Omega 3 And Depression: The Simple Facts
If you suffer from depression, you need the facts on omega 3 and depression!
Do omega 3 and depression go hand in hand, or is it just an old wives' tale? We aren't talking here about depression in the sense that people use it nowadays -- claiming to be 'depressed' when what they really mean is that they are sad, grieving, or feeling down in the dumps. We are talking about the medical condition of depression, which requires a clinical diagnosis.
Some argue that you can only treat depression through counselling and medications. Others believe there are more natural treatments, and one of the fish oil benefits we often hear about is the ability to alleviate depression. So is it true, and should you throw those antidepressants away?
How to tell if you have depression
Again, depression is not an occasional sad mood. We often confuse it with bad days or periods of mourning. In order to receive a diagnosis of depression, a patient must exhibit specific behaviors. The most common of these include feelings of extreme lethargy, changes in appetite or sleeping patterns, loss of interest in friends and activities, and a sense of hopelessness and futility -- all of which persist, without cause, for more than 3 months.
If that sounds like you, it's definitely time to seek medical help. Clinical depression is extremely common, especially among women.
Is omega 3 helpful?
The short answer is yes. Omega 3 depression studies show that omega 3s do indeed alleviate the symptoms of depression. However, they are unfortunately not a cure. Different types of depression respond to omega 3s differently. For example, omega 3 for depression involving seasonal changes (SAD) seems to work very well. Bipolar disorder, however, seems to have less satisfactory results.
A Harvard study did find that omega 3 and depression treatments worked well together, documenting positive results in bipolar patients who consumed fish oil. However, since later studies haven't been able to duplicate those results, it's still up in the air, scientifically speaking, how well omega 3 for depression works.
Anxiety disorders can also interfere with how well omega 3s work. Anxiety disorders and depression often go hand in hand, and some studies suggest that while fish oil benefits include lowering depression, they don't work when the patient also suffers from anxiety. It's just another one of those things: we aren't sure how well these things work.
One thing you can rest assured of, though: taking omega 3 supplements won't hurt your depression. There is plenty of anecdotal evidence, and some scientific, suggesting it will help, and absolutely none to suggest any dangers. Since fish oil benefits don't interefere with traditional antidepressants, you don't have to worry about taking them simultaneously.
In fact, many doctors recommend this as a supplementary type of treatment. So if you struggle with depression, remember: omega 3 and depression can work together very effectively -- and it's certainly worth a try.
