The Effects of omega-3, DHA, EPA, Souvenaid in Alzheimer’s Disease: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

Objective(s): This systematic review and meta-analysis aim to investigate the role of n-3-PUFA, EPA, DHA, and Souvenaid® in Alzheimer's Disease (AD) management. And examines the effect of these intervention on cognition, ventricular volume, and adverse events.

Data Sources: We systematically searched PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, Cochrane, and Embase for randomized controlled trials (RCTs), cohorts, and case-control studies involving AD adult patients receiving dietary supplementation with n-3-PUFA, EPA, DHA, or Souvenaid® from 2003 to 2024.

Study Selection: The selected studies assessed the impact of Omega-3, DHA, EPA, and the nutritional supplement Souvenaid on adult patients with Alzheimer's disease. The interventions involved oral supplements or any other method of consumption.Initial title and abstract screening and full text analysis, were undertaken by two independent reviewers based on predetermined inclusion and exclusion criteria, disagreements were solved by third blinded reviewer.

Data Extraction: Adherd to PRISMA flow chart to guide the systematic review article selection process, resulting in a uniform dataset and enhancing the accuracy and reliability of our findings. Risk of bias were assessed using Cochrane ROB 2.0 for RCT and New Castle Ottawa for cohort and case control studies by two independent reviews and third blind reviewer resolving disagreements.

Data Synthesis: Our analysis comprised 14 studies encompassing 2,766 subjects meeting inclusion criteria. The majority of publications reported positive cognitive outcomes from supplements (58%). Gastrointestinal symptoms predominated as the most reported adverse events. The Clinical Dementia Rating (CDR) scale indicated a reduction in cognitive decline progression (SMD = -0.4127, 95% CI: [-0.5926; -0.2327]), with no subgroup differences observed among various dietary supplement interventions. However, no significant differences were evident in other outcomes, including ADCS-ADL, MMSE, ADAS-cog, adverse events, and ventricular volume. Noteworthy, Souvenaid® exhibited a significant negative effect (SMD = -0.3593, 95% CI: -0.5834 to -0.1352) on ventricular volumes.

Conclusions: Supplementation with n-3-PUFAs shows promise in slowing cognitive decline in AD patients, as demonstrated by the CDR scale. However, our findings reveal no discernible differences between different n-3-PUFA supplements. These results underscore both the potential benefits and limitations of dietary interventions in managing cognitive decline in AD patients.

Author(s) Disclosures: The authors declare no conflict of interest.