Fish Oil May Improve Symptoms of Depression

Omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) can help improve depressive symptoms in patients with major depressive disorder (MDD), according to a new study.

Previous research had suggested omega-3 PUFAs may be used as a supplemental treatment for MDD, but evidence to support the treatment’s efficacy was inconclusive.

To conduct their study, researchers performed a meta-analysis of 13 placebo-controlled trials that assessed the effects of omega-3 PUFAs on depressive symptoms in adult patients with MDD.
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Researchers also performed a meta-regression to determine whether the effects were influenced by eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) or docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) dosage, antidepressant usage, or other study parameters.

After analyzing the data, researchers found that omega-3 PUFAs are beneficial to patients with MDD in that their symptoms were reduced. In addition, patients taking a higher dosage of EPA and anti-depressant users had a better response rate.

“Present meta-analysis suggested a beneficial overall effect of omega-3 PUFA supplementation in MDD patients, especially for higher doses of EPA and in participants taking antidepressants,” researchers concluded. “Future precision medicine trials should establish whether possible interactions between EPA and antidepressants could provide targets to improve antidepressant response and its prediction. Furthermore, potential long-term biochemical side effects of high-dosed add-on EPA supplementation should be carefully monitored.”

—Amanda Balbi

Reference:

Mocking RJT, Harmsen I, Assies J, Koeter MWJ, Ruhé HG, Schene AH. Translational Psychiatry. 2016;6:e756. Published online March 15, 2016. doi:10.1038/tp.2016.29.