Study description and results – reduction in the symptoms of schizophrenia and depressive conditions

* including psychoses, delusions, hallucinations, depression, mood swings, sleeplessness, concentration problems

** EFA – essential fatty acids

Pawełczyk T, Grancow-Grabka M, Kotlicka-Antczak M, Trafalska E, Pawełczyk A. „A randomized controlled study of the efficacy of six-month supplementation with concentrated fish oil rich in omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids in first episode schizophrenia”. J Psychiatr Res. 2016 Feb;73:34-44

Over 70% more patients experienced at least a 50% reduction in their schizophrenic symptoms in the group supplementing their drug therapy with a small dose of BioCardine^®Omega-3 (4 capsules, i.e. 2.4 g of essential fatty acids (EFA) EPA + DHA omega-3, which corresponds to 5 ml of BioCardine^®Omega-3 in liquid, calculated on the EPA + DHA content; the optimum dose is 8-10 capsules, i.e. 4.8-6 g essential fatty acids (EFA) EPA + DHA omega-3), compared to the group on drug therapy alone. The study was conducted under the standard of randomisation, with a double-blind sample.

  Study description and results – the thickness of cerebral cortex

T. Pawełczyk, E. Piątkowska-Janko, P. Bogorodzki, P. Gębski, M. Grancow-Grabka, E. Trafalska, N. Żurner, A. Pawełczyk, Omega-3 fatty acid supplementation may prevent loss of gray matter thickness in the left parieto-occipital cortex in first episode schizophrenia: a secondary outcome analysis of the OFFER randomized controlled study. Schizophr Res. 2017 Oct 24. pii: S0920-9964(17)30621-7.

Significant differences were observed in the thickness of cerebral cortex in the occipito-atlantal areas of Brodmann’s fields 7 and 19 of the left hemisphere; compared to the placebo group, the value of this parameter in the study group increased by 9.4%. Dysfunctions in these regions of the brain may be responsible for the symptomatology of schizophrenia. The observation revealed that using 2.2 g of essential fatty acids (EFA) EPA + DHA omega-3 may have neuroprotective properties.

  Study description and results – oxidative stress

This time we are presenting the research results concerning total plasma antioxidant capacity (TAC) and oxidative damage (the level of 8-isoprostane):

T. Pawełczyk, M. Grancow-Grabka, E. Trafalska, J. Szemraj, A. Pawełczyk Oxidative stress reduction related to the efficacy of n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids In first episode schizophrenia: Secondary outcome analysis of the OFFER randomized trial. Prostaglandins, Leukotrienes and Essential Fatty Acids 121 (2017) 7–13

As demonstrated by the studies, the study group using 2.2 g of EPA and DHA omega-3 experienced a 50% higher level of antioxidant defence after 26 weeks compared to the placebo group. As a result, the oxidative damage in the study group was significantly reduced after 26 weeks and was 123% lower compared to the placebo group.

A randomised placebo-controlled trial revealed that a six-month therapy with concentrated fish oil rich in polyunsaturated fatty acids EPA n-3, used complementarily to anti-psychotic treatment in a group of patients with the first episode of schizophrenia, is an effective and well-tolerated therapeutic intervention.

In particular, it was demonstrated that the above intervention with polyunsaturated fatty acids n-3 in the group of patients with the first episode of schizophrenia:

1. Leads to:

• significant reduction in the intensity of disease symptoms measured by means of the PANSS scale and its subscale of general psychopathology;
• significant reduction in the intensity of depressive symptoms measured by means of the CDSS scale;
• significant improvement in the patients’ functioning measured by means of the GAF scale;
• significant reduction in the intensity of disease symptoms measured by means of the CGI scale;

2. Accelerates improvement, i.e. at least a 25% reduction in the disease symptoms measured by means of the PANSS, as well as increases the percentage of patients who experience a significant, i.e. at least a 50%, reduction in the intensity of their clinical symptoms.

3. Increases the performance of the body’s antioxidant systems and reduces the level of oxidative stress.

4. Increases the activity of telomerase responsible for the reconstruction of telomeres.

5. Increases the thickness of the cerebral cortex in the regions responsible for developing the symptomatology of schizophrenia.

6. Increases the level of BDNF protein, necessery for proper neurons functioning.

Conclusions: The effectiveness of each medical therapy increases by even several dozen % if we provide the body with its basic building substances. By supplementing the deficiencies of the essential fatty acids (EFA) EPA and DHA omega-3, the human body triggers a series of physiological processes which it would not be able to trigger in any other way. The effects obtained in the study result from the combination of medical therapy with proper nutrition of the body, and only such comprehensive effects are deserved by each patient fighting against a disease. The OFFER study is already the 43rd test conducted in patients on Marinex products.