Omega-3 supplementation may help smokers kick cigarettes to the curb, a new study suggests.
In a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled pilot study led by Dr. Sharon Rabinovitz Shenkar at Israel’s University of Haifa, researchers evaluated the impact of omega-3s on smoking behavior in a cohort of 48 regular cigarette smokers between the ages of 18 and 45. Participants smoked an average of 14 cigarettes per day. Half of them received a daily dose of 2,710 mg EPA plus 2,040 mg DHA for one full month. A control group received a placebo.
Although they were never asked to stop smoking, after 30 days, those taking the omega-3s decreased their cigarette consumption by an average of two cigarettes per day. They also experienced significant reductions in nicotine cravings — despite regular exposure to visual cigarette cues intended to stimulate a desire to smoke (Rabinovitz, S. J Psychopharm. 2014; 28(8):804-9).
Notably, the benefits of omega-3s appeared to last well beyond the period of active treatment. In the month following the study, researchers continued to measure participants’ craving levels and found that 30 days after discontinuing supplementation, the smokers’ cravings had increased moderately but were still markedly lower than baseline values at the onset of the study.
The control group, on the other hand, showed no reduction in cigarette consumption or nicotine cravings, either during the study or in the 30-day follow-up period.
Regular exposure to cigarette smoke may also contribute to omega-3 deficiency; research suggests that levels of omega-3 essential fatty acids are lower among smokers than non-smokers. In addition to its role in the development of numerous health conditions including cardiovascular disease, cancer, and immune dysfunction, cigarette smoke is a known cause of oxidative stress.
Omega-3s play a crucial role in healthy brain development and neurotransmission. They’re believed to regulate behavioral pathways including stress responses, depression, and aggression, and have been used as a successful adjunctive treatment for bipolar and other mood disorders.
This may explain why supplementation appears to facilitate a reduction in nicotine cravings among smokers. In a press release, Dr. Rabinovitz Shenkar explains the connection between omega-3 deficiency and addictive behaviors.
“Earlier studies have proven that an imbalance in omega-3 is…related to mental health, depression and the ability to cope with pressure and stress. Pressure and stress, in turn, are associated with the urge to smoke. It is also known that stress and tension levels rise among people who quit smoking.”
Previous research suggests that cigarette smokers may benefit from omega-3s; one study found that supplementation can ameliorate the depletion of antioxidants and the increased oxidative DNA damage found among smokers.
Dr. Rabinovitz Shenkar’s study, however, is the first of its kind to show that supplementation with omega-3 PUFAs actually decreases tobacco cravings among regular smokers, illuminating its additional mental health benefits. It supports further exploration of omega-3s, which are relatively inexpensive, widely available, and free from serious side effects, as an effective natural alternative to mainstream smoking cessation therapies.
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