Omega-3s Vs. Depression, Part 1

By Author: Dr. Victor Marchione
Total Articles: 90
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One of the most powerful natural supplements in the world
is omega-3 fatty acid. It is also found naturally in fatty fish.
This multi-part article will examine one thing specifically:
can somega-3s help you deal with depression and related
mood disorders?

Depression is a common disease. In North America,
between three and five percent of men and eight and 10%
of women suffer from major depression at any given time.
Major depression affects 8.2% of Canadian and 8.7% U.S.
residents annually. The recurrent rate is 90% in five years
in those who are severely depressed and 70% in the average
patient with major depression.

The current cure rate with antidepressants is about 75%.
Recognizing the symptoms of depression is very important,
because it might reduce suffering with early medical
intervention and even save lives. Experts have devised one
way to recognize them:

D = depressed mood
E = energy loss/fatigue
P = pleasure lost
R = retardation ...
... or excitation
E = eating changed-appetite/weight
S = sleep
S = suicidal thoughts
I = I'm a failure (loss of confidence)
0 = only me to blame (guilt)
N = no concentration

Now, two types of essential fatty acids in your body are key
here -- namely, omega-6 fatty acid derived from cis-linoleic
acid and omega-3 fatty acid from alpha-linolenic acid
(ALA).

Fish is the main source of omega 3s, namely
eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid
(DHA). For example, three ounces of Pacific herring has
the largest amount of omega 3: 1.06 g EPA and 0.75 g of
DHA. Other fish and seafood that have high quantity of
EPA and DHA include salmon, sardine, oysters, trout, tuna,
and crab. Omega-3 fatty acid from plants such as flaxseed,
canola oil and walnuts consists of ALA, which can convert
into a small amount of EPA and DHA. That is why fish is
the best.

More than 150 years ago, the omega-3 fatty acids in the
human diet were from fish, plants and wild game with a
ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 fatty acid of 1:1. A large
increase in the ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 fatty acids
(10:1) in the typical Western diet has been linked to many
of the chronic diseases in modern societies. In recent years,
omega 3 fatty acids have been highly recommended by
health professionals for the prevention of heart disease and
increasing attention has been paid to their role in the
prevention of other diseases, such as depression, asthma,
rheumatoid arthritis, irritable bowel syndrome, type 2
diabetes, and even cancer.

Omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids play an important role in
your nervous system:

-- They are major structural components of the cell
membranes, including brain cells
-- DHA is required for the retina of the eyes to develop
normally
-- DHA is important in cognitive functions
-- Omega-3 content in the brain affects brain cell survival
by acting on a group of chemical known as neurotrophins
-- Omega-3 brain levels may affect gene expression
responsible for inflammation and fatty acid metabolism
-- Omega-3 and omega-6 influence the production of
chemicals known to provoke inflammatory response, which
can cause depression

Over the next week or so, I will review the link between
omega-3 and depression with recent evidence from both
large population studies and high-quality double-blind,
placebo-controlled studies with omega-3 supplements.
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