Depression, Mood & Stress

News, Research & Links Archive

Omega-3 fatty acid EPA. A new treatment for psychiatric and neurodegenerative diseases: a review of clinical investigations.

A total of six out of seven clinical trials have shown that EPA significantly improved depressive symptoms when compared with the placebo-treated populations. More>>

Long chain omega-3 fatty acids intake, fish consumption and mental disorders in the SUN cohort study.

A potential benefit of Very long chain omega-3 fatty acids intake on total mental disorders is suggested, although no linear trend was apparent. More>>

Omega-3 fatty acids may help kids with depression

Treatment with omega-3 fatty acids, the type found in fish oils, appears to benefit children suffering from clinical depression, according to pilot study conducted in Israel. More>>

Fish Oil for depression in Bipolar Disorder

"The results in favour of fish oil was obvious. It was considered unethical to continue with olive oil, as fish oil might cure depression" More>>

Fish oil for depressed elderly

There is growing evidence that fishy diet prevents depression, the biochemical mechanism being that omega-3 fatty acids, in particular EPA (eicosapentaeonic acid), are involved in mood regulation. It has been proposed that in the brain EPA partly turns into neurotransmitters, serotonine and dopamine. The former prevents depression and the latter boosts mental activity. More>>

Food Ingredients May Be As Effective As Antidepressants

Eating the right foods could have the same effect as taking traditional antidepressant medications, report researchers at Harvard-affiliated McLean Hospital.

"Giving rats a combination of uridine and omega-3 fatty acids produced immediate effects that were indistinguishable from those caused by giving the rats standard antidepressant medications," explains lead author of the study William Carlezon, PhD, director of McLean's Behavioral Genetics Laboratory. More>>

Fish oil a balm for depression

Fish oil may contain ingredients to help treat depression, according to new research. Scientists in the U.S. say omega-3 fatty acids, present in fish oil, seem to act as an anti-depressant.

"We've been very impressed by the response rates we've observed," said Dr. David Mischoulon of the Massachusetts General Hospital. Mischoulon oversaw clinical trials using omega-3. More>>

Fish beats baby blues

Researchers have discovered that expectant mothers who ate three portions per week of oily fish such as mackerel were able to cut by half their risk of suffering from depression. The mental health benefits of oily fish were observed during pregnancy and for up to eight months after birth. US psychiatrist Dr Joseph Hibbeln studied almost 12,000 pregnant Britons, and says that the omega-3 fatty acids found in oily fish fight depression by boosting serotonin levels in the brain. The risks of mercury contamination from fish such as shark, tuna and swordfish have been well-documented in the national press recently, and today's article in the Express does not mention any other oily fish apart from mackerel. Source: Daily Express

Fish fatty acid, EPA, may relieve stubborn depression

Supplementation with Eicosapentaeonic acid, or EPA, an Omega-3-fatty acid, found in fish and fish oil, may help alleviate the symptoms of depression in patients who do not respond to standard antidepressant medications, new research findings suggest. More...

Depression & Nourishing your Brain

'A spate of cross-national studies has also linked low fish consumption to high rates of major depression, bipolar disorder, postpartum depression and suicidal tendencies.'

It's no secret that the fats in fish and walnuts are good for your heart. New research suggests they may also ward off depression and mental maladies, as Newsweek reports. More>>

Why fish could be the answer for depression

Research clearly shows that depressed individuals tend to be low in fish fats, and there is good reason to believe that consuming more oily fish may help to stabilise mood and combat depression. More...

Stressed? Take your vitamins and fish oil

Other

Eat your way to happiness

Patrick Holford, the nutritionist, offers advice to readers on how to boost their mental health by improving their diet. He points out that super-nutritious brain food offers an alternative to anti-depressant drugs, and even offers relief from degenerative illnesses of the mind, such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's. Holford recommends a diet rich in complex carbohydrates, polyunsaturated fats, amino acids and vitamins and minerals. An accompanying article recommends a 'superfood' called Sceletum, which is said to increase the body's output of serotonin, the mood-enhancing neurotransmitter. It is already used in the treatment of alcoholism, helping to wean patients off drink. Source: Daily Mirror

Useful Links

Breath Test to Measure Breakdown of Omega 3 Fatty Acids

Recent research has shown that deficiencies of omega-3, found primarily in fish oil, are linked to a wide range of conditions including: heart disease, high blood pressure, arthritis, asthma and neurodevelopmental illnesses like  depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, dyspraxia and ADHD.  Research also shows that assisting in the treatment and prevention of these conditions with omega-3 supplementation can be extremely beneficial. More...