Fish Oil and Depression: Scientific Research
Persons with Depression Have Too Much Omega-6 and Not Enough Omega-3
Health Condition: Depression
Summary:
- This study looked at blood levels of Omega 3 & 6 in patients with major depression, minor depression and healthy volunteers
- Patients with major depression had a LOT MORE Omega 6 than Omega 3
- Patients with major depression had very low EPA Omega-3 (found only in fish)
- Healthy volunteers had more Omega-3 than depressed patients
Number of OmegaVia softgels needed to see study’s benefit: 1 – 2 per day.
Authors & Title: Maes M, Smith R, et al. Fatty acid composition in major depression: decreased omega 3 fractions in cholesteryl esters and increased C20: 4 omega 6/C20: 5 omega 3 ratio in cholesteryl esters and phospholipids.
Published in: Journal of Affective Disorders, 1996: 38(1): 35-46
View Study at U.S. National Library of Medicine
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/8735157
Patients with Depression Have 35% Less Omega-3 in Body
Health Condition: Depression
Summary:
- This study looked at almost 250 adults
- Mildly depressed patients had 35% less DHA Omega-3 than non-depressed patients
Number of OmegaVia softgels needed to see study’s benefit: 1 – 2 per day.
Authors & Title: Mamalakis G, Tornaritis M, and A Kafatos. Depression and adipose essential polyunsaturated fatty acids.
Published in: Prostaglandins, Leukotrienes and Essential Fatty Acids 2002: 67(5): 311-318
View Study at U.S. National Library of Medicine
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12445491
Scientists Establish Clear Link Between Depression and Omega-3
Health Condition: Depression, Mood disorder, bipolar depression
Summary:
- The authors reviewed a lot of data and concluded that both EPA and DHA Omega-3 protect us from mood disorders
- They found a clear link between low Omega-3 and depression
- They also suggest that Omega-3 helps bipolar depression
Number of OmegaVia softgels needed to see study’s benefit: 1 – 2 per day.
Authors & Title: Freeman MP, Hibbeln JR, Wisner KL, et al. Omega-3 Fatty Acids: Evidence Basis for Treatment and Future Research in Psychiatry.
Published in: Journal of Clinical Psychiatry, 2006: 67(12): 1954-1967.
View Study at U.S. National Library of Medicine
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17194275
Patients Taking Omega-3 Show Significantly Decreased Depression Symptoms
Health Condition: Major depression
Summary:
- The authors gave very high levels of Omega-3 (10 grams per day) to 28 patients with major depression
- They also gave a placebo to other patients with major depression
- After 8 weeks, patients who took the Omega-3 had “significantly decreased†symptoms of depression
- They conclude that high doses of Omega-3 are necessary for quick improvement
Number of OmegaVia softgels needed to see study’s benefit: 5 per day.
Authors & Title: Su K, Huang S, Chiu C, et al. Omega-3 fatty acids in major depressive disorder. A preliminary double-blind, placebo-controlled trial.
Published in: European Neuropsychopharmacology 2003: 13(4): 267-271.
View Study at U.S. National Library of Medicine
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12888186
Persons with Anxiety Show Improvement With Fish Oil
Health Condition: Anxiety
Summary:
- 13 patients with anxiety were given 3000 mg of fish oil Omega-3 per day
- 11 patients with anxiety were given the same amount of vegetable oil
- After 3 months, the patients who took fish oil showed steady decline in anxiety
- Those who took vegetable oil showed no improvement in anxiety
- Even 6 months after the end of the study, those who took fish oil had less anxiety
Number of OmegaVia softgels needed to see study’s benefit: 3 per day.
Authors & Title: Buydens-Branchey L, Branchey M. n-3 Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids Decrease Anxiety Feelings in a Population of Substance Abusers.
Published in: Journal of Clinical Psychopharmacology, 2006: 26(6): 661-665.
View Study at U.S. National Library of Medicine
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17110827
Women who Avoid Fish Three Times More Likely to Have Depression
Health Condition: Depression
Summary:
- This study followed almost 6000 people from birth to age 31
- Those who rarely ate fish were almost THREE TIMES more likely to be depressed than those who ate fish regularly
- The difference was particularly obvious among women
Number of OmegaVia softgels needed to see study’s benefit: 1 – 2 per day.
Authors & Title: Timonen M, Horrobin D, et al. Fish consumption and depression: the Northern Finland 1966 birth cohort study.
Published in: Journal of Affective Disorders, 2004: 82(3): 447-452
View Study at U.S. National Library of Medicine
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15555697
Omega-3 From Fish Reduces Schizophrenia Symptoms
Health Condition: Schizophrenia
Summary:
- There is evidence that Omega-3 influences schizophrenia
- This study compared EPA Omega versus DHA Omega-3 and placebo
- The results showed that EPA was superior to DHA in reducing symptoms
- DHA Omega-3 was found to be no better than the placebo
- EPA allowed some patients to reduce the dose of anti-psychotic drugs
Number of OmegaVia softgels needed to see study’s benefit: 3 per day.
Authors & Title: Peet M, Brind J, et al. Two double-blind placebo-controlled pilot studies of eicosapentaenoic acid in the treatment of schizophrenia.
Published in: Schizophrenia Research 2001: 49(3): 243-251.
View Study at U.S. National Library of Medicine
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11356585
April 22nd, 2010 at 4:26 pm
[...] Scientific Research on Omega-3 for mood and depression. [...]