Omega-3 Supplements Help Reduce Depression

The meta-analysis supports the link between intake of EPA and DHA omega-3 fatty acids and reduction in major depressive disorder (MDD).

Supplementation of omega-3 fatty acids contribute to reducing major depressive disorder (MDD), says a study. Depression is the primary cause of disease burden worldwide, affecting an estimated 350 million people, says the World Health Organization.

According to the National Institutes of Mental Health, in 2014, an estimated 15.7 million adults aged 18 or older in the United States had, at least, one major depressive episode in the past year.

Omega 3 Fatty Acid Supplements May Not Ward Off Depression
Researchers reviewed studies that support omega 3 fatty acids for depression and found the evidence to be small and of low quality.

‘Omega-3 fatty acids play a critical role in the development and function of the central nervous system and help reduce depression.’

The study supports the link between intake of EPA and DHA omega-3 fatty acids, the kind found in fish, and reduction in MDD.

The meta-analysis includes 13 studies with 1233 participants and, according to the authors, showed a benefit for EPA and DHA comparable to effects reported in meta-analyses of antidepressants. The effect was greater in studies supplementing higher doses of EPA and performed in patients already on antidepressants.

According to the study's lead author Dr. RJT Mocking, Program for Mood Disorders, Department of Psychiatry, Academic Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, The Netherlands, "This new meta-analysis nuances earlier research on the importance of long chain omega-3s in MDD."

The Role of Omega 3 Fatty Acids in the Growth of Human Brain Revealed
A family from rural Pakistan came from the same lineage and scientists analyzed them to find out the role of certain fats in our blood for growth of the brain.

The study is published in Translational Psychiatry

Source-Eurekalert

Omega 3 Fatty Acids Help Fight Age-related Eye Diseases
Fish oil helps improve membrane fluidity in retina cells and fight age-related macular degeneration, say researchers.

Omega 3 Fatty Acids Show Promise Against Cancer
Fish oils help combat cancer by cutting off the supply of oxygen and nutrients that fuel tumor growth and spread of the disease, say researchers.