Fish oil capsules could boost brainpower

[Naveed Yaseen]

Regular doses of Omega-3 fish oil capsules could boost the brainpower of youngsters and improve their concentration levels, says a study. The Newhall Park Primary School in Bradford, Britain, gave a daily dose of omega-3 oils to 34 of its pupils aged between eight and nine for about nine months and found improvement in their brainpower and concentration levels, reported online edition of Daily Mail.

According to the study, 74 percent of children showed improvements in numeracy, 81 percent in reading and 67 percent in writing. Some pupils leapt ahead by the equivalent of more than two levels in national curriculum tests. Teachers also noted improvements in concentration levels and behaviour, it noted.

“A couple of years ago, we noticed that a significant number of pupils were fidgety and had a low attention span, not being able to sit through the Harvest Festival. But now that has all changed,” said John Flockton, the school’s headmaster.

Omega-3 oils are polyunsaturates or “good” fats, which are important for the functioning of the body. The essential fatty acids are found in fish such as tuna, mackerel, salmon, herring and trout. Regular doses of fish oils, popularly called “clever capsules’, can dramatically boost young children’s grasp of the “three Rs”, said experts.

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