SALES of fish oil tablets are likely to jump today after actress Dame Judi Dench revealed she relies on the "memory supplements" to help her remember her lines.
In an interview with Jon Snow on Channel 4 News last night, Dame Judi admitted that at the age of 78 she sometimes "struggles" to remember scripts. Her remedy is a daily dose of a popular brand of fish oil tablets.
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Eye Q, which contains high doses of Omega 3 and Omega 6, is available over the counter in most chemists. Manufacturer Equazen claims a daily dose helps to improve body and brain function.
Research suggests that Omega-3 fatty acid supplements may boost memory in healthy ageing adults, says WebMD. A study published in Vienna in 2009 found that people aged 55 and over with "age-related memory complaints" benefited from a six-month course of the supplements. Those who took the tablets had "almost double the reduction in errors on a test that measures learning and memory skills", compared with those who took a placebo.
But the supplements "do not appear to slow the progression of Alzheimer's disease" in people who already have "mild to moderate symptoms" of the disorder, a second study showed.
Dame Judi admitted last year that her deteriorating eyesight means she now depends on friends to read her scripts to her. But the actress, who [spoiler alert] was killed off in the latest James Bond movie, Skyfall, told Snow she has no intention of retiring. Her only real ambition is to "go on doing it", she said.
Asked about the kind of work she had ambitions for, Dame Judi said: "The most different thing is what I like to do best."