Fish oil has been touted as a remedy or preventive for a variety of health conditions, including heart disease, elevated triglyceride levels, cancer and even Alzheimer's disease. While there is insufficient evidence to support many of these claims, the American Heart Association suggests that you consume 500 mg daily of eicosapentaenoic acid, or EPA, and docosahexaenoic, or DHA, the principal fatty acids in fish oil. This lifestyle change, which is designed to reduce your risk for heart attack and stroke, might also confer some mental health benefits.
Omega-3 Fatty Acids
The principal fatty acids in fish oil are eicosapentaenoic acid, or EPA, and docosahexaenoic acid, or DHA. These long-chain omega-3 fatty acids fulfill a variety of protective roles in your body. By either blocking certain enzymes or competing with other molecules for metabolism, EPA and DHA exert wide-ranging anti-inflammatory effects in nervous, vascular and connective tissues.
Fatty Acids and Brain Function
As an infant, you needed fairly large amounts of DHA in your diet to allow your brain and nervous system to develop normally. A 2005 review in "Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition" attests to the importance of long-chain omega-3 fatty acids in general, and DHA in particular, in the development of human brains and eyes. A 2010 study in "The Journal of Nutrition" demonstrated that omega-3 fatty acids still play a vital role in normal cognitive function in middle-aged adults.
Fish Oil for Depression
A number of studies have evaluated the effects of omega-3 fatty acids on depressive symptoms. One extensive 2003 review in the French journal "L'Encephale" discussed the relationship between low blood levels of omega-3 fatty acids and higher rates of major depression. A 2010 Japanese trial published in "Pediatrics" involved more than 6,000 children and showed that supplementation with EPA and DHA reduced the symptoms of depression in early male, but not female, adolescents. Yet another 2010 study in the journal "Menopause" demonstrated an improvement in depression rating scores among menopausal women who took fish oil supplements.
Considerations
The fish oil fatty acids have shown some promise for reducing the symptoms of depression in people of various ages. However, fish oil has not yet been shown to be an effective treatment for depression. If you have been diagnosed with depression and are wondering if fish oil would be beneficial for you, ask your doctor.
References
- PubMed.gov: Differential Immunomodulation with Long-Chain n-3 PUFA in Health and Chronic Disease
- PubMed.gov: Dietary PUFA for Preterm and Term Infants: Review of Clinical Studies
- PubMed.gov: Serum Phospholipid Docosahexaenoic Acid is Associated with Cognitive Functioning During Adulthood
- PubMed.gov: Lipids, Depression, and Suicide
- PubMed.gov: Fish and N-3 Polyunsaturated Acid Intake and Depressive Symptoms: Ryukyus Child Health Study
- PubMed.gov: Omega-3 Fatty Acids for Major Depressive Disorder Associated with the Menopausal Transition: A Preliminary Open Trial
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