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I don’t know you, but I am willing to bet that if you or a loved one is depressed right now, you’d be willing to take a look at the possible remedies available to you.  This topic strikes a personal chord with me as depression runs in my family.  Can fish oil for depression work?  I absolutely believe it can.  However, don’t take my word for it.  Read the research and the rest of this article, and you’ll be able to determine if in fact fish oil for depression is a viable option.

It seems like every time we turn our heads, there is some new medication, fad, gimmick or supplement claiming it’s the magic bullet cure for chronic conditions like depression.

The reality is, very few are able to live up to their claims.  The good news is that some actually do deserve tremendous praise.  Fish oil supplements are one of them.

If you’ve been depressed, you know that it’s one of the worst things you can experience.  Getting out of bed in the morning is a chore in itself.  Most days it feels like you have to put in three times the effort just to stay on task.  You can’t focus, you barely eat (or eat too much), you lose your motivation, your sex drive is nonexistent and life just seems pointless.  Not to mention crying spells, anger and isolation.  Any hope for brighter days and an exciting future seems to completely diminish.  I’ve been there.

It is estimated that 14 million (5%) of America’s population struggles with depression in various forms and severity.  It is interesting to note that the incidences of depression have increased over the same time period there has been a decrease in fish and fish oil consumption.  Is this just a coincidence?  I don’t think it is.  It has been well-documented that high doses of long-chain omega-3 fish oil supplements have a boosting effect on the serotonin levels in the brain.  This is a known fact.  In some older studies involving giving high dosages of fish oil supplements to dogs, it was found that there was an increase in serotonin in the frontal cortex.

The Japan Factor

The number of depressed people in Japan is only a fraction of what we would find in America or other countries with low fish consumption.  One key difference to note other than the numbers is the fact that the Japanese eat a tremendous amount of fish daily in comparison to those countries with growing numbers of depressed citizens.  Is it that they have better genes?  It’s possible, but impossible to conclude at this point.  Is it that there has been some nondisclosure of depressive episodes in Japan in comparison to America?  This is also possible due to cultural differences.  The likely reason is that the Japanese simply have a higher and more continuous intake of omega-3 in their diets.  In addition to this, Japanese diets are considerably low in omega-6, which has been shown to have negative effects on mental and physical health when not balanced with omega-3 intake.

The Harvard Experiment

You may have heard of Andrew Stoll and his fish oil for depression experiment carried out at Harvard University.    The experiment involved giving one group of patients with bipolar depression high doses of fish oil supplements, and giving the other group an olive oil placebo.  The experiment was set to last nine months.

The Results

After four short months the experiment was halted because the differences between the group taking the fish oil for depression and the group taking the placebo were so vast it was deemed unethical to continue.  From these results it was concluded that the group taking the fish oil supplements experienced an increase in serotonin and an increase in blood flow to the brain which would provide a better distribution of nutrients like oxygen and glucose leading to better mental function and capacity.  It was concluded that fish oil for depression was indeed a viable option in this particular scenario.

Were the fish oil supplements to thank for this tremendous success?  Although the answer will differ with opinions, it wouldn’t seem ludicrous to think that it was.

In a more recent study conducted over a two year period it was “found that both a high ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 fat and a low level of DHA in the blood predicted suicidal behavior in people with major depression” (Tribole p 100).

In other words, if you’re depressed, your goal is to decrease your omega-6 intake and increase your omega-3 intake.  You can do a fast search on the internet for the common sources of omega-6 fats, and you already know that fish oil supplements are hands down the best way to get omega-3.

Now that you’re armed with this information, you should be able to determine if fish oil for depression is a good alternative for you.  In my personal experienced with depression, it sure beat the synthetic medication alternatives.  Either way, you should consult with your doctor before beginning any treatment or taking fish oil for depresson.  Even though it is impossible at this point to conclusively determine that fish oil supplements are responsible for decreases in depression, the evidence seems to overwhelmingly point in that direction.

To learn more about the fish oil supplements I take daily to help my depression, feel free to visit my page.