# Does eating fish make you smarter ?
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-eating-fish-make-you-smarter/141328
**Category:** Factual Questions
**Created:** [December 8, 2002, 6:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-eating-fish-make-you-smarter/141328 "2002-12-08T18:00:33Z")
**Posts on this page:** 10
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@andy\_fl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/andy_fl)
#### Post date: [December 8, 2002, 6:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-eating-fish-make-you-smarter/141328/1 "2002-12-08T18:00:33Z")
Cite for Subject - (From P.G. Wodehouse)
Friend of Bertie to Bertie - So, Jeeves is pretty smart, eh ?
Bertie - That guy practically lives on fish.
So whats the straight dope ?
---
### Author:  [@David\_Simmons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/David_Simmons)
#### Post date: [December 8, 2002, 7:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-eating-fish-make-you-smarter/141328/2 "2002-12-08T19:38:57Z")
A long time ago fish was though of as “brain food.” Even some medical people fell for it, but that was a long time ago. P.G. Wodehouse wrote the _Bertie Wooster-Jeeves_ series a long time ago. I seriously doubt that Wodehouse fell for it, but Bertie wasn’t the sharpest tack in the box by a long shot and _he_ could have easily.
There are some sites that claim scientific studies showing that fish, because it provides some particular nutrients is good for fetal brain development. I found then by searchin [brain food + fish]. I’m not qualified to judge that but you can look them up yourself.
By the way, fish in some areas have a high concentration of mercury in their flesh as a result of industrial dumping in the past. I believe ingested mercury can lead to mental retardation and all sorts of other problems. Sort of like lead.
---
### Author:  [@ultrafilter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ultrafilter)
#### Post date: [December 8, 2002, 7:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-eating-fish-make-you-smarter/141328/3 "2002-12-08T19:46:52Z")
Some fish do contain a high concentration of omega-3, an essential fatty acid which is lacking in most people’s diets. It does have benefits for your brain, among other organs. There are a few other sources of omega-3 (eggs and nuts, I believe), but fish has the most (again, I think). That may have something to do with the belief in question.
---
### Author:  [@Eats\_Crayons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eats_Crayons)
#### Post date: [December 8, 2002, 7:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-eating-fish-make-you-smarter/141328/4 "2002-12-08T19:49:56Z")
Dear, me! For a second there I thought it said “does eating _flesh_ make you smarter” and I started thinking it was a question on cannibalism.
There is an article [here](http://www.berkeleywellness.com/html/wl/2001/wlFeatured1001.html) about some of the “fish=brain food” and a separate article talks about developing children, saying
> [@](#):
>
> Oily fish is the richest source of DHA, a fatty acid which is an important structural component of neuronal membranes found in the brain. DHA is also present in breast milk but not standard formula milks. These results add to the debate about whether formula milks should be fortified with fish oils.
On the other hadn, has **Simmons** pinted out, there is a lot of material out there warning women who are pregnant or breast feeding that fish that contain high level of mercury are harmful for baby/youngster development.
A list of “bad” fish for mommies can be found [here](http://www.ewg.org/reports/BrainFood/pr.html).
---
### Author:  [@MelCthefirst](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MelCthefirst)
#### Post date: [December 8, 2002, 8:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-eating-fish-make-you-smarter/141328/5 "2002-12-08T20:20:04Z")
Slight highjack - I read that fish eating nations have less baldness than meat eating nations. Certainly looks like it when I compare Japan and China with Australia and NZ.
---
### Author:  [@Monopoly\_Money](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monopoly_Money)
#### Post date: [December 8, 2002, 9:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-eating-fish-make-you-smarter/141328/6 "2002-12-08T21:39:56Z")
Cold water fatty fish such as sardines, mackerel and salmon are the best sources of Omega 3 fatty acids, which aid in brain functioning. Flax seed oil is also a very good source.
---
### Author:  [@The\_Griffin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Griffin)
#### Post date: [December 8, 2002, 9:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-eating-fish-make-you-smarter/141328/7 "2002-12-08T21:44:02Z")
Yes oily fish is good for brain developement, particularly IQ. I’m a bit bemused by David Simmons’ post as he appears to be very sceptical.
---
### Author:  [@Squink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Squink)
#### Post date: [December 8, 2002, 10:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-eating-fish-make-you-smarter/141328/8 "2002-12-08T22:59:56Z")
You need to get your essential fatty acids from somewhere. Fish is a good choice.
[Nutritional Biochemistry](http://www.hi.umn.edu/annual96/rth-res.html)
[Essential Fatty Acids in Vegetarian Nutrition](http://www.andrews.edu/NUFS/essentialfat.htm)
[General Nutrition - Flax seed oil](http://depts.washington.edu/nutrpeds/faq/general/flax.htm)
[IMPORTANCE OF n-3 FATTY ACIDS IN HEALTH AND DISEASE](http://www.extension.iastate.edu/nutrition/0feb25.html)
There doesn’t seem to be any well defined mental deficiency disorder associated with lack of these EFA’s in adults, but other problems do arise:
•Coronary heart disease and stroke
•Essential fatty acid deficiency in infancy (retina and brain)
•Autoimmune diseases such as lupus and rheumatoid arthritis
•Crohn’s disease
•Cancers of the breast, colon, and prostate
•Mild hypertension.
---
### Author:  [@David\_Simmons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/David_Simmons)
#### Post date: [December 9, 2002, 3:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-eating-fish-make-you-smarter/141328/9 "2002-12-09T03:32:57Z")
> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by The Griffin \*
> \*\*Yes oily fish is good for brain developement, particularly IQ. I’m a bit bemused by David Simmons’ post as he appears to be very sceptical. \*\*
I am extremely skeptical that eating fish makes you smarter in the sense that I think was meant in the OP.
## _I.e._ quote andy\_fl:\*\*
Friend of Bertie to Bertie - So, Jeeves is pretty smart, eh ?
Bertie - That guy practically lives on fish.
So whats the straight dope ?
----------------------------------------------------------------------------\*\*
That sounds to me like, “Just eat fish and be smart.” And, as I said, I’m unable to evaluate the nutrion studies about the subject. It does sound as if the nutrients in fish will at least help to not get stupider.
---
### Author:  [@reprise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/reprise)
#### Post date: [December 9, 2002, 3:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-eating-fish-make-you-smarter/141328/10 "2002-12-09T03:40:26Z")
It makes you smarter than the fish. 😃