Depression & Omega 3 EPA

June 25, 2004

There have been two important papers on chronic

depression resistant to psychiatric drugs yet

successfully treated with the addition of a specific

omega 3 fatty acid the Eicosapantanoic Acid or EPA.

Now, two questions emerge for discussion among us.

#1. Why was the DHA NOT used? Was there any logical

basis? Certainly DHA cannot be harmful because, in any

case, human body would make DHA out of EPA. Or is it

the cost factor, namely that just EPA is cheaper than

the mixture of EPA and DHA.

The logic that EPA is the true omega 3 because EPA can

convert into DHA but DHA cannot convert into EPA is

too theoretical. Consider the following practical

difficulty:

Just the EPA may not be available in some countries.

Patients in these countries will be unnecessarily

worried by these studies. The mixture of EPA and DHA

is readily available in most countries as EPA 180mg

and DHA 120 mg.

Very high dose of EPA was used in these studies: 4 gm

daily.

#2. In one of the two studies evening primrose oil was

also used in addition to EPA. Now, as we all know,

evening primrose oil is omega 6. Again my question is

why to complicate the treatment for depressed

patients? Omega 6 is easily and commonly used as

vegetable oil in most kitchens. For example sunflower

oil has omega 6. So, why to bother about omega 6 and

add to the cost of the treatment? I think we need not

add evening primrose oil as a supplement to EPA.

In fact there may be risk in increasing our intake of

omega 6 as, at least in USA, it is thought to cause

inflammation and blood clotting. We can add some

vitamin K if we need the blood clotting factor at that

high doses of EPA rather than going for omega 6.

#3. In one study ethyl-EPA was used. Now, what is the

difference between just EPA and the ethyl-EPA? Does

ethyl-EPA have an advantage over EPA say in terms of

bio-availability?

Please comment freely. For those of us who wish to

study the original articles so as to enrich their

scholarly comments, here they are:

- Nemets, B and others: Amerian Journal of Psychiatry,

2002, 159, pp. 477-479.

- Puri, B. and others: Archives of General Psychiatry,

2002, 59 (1).

Best wishes to each of your anticipated comments and

to our e-List.

Ratan.

June 25, 2004

Omega 3 deficiencies will eventually be discovered the culprit for many problems, including childhood asthma and allergies. In 10 years, it will be common knowledge and everyone will be taking an omega 3 supplement. There is a reason why omega 3 and 6 are given simultaneously in the right proportions, but I'm not sure exactly what it is. Believe it or not, there are people who don't get enough omega 6 in their diets. There aren't many people who eat that well, but they are out there!

Have a blessed day!

Evie Maddox

Wife of Alan, Mommy to Thomas (4/22/01)- my cd graduate, and Anna (11/20/02)- my cd baby

www.thediaperlady.com

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psych doc [psych_58] Friday, June 25, 2004 10:54 AM Subject: Depression & Omega 3 EPA

There have been two important papers on chronicdepression resistant to psychiatric drugs yetsuccessfully treated with the addition of a specificomega 3 fatty acid the Eicosapantanoic Acid or EPA. Now, two questions emerge for discussion among us. #1. Why was the DHA NOT used? Was there any logicalbasis? Certainly DHA cannot be harmful because, in anycase, human body would make DHA out of EPA. Or is itthe cost factor, namely that just EPA is cheaper thanthe mixture of EPA and DHA.The logic that EPA is the true omega 3 because EPA canconvert into DHA but DHA cannot convert into EPA istoo theoretical. Consider the following practicaldifficulty:Just the EPA may not be available in some countries.Patients in these countries will be unnecessarilyworried by these studies. The mixture of EPA and DHAis readily available in most countries as EPA 180mgand DHA 120 mg. Very high dose of EPA was used in these studies: 4 gmdaily. #2. In one of the two studies evening primrose oil wasalso used in addition to EPA. Now, as we all know,evening primrose oil is omega 6. Again my question iswhy to complicate the treatment for depressedpatients? Omega 6 is easily and commonly used asvegetable oil in most kitchens. For example sunfloweroil has omega 6. So, why to bother about omega 6 andadd to the cost of the treatment? I think we need notadd evening primrose oil as a supplement to EPA.In fact there may be risk in increasing our intake ofomega 6 as, at least in USA, it is thought to causeinflammation and blood clotting. We can add somevitamin K if we need the blood clotting factor at thathigh doses of EPA rather than going for omega 6.#3. In one study ethyl-EPA was used. Now, what is thedifference between just EPA and the ethyl-EPA? Doesethyl-EPA have an advantage over EPA say in terms ofbio-availability?Please comment freely. For those of us who wish tostudy the original articles so as to enrich theirscholarly comments, here they are:- Nemets, B and others: Amerian Journal of Psychiatry,2002, 159, pp. 477-479.- Puri, B. and others: Archives of General Psychiatry,2002, 59 (1).Best wishes to each of your anticipated comments andto our e-List.Ratan. +$;%+$;'+$;%+$;'+$;%+$;'+$;%+$;'+$;%+$;'+$;%+$+$;%+$;'+$;%+$;'+$;%+$;'+$;%+$;' - PULSE ON WORLD HEALTH CONSPIRACIES! 'Subscribe:......... - To :.... - Any information here in is for educational purpose only, it may be news related, purely speculation or someone's opinion. Always consult with a qualified health practitioner before deciding on any course of treatment, especially for serious or life-threatening illnesses.**COPYRIGHT NOTICE**In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107,any copyrighted work in this message is distributed under fair use without profit or payment to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information for non-profit research and educational purposes only. http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/17/107.shtml