Lovaza is a high-dose fish oil supplement available by prescription only. Each capsule contains omega-3 fatty acids with about 465 mg eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and about 375 mg of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) in the concentrated form of ethyl esters. While over-the-counter fish oil supplements are promoted for various cardiovascular benefits, doctors primarily prescribe Lovaza to treat high triglyceride levels. Evidence is insufficient to evaluate its effectiveness for treating depression, according to MedlinePlus, a service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine.
Mental Health Benefits
Research indicates that taking fish oil supplements is possibly helpful as a complementary treatment, in addition to conventional medication, for depression associated with bipolar disorder, according to MedlinePlus. It does not seem to improve manic symptoms, however. Some people with cancer who take fish oil supplements lose weight more slowly than is typical, and some researchers theorize these individuals eat more because the fish oil improves their mood.
Conflicting Evidence
For treating depression not associated with another disorder, the evidence is inconsistent regarding the benefits of fish oil, says MedlinePlus. While some studies indicate that taking fish oil along with an antidepressant improves symptoms, other research does not support these findings. In addition, depression was reported as a rare side effect during pre-marketing clinical studies with Lovaza, according to DailyMed, another website of the National Library of Medicine. However, less than 1 percent of study participants developed depression symptoms, and this low incidence makes it impossible to know whether the depression was caused by Lovaza or some other factor.
Overall Effects
Authors of an article published in the "Journal of Psychiatry and Neuroscience" in January 2008 explain that fish oil appears to have a significant antidepressant effect, when considering the results of multiple studies. However, different studies had varying results, and the conflicting results do not appear to hinge on dosage amounts. Fish oil dosage in these studies varied from 1 g to 9.6 g per day. Most of the patients were taking antidepressants or mood stabilizers in addition to the fish oil provided during the studies. The authors conclude that adding fish oil supplements to an antidepressant medication could be helpful, but that replacing an antidepressant medication or a mood stabilizer with fish oil is inadvisable.
Side Effects
Because high doses of fish oil did not seem to achieve better results for depression in the various studies, the authors of the "Journal of Psychiatry and Neuroscience" article suggest taking 1 g per day to include both DHA and EPA. This would equal one capsule of Lovaza per day. Taking the lowest effective dose is recommended because fish oil causes side effects, which likely become worse with higher doses. Some common side effects associated with Lovaza and other fish oil supplements include burping, heartburn, a bad taste, nausea, loose stools and a rash. Freezing the supplements or taking them with food may reduce the digestive effects, according to MedlinePlus. More serious effects include reduced blood clotting ability, which is more likely with doses higher than 3 g per day, and elevated cholesterol levels.
