Written by Greg Arnold, DC, CSCS. In this study of 61 patients, the 32 patients who took 120 mg of DHA and 180 mg of EPA for 6 months had a 17% decrease in Geriatric Depression Scores compared to a 4% decrease in the scores of the placebo group.
According to the National Institutes of Health, more than 1 in 4 Americans 18 and older (26.2%) suffer from a diagnosable mental disorder each year. Included in these mental disorders is depression, with Major Depressive Disorder recognized as the leading cause of disability in the U.S. for ages 15-44. It affects nearly 15 million Americans, can develop at any age, and affects women more than men (1). Depression is estimated to cost our healthcare system more than $65 billion each year (2).
Now a new study (3) has shown that fish oil may help mental health in those with mild to moderate depression. In the study, 61 patients over 65 years of age and not currently taking any anti-depressant medications received either 1 gram of fish oil (32 patients – containing 120 mg DHA and 180 mg EPA) or placebo (29 patients) for 6 months. None of the patients had any diagnosable dementia since they all had a Mini Mental State Exam of ≥ 22 but did have mild to moderate (though not severe) depression as they had Geriatric Depression Scale-15 (GDS-15) scores ranging from 5 to 11. Data was obtained on level of education, alcohol, tobacco use, history of chronic diseases, age, body mass index, high-sensitive C-reactive protein, and total cholesterol.
By the end of 6 months, the fish oil “was clinically more effective in treating depression in comparison with the placebo”. Specifically, those in the fish oil group had a 17% decrease in the GDS-15 scores (7.24 to 6.0) compared to a 4% decrease in the placebo group (7.21 to 6.91). When looking further into how many patients per group benefited, 40.7% of the fish oil patients “clinically improved” (13 out of 32 patients) compared to 27.6% in the placebo group (8 out of 29). Body mass index, high-sensitive C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), and total cholesterol did not affect GDS-15 scores.
For the researchers, “low-dose [omega-3 fats] had some efficacy in the treatment of mild to moderate depression in elderly participants.”
Source: Tajalizadekhoob, Yaser, et al. “The effect of low-dose omega 3 fatty acids on the treatment of mild to moderate depression in the elderly: a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled study.” European archives of psychiatry and clinical neuroscience 261.8 (2011): 539-549.
© Springer-Verlag 2011
Posted March 3, 2011.
Reference:
- “The Numbers Count: Mental Disorder in America” – see the National Institute of Mental Health.
- Berto P. Depression: Cost-of-illness Studies in the International Literature, a Review. The Journal of Mental Health Policy and Economics J. Mental Health Policy Econ. 3, 3–10 (2000)
- Tajalizadekhoob Y. The effect of low-dose omega 3 fatty acids on the treatment of mild to moderate depression in the elderly: a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled study. Eur Arc Psychiatry Clin Neurosci 2011 Feb 12. [Epub ahead of print]
