Health and Nutrition Info
By Didrik J. Sopler, Ph.D, L.Ac.
08-21-06

Research shows that omega 3 fatty acids are reduced in patients with depression and anxiety

Omega 3 fatty acids the type of fat we find in cold water fish and flaxseeds is not only helpful in reducing inflammation and pain.

More and more evidence reveals that omega 3 fatty acids are also very important if we want to be mentally healthy. When the erythrocyte (red blood cell) concentrations of fatty acids were measured in patients with social anxiety, it was found that most of the omega 3 fatty acids were lower in these patients when compared with the control group who did not have these symptoms (Green P, et al. 2006).

Epidemiological studies the last few years suggest that decreased omega 3 fatty acids consumption correlates with increasing rates of depression (Hibbeln JR, Saleen N Jr. 1995).

When fatty acids were measured in individuals with major depression and compared to non depressed people, it was found that the depressed individuals had a significantly lower omega 3 fatty acid levels (Maes M, Christophe A, et al. 1999. Maes M, Smith R, et al. 1996). These researchers suggested that the alternations of the fatty acids in depression are related to the inflammatory response and that the disorder may persist despite successful antidepressant treatment (Maes M, Christophe A, et al. 1999).

An interesting study conducted at the Colombia University in New York documented that a lower docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) a metabolite of omega-3 fat one of the ingredients in fish oil, predicted suicide attempts in major depression (Sublette ME, et al. 2006). A higher omega-6 to omega-3 also predicted suicide attempts.

For more information on the importance of omega-3 fatty acids log onto www.tissuerecovery.com and click on abstracts and articles, then look under omega-3 fatty acids.

When using omega 3 fish oil be sure the product has been properly checked for a variety of toxins.

The Better Fish Oil from BioPro, Inc. is such a product. You can read more about it by logging onto www.tissuerecovery.com.

Wishing you the best of health,

Didrik

References:

Green P, Hermesh H, Monselise A, et al. Red cell membrane omega-3 fatty acids are decreased in nondepressed patients with social anxiety disorder. Eur Neuropsychopharmacol. 2006 Feb;16(2):107-13. Epub 2005 Oct 21.

Hibbeln JR, Salem N Jr. Dietary polyunsaturated fatty acids and depression: when cholesterol does not satisfy. Am J Clin Nutr. 1995 Jul;62(1):1-9.

Maes M, Christophe A, Delanghe J, Altamura C, et al. Lowered omega3 polyunsaturated fatty acids in serum phospholipids and cholesteryl esters of depressed patients. Psychiatry Res. 1999 Mar 22;85(3):275-91.

Maes M, Smith R, Christophe A, Cosyns P, Desnyder R, Meltzer H. Fatty acid composition in major depression: decreased omega 3 fractions in cholesteryl esters and increased C20: 4 omega 6/C20:5 omega 3 ratio in cholesteryl esters and phospholipids. J Affect Disord. 1996 Apr 26;38(1):35-46.

Sublette ME, Hibbeln JR, Galfalvy H, Oquendo MA, Mann JJ. Omega-3 polyunsaturated essential fatty acid status as a predictor of future suicide risk. Am J Psychiatry. 2006 Jun;163(6):1100-2.