There is evidence suggesting that omega-3 fatty acids from fish oil may influence seizure activity in epilepsy. A study published in the North American Journal of Medical Sciences (2015 Jul;7(7):317–321. doi:10.4103/1947-2714.161248) examined whether omega-3 supplementation affected seizure frequency and severity in children with medically resistant epilepsy.
The study included 70 children diagnosed with medically resistant epilepsy, defined as failure to achieve sustained seizure freedom despite adequate trials of two appropriately chosen and tolerated antiepileptic drug regimens, used either alone or in combination. Participants were randomly assigned to receive either omega-3 fatty acids (35 children) or a placebo (35 children).
Seizure frequency and severity were assessed at baseline and again after one, two, and three months of intervention. At the start of the study, none of the participants were seizure-free. By the end of the third month, 57.1% of children receiving omega-3 fatty acids were reported to be seizure-free, while no comparable improvement was observed in the placebo group.
Based on these findings, the researchers concluded that omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids appeared to raise seizure threshold in this population and may be associated with improved seizure control. While these results are encouraging, the authors emphasized that further studies are needed to confirm findings, clarify mechanisms, and determine how omega-3 supplementation might fit alongside conventional epilepsy management.
