Omega-3s are essential fatty acids found in fish oil and have been studied in association with mental disorders because the brain is largely composed of essential fatty acids. The Franklin Institute website reports that the brain is composed of two-thirds fats. Scientists have hypothesized that low levels of fatty acids can cause psychiatric disorders including depression. They have also observed impaired levels of omega-3s in alcoholics prompting them to investigate if a relationship exists.
Omega-3 and Depression
An article published in "Science Daily" on June 30, 2010 reports on the largest study ever performed on the efficacy of using omega-3s to fight depression. From October 2005 to January 2009, 432 men and women with diagnoses of major unipolar depression were randomized to receive either three capsules of omega-3 fish oil or three placebo capsules per day. After eight weeks of supplementation, depression symptoms in patients who did not have an accompanying anxiety disorder significantly improved. Their improvement was comparable to patients receiving conventional antidepressant treatment.
Quality of Life and Depression
Quality of life is a significant measure of whether or not individuals experience depression and an Italian study looked at the effect of omega-3 supplementation on both depression and quality of life in a cohort of 46 elderly women. The women were clinically depressed and were randomly assigned to receive either omega-3 supplements or placebo for eight weeks. At the end of the study, the omega-3 group tested significantly lower on the Geriatric Depression Scale than did the placebo group. Furthermore, they tested much higher on physical and mental scores when asked to evaluate their quality of life.
Omega-3s and Alcoholism
Researchers reporting in the October 2006 issue of "Prostaglandins, Leukotrienes, and Essential Fatty Acids" examined omega-3 levels in the blood of 34 patients diagnosed with either alcoholism, depression, or both. They compared these levels to that of 18 healthy controls. Specifically they studied the levels of the long-chain omega-3 fatty acid, docosahexaenoic acid, or DHA. In all patients, they found that the lower the levels of DHA, the higher the levels of chemicals known as neuroactive steroids, or NAS. In earlier studies, high levels of NAS had been shown to increase the risk both of mental disorders and alcoholism.
Omega-3s and Alcoholism-induced Diseases
Researchers reporting in the February 2011 issue of "Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research" studied the metabolic changes in the fatty acid levels of mice they systematically fed increasing levels of ethanol, or alcohol. Their intent was to determine if alcohol-induced tissue damage in humans is associated with impaired fatty acid metabolism. The researchers found that alcohol did impair omega-3 metabolism suggesting a pathway for alcohol-induced diseases including liver damage.
References
- The Franklin Institute: Science Learning: The Brain: Fats
- "Science Daily"; Treating Depression With Omega-3: Encouraging Results from Largest Clinical Study; Staff Reporter June 30, 2010
- "The Journal of Nutrition"; Effect of Omega-3 Fatty Acids Supplementation on Depressive Symptoms and on Health-Related Quality of Life in the Treatment of Elderly Women with Depression: A Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled, Randomized Clinical Trial; Mariangela Rondanelli et al.; Febraury 2010
- "Prostaglandins, Leukotrienes, and Essential Fatty Acids"; Relationship between omega-3 fatty acids and plasma neuroactive steroids in alcoholism, depression and controls. Relationship Between Omega-3 Fatty Acids and Plasma Neuroactive Steroids in Alcoholism, Depression and Controls; Larry Nieminen et al.; October 2006
- "Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research"; Ethanol-Induced Alterations in Fatty Acid-Related Lipids in Serum and Tissues in Mice; Zhenwen Zhao et al.; February 2011
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