Fatty Acid Effective Against Depression

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Fatty Acid Effective Against Depression

http://bastyrcenter.org/content/view/678/

 

Addition of a fatty acid supplement to a conventional antidepressant

regimen significantly improves mood, according to a clinical trial

published in the American Journal of Psychiatry.1

 

Twenty people already taking medication for depression were

recruited for this study. Half of this group was assigned to take 2

grams per day of a fatty acid isolated from fish oil

(eicosapentaenoic acid; usually referred to as EPA on container

labels), while the other half took a placebo. At the beginning of

the study, and after each of the four weeks of supplementation, each

person answered a questionnaire to rate symptoms of depression.

 

After four weeks, participants taking the fatty acid supplement

reported a 50% reduction in symptoms of depression. No changes were

seen in the placebo group. No side effects were reported.

 

The majority of the fish oil supplements available contain a number

of different fatty acids, including EPA. Cod-liver oil contains

roughly 500 mg of EPA per teaspoon, and capsules of concentrated

fish oil contain approximately 180 mg of EPA per gram of oil.

Purified EPA is also available, but is relatively expensive.

However, it is not now known whether cod-liver oil or concentrated

fish oil, each of which contains a mixture of fatty acids, would

have the same antidepressant effect as pure EPA.

 

It has been previously observed that patients with lower levels of

the essential fatty acids (like EPA) have lower levels of the

chemical messenger (neurotransmitter) serotonin.2 Serotonin is the

neurotransmitter increased by the most common family of

antidepressant medications. Fish oil supplements have previously

been shown to improve treatment outcomes in bipolar disorder,3 a

condition similar to depression.

 

Depression is a common condition, with some sources estimating that

almost one in ten adults will suffer from symptoms each year.4

 

The authors were unable to determine whether the fatty acid

supplement increased the efficacy of the antidepressants, or whether

it had a therapeutic effect of its own. They suggest following up

this research with studies using EPA alone as a first-line treatment

for depression to see if it has an independent treatment effect.

 

Regardless of whether EPA works independent of, or as an adjunct to,

antidepressant medicines, it appears to be a logical choice for

patients with depression.

 

References:

 

1. Nemets B, Stahl Z, Belmaker RH. Addition of omega-3 fatty acid to

maintenance medication treatment for recurrent unipolar depressive

disorder. Am J Psychiatry 2002;159:477–9.

2. Hibbeln JR, Umhau JC, Linnoila M, et al. A replication study of

violent and nonviolent subjects: cerebrospinal fluid metabolites of

serotonin and dopamine are predicted by plasma essential fatty

acids. Biol Psychiatry 1998;44:243–9.

3. Stoll AL, Severus WE, Freeman MP, et al. Omega 3 fatty acids in

bipolar disorder: a preliminary double-blind, placebo-controlled

trial. Arch Gen Psychiatry 1999;56:407–12.

4. Regier DA, Narrow WE, Rae DS, et al. The de facto US mental and

addictive disorders service system. Epidemiologic Catchment Area

prospective 1-year prevalence rates of disorders and services. Arch

Gen Psychiatry 1993;50:85–94.

 

Matt Brignall, ND, is in practice at the Seattle Cancer Treatment

and Wellness Center and at the Evergreen Integrative Medicine Clinic

in Kirkland, WA. He specializes in integrative treatment of cancer.

He is a contributor to Healthnotes and Healthnotes Newswire.