Journal of Psychiatry, February 1, 2007; 190(2): 112 - 117. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

eLetters: