Dietary Supplements and Violence

In regard to the article in the October 4 issue on the effects of essential fatty acids and other supplements on violent behavior in prisoners, I believe that Dr. C. Bernard Gesch missed the boat in his interpretation of the study results.

Perhaps what was being treated with the omega-3 and -6 fatty acids wasn’t a deficiency at all, but rather a psychiatric disorder such as bipolar disorder, intermittent explosive disorder, or the underlying impulsive aggression in a personality disorder. There is some evidence that these fatty acids can help to prevent relapse in bipolar patients, particularly as an adjunct to their regular medications. Medications used to treat bipolar disorder have also been used to treat impulsive aggression. Therefore, what may have occurred in this study was a treatment of an underlying disorder predisposing the prisoners to violence, rather than the correction of a deficiency.