Publication date: Jul 07, 2025
Olfactory dysfunction (OD) significantly impacts patients’ quality of life, yet effective treatments are limited. Omega-3 fatty acids have shown promise in improving olfactory function, but further research is needed to evaluate their efficacy. This systematic review aimed to assess the effects of omega-3 supplementation on OD. A comprehensive search identified randomized controlled trials investigating omega-3 supplementation in OD patients. Inclusion criteria involved adult patients receiving omega-3 fatty acids and undergoing olfactory function assessments. Three studies with 175 participants were included. Two studies reported omega-3’s protective effect against olfactory loss over three months. However, a trial on COVID-19 patients found no significant improvement in olfactory function. Omega-3 supplementation, along with olfactory training or nasal rinses, appears to improve olfactory function in OD patients. However, further research is needed to evaluate its standalone efficacy. Omega-3 fatty acids offer a potential therapy for OD, warranting optimization and long-term effects investigation.
Open Access PDF
| Concepts | Keywords |
|---|---|
| Fatty | Anosmia |
| Improving | Hyposmia |
| Months | Loss of smell |
| Randomized | Olfactory dysfunction |
| Therapy | Omega-3 |
Semantics
| Type | Source | Name |
|---|---|---|
| drug | DRUGBANK | Omega-3 fatty acids |
| disease | IDO | quality |
| disease | MESH | COVID-19 |
| disease | MESH | Anosmia |