Assessments of the cognitive benefits of food supplement use have been limited by a lack of information on the characteristics of food supplement users and the paradox that those who seem healthier also seem more likely to use supplements. According to a research group somewhere in Scotland surveys of the mental ability of young school children are the only cognitive studies with near-complete ascertainment of an entire year-of-birth cohort. These surveys of children born in 1921 and 1936 provide valid childhood mental ability data for tens of thousands of persons now in old age. Their study uses this data to examine the effects of food supplement use on cognition at the age of 64 years with mental ability test scores from the same subjects at the age of 11 years.

Childhood intelligence quotient or IQ did not differ significantly by category of food supplement use such as, none, fish oil, vitamins and other according to their research. At the age of 64, cognitive function was higher in food supplement users than in nonusers before adjustment for childhood IQ or intelligence quotient. After adjustment, digit symbol or mental speed test scores were higher in food supplement users. Fish oil supplement users consumed more vitamin C and vegetable and cereal fiber than non-supplement users. The fish oil users and nonusers did not differ significantly in exposure to vascular disease risk factors and in cognitive function but erythrocyte membrane content was higher in fish oil supplement users than in nonusers. Total erythrocyte n-3 fatty acids and the ratio of docosahexaenoic acid to arachidonic acid were associated with better cognitive function in late life before and after adjustment for childhood IQ.

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