Battling Depression? New Study Reveals What Consumers Need to Know Before Buying Fish Oil
(firmenpresse) - NEW YORK, NY -- (Marketwire) -- 01/03/12 -- In the latest issue of the Journal of Clinical Psychiatry, a team of Columbia Psychiatry researchers reveals information that could be significant to the over 20 million people in the United States who suffer from major depression.
The bottom line? For people interested in taking fish oil supplements to treat depression, only certain formulations provide sufferers relief from depression.
"If you are taking a formulation with equal amounts of the fatty acids DHA and EPA, you may not be doing anything for your depression," says Columbia Psychiatry researcher, , lead author on the research study.
"Although fish oil is not currently an FDA-approved treatment for depression, our examination of clinical trials from the last nine years of published studies showed that EPA-rich formulations of fish oil were . EPA present in at least a 60/40 proportion with the amount of DHA had the best results -- studies using lower proportions of EPA were much less effective."
Fatty fish such as salmon, mackerel, herring, and anchovies are rich dietary sources of , which are important compounds the human body needs for optimum health. These fatty acids are essential, which means you must consume them because your body will not make these nutrient compounds itself.
Today, fish oil is prescribed as a triglyceride-lowering treatment. This research study shows that fish oil is a promising treatment for depression as well.
There are several types of omega-3 fatty acids, but two of them, DHA (docosahexaenoic acid) and EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid), are the most recognized for their role in human health. Most major brands of fish oil on the market contain both EPA and DHA.
Consumers can perform a simple calculation to determine if the brand they are considering has the optimal ratio of EPAs to other omega-3 compounds.
"Look on the nutrition information label and find the milligrams of EPA and DHA per serving," said Dr. Sublette. "Divide the amount of EPA by the sum of EPA+DHA. If you get 0.60 or greater, our research suggests that this brand will be a helpful adjunct to depression treatment." She added, "If you are taking fish oil supplements for your depression, it would be wise to check for these specific proportions of fatty acids EPA and DHA."
The study, titled is now available in the December issue of the Journal of Clinical Psychiatry.
The study's authors are Columbia University psychiatric researchers, M. Elizabeth Sublette, MD, PhD; Steven P. Ellis, PhD; Amy L. Geant, BA; and J. John Mann, MD. This research was funded in part by a grant from the National Institute of Mental Health.
M. Elizabeth Sublette, MD, PhD works at the New York State Psychiatric Institute at Columbia University. She is currently recruiting people for an NIMH-funded research study that looks at the impact of omega-3 fatty acids on . More information on Dr. Sublette, her study, and the science behind fish oils and health can be found at her website: .
Amy Steeby
(602) 510-3662
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Datum: 03.01.2012 - 10:55 Uhr
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