What the research says about omega-3s and depression
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Your brain needs the type of fatty acids that are in omega-3s for proper functioning. It’s believed by some that those who experience depression may not have enough EPA and DHA. This is the premise that researchers are using as they study the possible benefits of using omega-3 and fish oil to treat depression.
In 2009Trusted Source, researchers reviewed data from three studies that used EPA in the treatment of three different types of depression: recurrent major depression in adults, major depression in children, and bipolar depression. The large majority of subjects taking EPA in all types showed significant improvement and benefited from the EPA as compared to those with a placebo.
An overview of research from 2004Trusted Source on omega-3s and depression showed that DHA may also play an important role along with EPA in the treatment of various types of depression. Those with minor depression, postpartum depression, and suicidal ideation had lower levels of EPA and DHA. These studies showed that a combination of EPA and DHA found in fish oil seemed to improve the depression symptoms of most participants that were tested.
Omega-3 forms and doses
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Omega-3s can be added to your diet in a variety of ways. Some of these are:
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adding more fish to your diet, especially salmon, trout, tuna, and shellfish
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fish oil supplements
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algae oil
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)Trusted Source recommends that you eat 2-3 servings of fish each week, including a variety of types. A serving for an adult is 4 ounces. A serving for a child is 2 ounces.
The dosage for treating various health conditions with supplements varies on the condition and the severity of it. You should be sure to talk to your doctor about what dose would be right for you and before adding any supplement to your health regimen.
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Risks and complications
You shouldn’t take more omega-3 than your doctor recommends as it can be harmful to your health. Too much of the fatty acids in omega-3s may have a negative effect on your health. These negative effects include:
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increased LDL cholesterol
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difficulty controlling blood sugar levels
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higher risk of bleeding
Children and pregnant women may be at risk from mercury in some fish and shouldn’t take fish oil or eat certain types of fish without first talking to their doctor. When consuming certain fish, there’s a higher risk of mercury poisoning. These types of fish include:
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albacore tuna
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mackerel
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swordfish
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tilefish
If you’re allergic to shellfish, you should talk to your doctor before taking fish oil supplements. There hasn’t yet been enough research done to determine if they’ll affect your allergy or not.
Fish oil and omega-3 supplements may also interact with some medications — including some that are over-the-counter. Talk to your doctor before starting any new supplements or vitamins.
Outlook
In all, the research that’s been done up to this point has shown benefit for using omega-3 and fish oil in the treatment of a variety of depressive disorders, in combination with other treatments.
While there’s still more research that needs to be done in this area, the initial outcomes look positive. Although there are few side effects to getting the recommended amounts of fish oil and omega-3s into your diet, it should be something you discuss with your doctor. Even though fish oil is a natural supplement, you should talk to your doctor first to make sure it doesn’t interact with other medications or another medical condition.
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For other herbs and supplements, these may help in the treatment of your depression.
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Recommended daily amount The recommended daily dose of omega 3 varies with age, as shown below:
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Babies from 0 to 12 months: 500 mg;
Children aged 1 to 3 years: 700 mg;
Children aged 4 to 8 years: 900 mg;
Boys from 9 to 13 years old: 1200 mg;
Girls from 9 to 13 years old: 1000 mg;
Adult and elderly men: 1600 mg;
Adult and elderly women: 1100 mg;
Pregnant women: 1400 mg;
Breastfeeding women: 1300 mg.
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It is important to remember that in omega 3 supplements in capsules their concentration varies according to the manufacturer and, therefore, supplements may recommend 1 to 4 tablets per day. In general, the label for omega-3 supplements has the amount of EPA and DHA on the label, and it is the sum of these two values ​​that should give the total recommended amount per day, which is described above.