Breaking News! Omega-3 & Depression

Omega-3 fatty acid dietary supplements may help with symptoms associated with depression, suggests a joint Anglo-Iranian study.

This study researched the therapeutic effects of EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid) found in omega-3 fatty acid and people with major depression. The study compared omega-3 to fluoxetine, and a combination of the two. Sixty participants were given either 1000 mg EPA, 20 mg fluoxetine, or a combination for 8 weeks. Patients in this double blind study were analyzed every 2 weeks.*

Forty-eight patients who completed at least 4 weeks of the study were included in the results. According to the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HDRS), researchers found a decrease in baseline HDRS of 50%, 56% and 81% in the fluoxetine, EPA and combination groups respectively. The study concluded that EPA and fluoxetine combination was superior to either of these two alone.

* S. Jazayeri, M. Tehrani-Doost; S.A. Keshavarz, M. Hosseini, A. Djazayery, H. Amini, M. Jalali, M. Peet. “Comparison of therapeutic effects of omega-3 fatty acid eicosapentaenoic acid and fluoxetine, separately and in combination, in major depressive disorder.” Australian and New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry. Volume 42, Issue 3, Pages 192-198, doi: 10.1080/000486707018272.