Fish oil and depression

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Fish Oil Eases Depression

Fish Oil Eases Depression

 

WebMD Medical News

 

Oct. 18, 2002 -- It may sound fishy, but researchers say taking a

daily fish-oil supplement may boost the effectiveness -- or even

replace -- antidepressants for treating depression in some people.

 

In a new study, people who added a daily dose of omega-3 fatty acids

to their regular antidepressant treatment had significant improvement

in symptoms, including anxiety, sleeping problems, sadness, decreased

sexual desire, and suicidal tendencies.

 

Although there are many effective treatments for depression, most only

work in a limited number of patients or have significant side effects

that prompt users to stop taking them. That's inspired researchers to

look for new ways to treat the mental illness or increase the

effectiveness of existing treatments.

 

Previous studies have suggested that depressed people have

lower-than-normal levels of a fatty acid known as EPA

(eicosapentaenoic acid), which plays an important role in maintaining

normal brain function.

 

In this study, the researchers examined the effectiveness of adding

various dosages of EPA supplement to normal drug therapy in 70 people

with persistent depression that was not responding to standard

antidepressants. The results appear in the October issue of the

Archives of General Psychiatry.

 

Researcher Malcolm Peet, MD, of Swallownest Court Hospital in

Sheffield, England, and colleagues found that patients who took the

lowest, 1-gram daily, fish-oil dose showed significant improvements on

all major measures of depression compared with those who took a

placebo. In particular, 69% of the patients who took the 1-gram dose

had a 50% reduction in their symptoms, compared with only 25% of those

who took a placebo.

 

A 2-gram dose showed little effect, but those taking the highest,

4-gram, dose showed a trend toward improvement in symptoms. The

researchers say larger studies are needed to confirm these effects.

 

The omega-3 fatty acid may work to ease depression by improving the

effectiveness and absorption of existing medications, the researchers

say. But they note that a limited number of their patients who are not

on antidepressant therapy have seen improvements similar to those seen

in this study through treatment with fish-oil supplements alone.

 

In addition, they say treatment with omega-3 fatty acid may be

especially beneficial for depressed patients who are at risk for heart

disease, in light of recent research about fish oil's heart-healthy

effects.

 

Thanks Vince