Can Omega-3 Fatty Acids Help Depression?

(Ivanhoe Newswire) – Omega-3 fatty acids have shown promise as an effective treatment for depression. Now, researchers at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center’s Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences in Los Angeles wants to test them in a clinical trial.

The National Institutes of Health is sponsoring the study in collaboration with Massachusetts General Hospital. The Cedars-Sinai team led by principal investigator and department chair Mark Hyman Rapport, M.D., are looking to recruit 300 adults between 18 and 80 years old who are experiencing significant symptoms of major depressive disorder and are in good health. The study will take 5 years and is designed to test the safety, effectiveness and tolerability of docosahexanoic acid (DHA) and eicosapentanoic acid (EPA). Both are found naturally in fish oil, flaxseed and walnuts and have been found to have anti-inflammatory properties that help stabilize brain cell membranes which both play a role in mood regulation. “This is one of several investigations of alternative and complementary medicine that our department has perused over the past decade, said Rapport. “Expanding our psychiatry studied to include natural treatments has shown promising benefits to patients suffering from a variety of mental illnesses.”

The participants will receive free and confidential evaluation and treatment as part of the study. No healthcare insurance is required. A comprehensive medical evaluation, including physical examination, laboratory tests and EKG will be provided at no charge.

The study will specifically test DHA and EPA against each other and a placebo. The participants will receive one of the two drugs or a placebo for 8 weeks in a randomized-blind manner. Rappaport and this team will examine the effect of the therapies on participant’s symptoms, quality of life and psychosocial function. They will also examine how fatty acids in the blood and proteins involved in immune function are affected by Omega-3s.

“The reported side effects of Omega-3 treatments have been mild and included upset stomach and a fishy taste in the mouth. There do not appear to be risks to the liver or adverse interactions with mot other medications,” said Rappaport. He also noted that people who have bleeding disorders or who are taking blood thinners should not use Omega-3 fatty acids.

For more information on the study, the team ha left this number: 1-888-CEDARS3 visit the website www.cedars-sinai.edu.

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SOURCE: Cedars –Sinai Medical Center