May 18, 2012 – (Reuters Health) – Some parents swear by fish oil as a treatment for the "tics" caused by Tourette's disorder, but so far the research evidence is slim.
In a small study of children with Tourette's, researchers found that omega-3 fatty acids were no better than a placebo at reducing the severity of tics — the sudden, involuntary movements or vocalizations that mark Tourette's.
On the other hand, children who took omega-3 did show an improvement in the degree to which their tics bothered them, researchers report in the journal Pediatrics.
For now, it's not clear what to make of the findings, according to lead researcher Dr. Vilma Gabbay, of the NYU Child Study Center in New York City and the Nathan S. Kline Institute for Psychiatric Research in Orangeburg, New York.
It's possible that the omega-3 supplements affected the children's well-being, said Gabbay.
There is evidence, for example, that omega-3s can help lift depression symptoms.
But the study was small and had other limitations. And the bottom line, Gabbay said, is that larger trials are needed to see whether there might be a role for omega-3 supplements in managing Tourette's.
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