Omega 3 And Depression Archives

There is a clear Omega 3 depression link. Whether Omega 3 cures depression is not entirely clear, but it may well help a lot.

As anyone who has depression will tell you, it’s the worst thing that can happen to you. It puts you on a merry go round of ups and downs, and may well bankrupt you with the cost of all the pharmaceuticals you may well be prescribed.

Does something as simple as Omega 3 help depression? There are now Omega 3 depression studies that are saying it does. In fact there are a number of studies showing that levels of Omega 3 and depression are linked.

As with all these things the link between Omega3 and depression are not yet fully proven, but there is sufficient evidence to strongly suggest that for those suffering from depression taking Omega 3 fish oil supplements may well be worthwhile. At the very least they are very good for many other areas of your overall  health.

The evidence is strong. To quote some of the findings of a recent study:

“There appears to be a plausible link between rates of seafood consumption and rates of both depression and Bipolar Disorder, with lower seafood consumption being linked to higher rates of depression and Bipolar Disorder.”

And: ” Omega-3 supplementation may have an antidepressant role”.

Work is continually being done on the use of Omega 3 for depression. There are still many more areas to be studied, such as the ratios between Omega 3 fats and Omega 6 fats, and in particular the link between Omega 3 and specific disorders, such as Bipolar Disorder.
Omega 3 Depression

It was in the 1990s that studies started to pinpoint a link between depression and Omega 3 fatty acid intake. Studies started to notice a negative correlation between seafood intake and rates of depression. As seafood intake increased rates of depression were lower and vice versa. It seemed that in societies where consumption of seafood was low there was a higher rate of depression.

Unfortunately it takes a long time to establish a link that is sufficiently fully proven. Studies are still underway, and as the results are published more specific recommendations will emerge about what doses of Omega 3 fats to be taken for depression and how an increase in Omega fats will affect current intake of various pharmaceuticals.

However from the evidence now available it would seem for anyone who does suffer from depression there is a powerful reason to be taking daily Omega 3 capsules. To find what we consider to be the best Omega 3 capsules on the market today click here.

Not only is there a good possibility that they may help your depression, but they are good for your health generally. Omega for depression is an emerging area of study, but there are now clear links between the intake of Omega 3 fats and a reduction in a wide range of health problems, such as heart related health problems. Read the rest of this entry

Written by - Healthy Omega 3 Fish Oils

(And make sure you read our page explaining why you need Omega 3 Fish Oil supplements, and find out how to choose the Best Fish Oil Supplements).

Is there any reason to increase the intake of Omega 3 fish oils if you have depression?

Depression can be one of the most debilitating conditions you can get. It can have severe consequences for your life, even leading to suicide. There’s many risk factors in depression, and the causes and treatments aren’t fully understood.

Lets have a look at one aspect of depression. The role of Omega 3 fats in depression, and more specifically whether increasing Omega 3 fish oils in the diet can have a role in reducing the incidence of depression.

Over the last 100 years the incidence of depression has skyrocketed. Although it’s not scientific to make the connection, it may be no co incidence that the amounts of Omega 3 in our diets have plummeted.

That’s for a number of reasons. Modern intensive farming practices, for example, have resulted in the reduction of the incidence of Omega 3 in some of our foods, like meat and eggs.

Depression is 60 times higher in New Zealand, where the average intake of fish is 40 pounds a year, compared to Japan where it’s 150 pounds a year.

None of this proves a link between Omega 3 and depression, but suggests that some studies would be useful.
Fish Oil Depression

And these studies are now appearing. For example a study published in the American Journal of Phychiatry in 2006 found that a deficit of Omega 3 may indeed “make an etiological contribution to mood disorders and that supplementation with omega-3 fatty acids may provide a therapeutic strategy”.

That’s pretty clear. That isn’t the only study finding that low levels of Omega fats intake may contribute to mood disorders like bipolar, or manic depression.

How could this be? Well, again unscientifically, it’s well known that DHA fats found in Omega 3 fish oils make up over 50% of the brain. And not only that, they also make up a part of the membrane of nerve cells. And that these nerve cells help in brain communication, which is important in good mental health.

But if you suffer from depression then there may be powerful arguments for taking the best Omega 3 supplements, because regardless of how much they may improve your depression they will certainly contribute to your overall health.

As with all of these things there is a need for more studies, and the research moves slowly. Read the rest of this entry

Written by - Healthy Omega 3 Fish Oils

(And make sure you read our page explaining why you need Omega 3 Fish Oil supplements, and find out how to choose the Best Fish Oil Supplements).