This Just In: Omega-3s Help Enhance Creativity & Abstract Thinking

But what about our ability to think outside the box or see the "bigger picture" when faced with a challenge or obstacle? Can that level of creative thinking be supported with a nutrient? 

In a recent cross-sectional Neurology study, researchers found that higher omega-3 levels were associated with larger hippocampal volumes and better abstract reasoning abilities in healthy middle-aged adults from the Framingham Heart Study cohorts.

Increasing hippocampal volume and bolstering abstract reasoning, however? Well, these benefits are relatively new on the list of the fatty acids' achievements.

The Neurology study found that higher overall omega-3 index levels (i.e., a blood test and status biomarker of the amount of EPA and DHA in your red blood cell membranes) were associated with larger hippocampal volume. This is especially interesting considering the average age of participants in the study (46 years old) because hippocampal volume begins to decrease around middle age. Finding ways to maintain healthy volume (like increasing omega-3 intake) can help support cognitive function later in life.

This kind of "out of the box" thinking is also related to fluid intelligence, or the ability to solve problems in a unique way. If you've ever been faced with a problem that couldn't be resolved with logic or concrete thinking, you realize how important the ability to think abstractly to come up with a creative solution truly is.

For an easy way to do just that, consider a premium omega-3 supplement that's rich in omega-3s, like mindbodygreen's omega-3 potency+. With 1.5 grams of EPA plus DHA, this sustainably sourced fish oil supplement delivers the healthy fats your brain needs to think abstractly and function optimally—today and down the road.*