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Sydney Morning Herald,
NICK MILLER
February 2, 2010
FISH oil supplements can dramatically reduce the chance of young people developing psychosis or schizophrenia, Australian researchers say.
Lead researcher Paul Amminger said colleagues had laughed when he proposed the study, but the results surprised even him.
The adolescent psychiatrist from the University of Melbourne's Orygen research centre says doctors should now consider fish oil as a genuine alternative to expensive and more risky anti-psychotics when a young patient is showing early signs of mental illness. And he believes the oil's omega-3 fatty acids might help prevent depression and drug abuse.
In the study, published in the Archives of General Psychiatry journal, 41 high-risk patients were given four fish oil capsules a day for three months. Only two of them developed a psychotic disorder, compared with 11 of another 40 who took a placebo.
Orygen, home of the Australian of the Year Pat McGorry who was a co-author on this study, has played a world-leading role in promoting the power of early intervention on youth psychosis.
However this has sparked some controversy, associate professor Amminger said.
''People argued that [pharmaceutical] medication might have too many side-effects at the early stage of developing a disorder,'' he said.
High-powered anti-psychotic drugs can come with metabolic changes, sexual dysfunction and weight gain which are often not acceptable for young people, leading to high drop-out rates.
Very few people dropped out of the fish oil treatment regime, and a 12-month follow up showed the effect seemed to protect the brain even after the patient stopped taking the pills.
''I hope the whole scientific community takes on this idea and takes this area more seriously,'' associate professor Amminger said. ''Originally some of my colleagues were laughing at us for saying we might prevent schizophrenia with something like fish oil.''
The researchers are now planning two new studies based on the results.
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WEIGHT-loss group Fatzap Centres is continuing to make misleading claims it can "melt" fat away, 10 months after being told to stop.
Three experts have told the Herald Sun there is no evidence the treatment, which costs between $150 and $250 a session, helps people lose weight.Fatzap can ignore the Therapeutic Goods Complaints panel ruling because it lacks enforcement powers. And the doctor who blew the whistle on Fatzap says the government medical devices regulator does not crack down on rogue operators.
Fatzap's website says it uses radio frequency radiation to heat fat, "causing some of the fat to "melt away". "It is then excreted by the body through the lymphatic system and eventually is eliminated naturally," it says.
In October the TGC panel ruled the claims were "unverified, misleading and likely to arouse unwarranted expectations as to the effectiveness of the devices" and asked Fatzap to withdraw them.
"I can't find any published literature other than from the company that says this is effective," said weight-loss industry expert Dr Samantha Thomas. The Monash University senior research fellow said the extravagant claims were typical of the weight-loss industry. The Federal Government's preventative health task force has recommended health loss firms be made to prove their programs work.
Fatzap's small print advises a healthy diet and exercise."If you followed the things that they recommended, you probably wouldn't have to have Fatzap anyway," Dr Thomas said. Psychology of weight management specialist Dr Rick Kausman said there was "no research evidence that this treatment helps people achieve a healthy weight". "How can something like this make a difference to the complex reasons someone might be above their healthy weight?" he said.
La Trobe University public health physician Dr Ken Harvey, who made the original complaint, said: "You might feel something's happening, but there's no evidence you will lose any weight as a result of using Fatzap." He said the Complaints Resolution Panel could only refer breaches to the Therapeutic Goods Administration but Dr Harvey said it "does nothing". "I've got a portfolio of at least 20 complaints that have ended up like that -- they've been referred to the TGA and nothing happens," he said.
The Herald Sun could not contact Fatzap Centres for comment.
Herald Sun August 24, 2009 12:00AM
