Omega 3 fatty acids
According to the latest research on omega fatty acids, the most important Omega to ingest is Omega 3.
Omega-3 fatty acids and mood elevation
A growing number of international research studies show that Omega-3 fatty acids play an important role both in preventing and lifting depression. They also boost the impact of antidepressants in many patients who have not responded well to treatment.
Key omega-3 fatty acids contain eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexanoic acid (DHA). Both are found primarily in oily cold-water fish such as tuna, salmon, and mackerel.
DHA is a major structural component of the brain, the retina of the eye and the phosopholipid membranes around and within the nerve cells. The brain needs Omega-3 fatty acids to function properly and regulate mood because they help to keep its entire traffic pattern of thoughts, reactions and reflexes running smoothly and efficiently.
Omega-3 fatty acids and depression
In a cross-national study published in Lancet, researchers found that when population groups ate high quantities of fatty fishes like salmon and tuna, there was less depression in the areas in which they lived. A later study confirmed that people who ate fish infrequently were significantly more likely to suffer from symptoms of depression than frequent fish eaters.
A similar finding was made with regard to nursing mothers surveyed in 22 countries. In this instance, the study found that when women ate large quantities of seafood and had higher concentrations of DHA in their milk, the occurrence of post-partum depression was lower.
The most impressive clinical trial conducted to date on omega-3 fatty acids was a 12-week, double-blind, placebo-controlled study of 70 participants, all suffering from unipolar depression. The participants had all experienced persistent depression despite taking standard antidepressants at adequate dosages.
In this study, patients received ethyl-EPA and were divided into three dosage groups, taking respectively one, two or four grams daily. The patients receiving one gram per day of EPA responded best, with 53% achieving a 50-percent reduction in their depression scores. They also experienced improvement in their sleep and libido, as well as decreased depression, anxiety, lassitude and suicidal thoughts.
Bipolar mood disorder
People with bipolar mood disorder also respond well to Omega-3 supplementation, but possibly in higher dosages. In the only study conducted to date on bipolar mood disorder, participants received a high dose of 9.6g omega-3 fatty acids per day. Results showed that patients receiving the omega-3 fatty acids remained symptom-free significantly longer than the placebo users and also experienced a significant decrease in depressive symptoms.
Premenstrual syndrome (PMS)
Omega-3 fatty acids can lessen depressive symptoms in women suffering from premenstrual syndrome (PMS). In a three-month trial, 70 women took two grams of krill oil (high in Omega-3) or standard fish oil daily for one month, then for eight days prior to and two days during menstruation for the following two months. Evaluations at 45 and 90 days revealed that participants taking the krill oil experienced significantly less of the depressive symptoms associated with premenstrual syndrome
