Omega-3 fatty acids (fish oil) & Epilepsy

Written based on 26 research studies on PubMed, searched on 2026. nov. 11..

The claim

Posts online say that omega-3 fatty acids (fish oil) helps with epilepsy.

Where research stands

We found 76 published papers on omega-3 fatty acids (fish oil) and epilepsy. They were published between 2000 and 2027. 12 of them are studies in people. 10 of them compared people who got it with a group that did not. 33 were studies in animals, and none was only in cells in the lab. 14 papers are reviews that sum up other studies. 1 research project on omega-3 fatty acids (fish oil) for epilepsy is funded and still running.

• 12In people10 with a comparison group
• 33In animals
• 0Only in the lab

What the studies found

We have not summed up these studies in words yet. The most important papers are listed under Sources.

Verdict

Sources

1. Omega-3 supplementation in children with ADHD and intractable epilepsy.2021 · J Clin Neurosci · Randomised trial
2. Altered IFN-γ Levels after Treatment of Epileptic Patients with Omega-3 Fatty Acids.2021 · J Mol Neurosci · Randomised trial
3. The effect of omega-3 fatty acids on clinical and paraclinical features of intractable epileptic patients: a triple blind randomized clinical trial.2019 · Clin Transl Med · Randomised trial
4. Clinical Trial of Efficacy Evaluation of Omega-3 with Risperidone on Seizures Frequency in Children with Refractory Epilepsy and Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder.2018 · Iran J Child Neurol · Randomised trial
5. The differential effects of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) on seizure frequency in patients with drug-resistant epilepsy - A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial.2018 · Epilepsy Behav · Randomised trial
6. Fish oil (n-3 fatty acids) in drug resistant epilepsy: a randomised placebo-controlled crossover study.2015 · J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry · Randomised trial
7. n-3 fatty acids (fish oil) for epilepsy, cardiac risk factors, and risk of SUDEP: clues from a pilot, double-blind, exploratory study.2008 · Epilepsy Behav · Randomised trial
8. Erythrocyte and plasma fatty acid profiles in patients with epilepsy: does carbamazepine affect omega-3 fatty acid concentrations?2008 · Epilepsy Behav · Randomised trial
9. Non-randomized open trial of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), an omega-3 fatty acid, in ten people with chronic epilepsy.2012 · Epilepsy Behav · Study in people
10. A 31-phosphorus neurospectroscopy study of omega-3 long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acid intervention with eicosapentaenoic acid and docosahexaenoic acid in patients with chronic refractory epilepsy.2007 · Prostaglandins Leukot Essent Fatty Acids · Study in people
11. Exploratory Dietary Approaches for Drug-Resistant Epilepsy Beyond Standard Ketogenic Diet and Fish Oil: A Systematic Review of Preliminary Clinical Evidence.2026 · Neurol Int · Review
12. Omega-3 fatty acids: multi-target mechanisms and therapeutic applications in neurodevelopmental disorders and epilepsy.2025 · Front Nutr · Review
13. Dose-specific impact of omega-3 fatty acid in epilepsy: Evidence from a dose-responsive network meta-analysis.2025 · Seizure · Review
14. Can Omega-3 fatty acid supplementation support the clinical management of drug-resistant epilepsy? A meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.2025 · Seizure · Review
15. The effect of omega-3 fatty acid supplementation on seizure frequency in individuals with epilepsy: a systematic review and meta-analysis.2022 · Nutr Neurosci · Review
16. Association of Omega-3 Fatty Acid and Epileptic Seizure in Epileptic Patients: A Systematic Review.2018 · Int J Prev Med · Review
17. Effects of maternal docosahexaenoic acid intake on febrile seizures and increased seizure susceptibility after febrile seizures: study using mouse models and human samples.2027 · J Nutr Biochem · In animals
18. Long-Term Fish Oil Supplementation Attenuates Spike Wave Discharges in the Amygdala of Adult Rats with Early-Life Febrile Seizures.2025 · Brain Sci · In animals
19. A Compared Study of Eicosapentaenoic Acid and Docosahexaenoic Acid in Improving Seizure-Induced Cognitive Deficiency in a Pentylenetetrazol-Kindling Young Mice Model.2023 · Mar Drugs · In animals
20. Suppressive Effects of Docosahexaenoic Acid Intake on Increased Seizure Susceptibility after Growth Due to Febrile Seizures in Infancy.2023 · Biol Pharm Bull · In animals
21. Effects of high-dose docosahexaenoic acid supplementation as an add-on therapy for canine idiopathic epilepsy: A pilot study.2023 · Open Vet J · In animals
22. Causal relationship between human blood omega-3 fatty acids and the risk of epilepsy: A two-sample Mendelian randomization study.2023 · Front Neurol · In animals
23. Omega-3 Fatty Acids May Prevent Sudden Unexpected Death in Epilepsy in Children.2022 · J Pediatr Pharmacol Ther · Other paper
24. [Omega-6/omega-3 ratio and cognition in children with epilepsy].2019 · An Pediatr (Engl Ed) · Other paper
25. Omega-3 fatty acids and SUDEP prevention.2016 · Lancet Neurol · Other paper
26. Omega-3 fatty acids and SUDEP prevention - Authors' reply.2016 · Lancet Neurol · Other paper