Omega-3 Supplementation Linked to 30% Reduction in Aggression Across Age and Gender By ERICA MOSER, UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA JUNE 1, 2024 Click here for full report
Adrian Raine, a neurocriminologist at Penn, has dedicated years to investigating whether omega-3 supplements can lessen aggressive tendencies. After conducting five randomized controlled trials across various countries and observing significant effects, Raine aimed to determine if these results could be replicated outside his laboratory.
Expanded Research and Findings
Now, Raine has found further evidence for the efficacy of omega-3 supplementation by conducting a meta-analysis of 29 randomized controlled trials. It shows modest short-term effects—he estimates this intervention translates to a 30% reduction in aggression—across age, gender, diagnosis, treatment duration, and dosage. Raine is the lead author of a new paper published in the journal Aggressive and Violent Behavior, with Lia Brodrick of the Perelman School of Medicine.
“I think the time has come to implement omega-3 supplementation to reduce aggression, irrespective of whether the setting is the community, the clinic, or the criminal justice system,” Raine says. “Omega-3 is not a magic bullet that is going to completely solve the problem of violence in society. But can it help? Based on these findings, we firmly believe it can, and we should start to act on the new knowledge we have.”
Clinical Implications
He notes that omega-3 also has benefits for treating heart disease and hypertension, and it is inexpensive and safe to use. ............
This meta-analysis shows that omega-3 reduced both reactive aggression, which is behavior in response to a provocation, and proactive aggression, which is planned.
