New Study Supports Link Between Omega 3 Supplementation and Reduction in Depression

18 Mar 2016 --- New analysis published in the journal Translational Psychiatry supports the link between intake of EPA and DHA omega 3 fatty acids, the kind found in fish, and reduction in major depressive disorder (MDD).

The study's lead author Dr RJT Mocking, Program for Mood Disorders, Department of Psychiatry, Academic Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, The Netherlands told NutritionInsight: “The new meta-analysis nuances earlier research on the importance of long chain omega 3s in MDD. It shows that omega 3 supplements may be specifically effective in the form of EPA in depressed patients using antidepressants. This could be a next step to personalizing the treatment for depression (and other disorders)."

According to the World Health Organization, depression is a major cause of disease burden worldwide, affecting an estimated 350 million people.

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 – according to the National Institutes of Mental Health.

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."