Suicide is one of the greatest concerns among veteran health advocates, and scientists recently announced an ambitious new study to see if nutrition could play a role. The $10 million research project will try to determine if omega-3 fatty acid could lower suicide risk, according to The Associated Press.
The study is being led by Medical University of South Carolina, the Veterans Administration and the National Institutes of Health and will be conducted by the Army. To test the impact of omega-3, commonly found in fish oil supplements, researchers will provide veterans already receiving mental health treatment with a smoothie containing the nutrient, while another group will receive a placebo. The thought process is that omega-3s help maintain brain function and neural processing.
"One of the questions this study hopes to address is do we see a clinical effect that is strong enough that the military would then consider providing supplements to all military personnel, not just those who are already experiencing depression?" Bernadette Marriott, the study's principal investigator, told the AP.
The results could have a far-reaching impact on how the mental health of veterans is treated. According to Army findings, approximately 31 percent of soldiers returning from Iraq and Afghanistan have depression or post-traumatic stress disorder.