Fish Oil For Treatment Of Depression

The omega-3 fatty acids found in fish have been studied by scientists to see if they help in the treatment of depression. Several studies show that fish oil, when taken by depressed patients who are also on psychiatric medication, can work better than just medication alone. Patients are cautioned against relying only on fish oil to cure a depression.

Depression Symptoms

Depression is a medical condition in which a person feels sad in ways that go beyond the normal reactions to a disappointment or tragedy. Depressions can last for months and years, and sometimes reoccur throughout life.
Depression symptoms include: deep sadness, even when life is better or going well; profound fatigue; continuous anxiety; a persistent "gray-colored glasses" view of reality in which every occurrence is interpreted in a negative manner; hopelessness; and sometimes suicidal thoughts and actions.
A depressed person should not be told to "snap out of it" or "it's all in your head." Friends and relatives of a depressed person should encourage that person to seek help from a therapist, and, if necessary, medication.

Fish Oil

Omega-3 fatty acids are needed by the human body for proper functioning. They can be found in fish, other forms of marine life, flax seed, walnut oil, canola oil and hemp seed oil.
Human bodies do not make this substance. People must eat fish and other foods to obtain the omega-3 fatty acids. Pregnant and breastfeeding women are advised to eat fish to insure that their babies will have good development of their eyesight, brains, and nervous systems.
Adults who don't get enough omega-3 fatty acids in their diets can develop low energy, depression, heart trouble and other medical problems.

Studies

Dr. Alan C. Logan of the Integrative Care Centre of Toronto, in a 2004 essay, "Omega-3 fatty acids and major depressions: A primer for the mental health professional," provided a detailed examination of many of the studies of fish oil as a treatment for depression. He concluded that fish oil appears to work best to help depressed patients when it is combined with other treatments.
Dr. Marlene P. Freeman of the Massachusetts General Hospital Center and her colleagues, in a 2009 paper, surveyed studies on fish oil and depression, and suggested that fish oil should augment, not replace, current medications.

Cautions

If depressed patients decide to take fish oil capsules, they should be aware that a lawsuit was filed in a California state court in March 2010, claiming that several brands of fish oil capsules are dangerously contaminated with high levels of an environmental pollutant absorbed by fish, polychlorinated biphenyl. The Council for Responsible Nutrition, the trade association for dietary supplement manufacturers, denies the accusation.

Helpful

The balance of scientific opinion tilts strongly in favor of depressed patients giving fish oil a try. Depressed patients understandably would prefer fish oil capsules or eating more fish to medications and therapy, but there is not enough scientific evidence at the present time to warrant using fish oil by itself.