Omega-3 Fats May Help Mental Health in Those with Heart Disease

by | Jul 7, 2009 | 2009, Cardiovascular Health, Depression, DHA

Written by Greg Arnold, DC, CSCS. In a study of 987 heart patients those with lowest blood omega-3 levels had 77% more depression than those in the highest group.

A new study (1) has found that O3FA’s may help with mental health for those with heart disease. In the study, 987 patients from the Heart and Soul Study (2) with diagnosed coronary heart disease (CHD) provided blood samples to measure for O3FA. They also completed a questionnaire to assess for depression (3). The researchers found a significant association between O3FA level and depression. Specifically, while 23% of the CHD patients with the lowest blood O3FA levels (< 3.1% of total blood fatty acids) were diagnosed as having depression, 13% of those with the highest blood levels of O3FA  in (> 4.3% of total blood fatty acids) were diagnosed with depression.

The researchers cited previous research “showing a causal relationship likely exists” between O3FA and depression (4) and concluded that their study “extends this existing literature by finding a strong association between low [O3FA] and depression in outpatients with stable CHD.” Unfortunately, O3FA intake was not measured, so no recommendations were made by the researchers.

Source: Ali, Sadia, et al. “Association between Omega–3 Fatty Acids and Depressive Symptoms among Patients with Established Coronary Artery Disease: Data from the Heart and Soul Study.” Psychotherapy and psychosomatics 78.2 (2009): 125-127.

© 2009, Karger Publishers

Posted July 7, 2009.

References:

  1. Ali et al. Association between Omega-3 Fatty Acids and Depressive Symptoms among Patients with Established Coronary Artery Disease: Data from the Heart and Soul Study. Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, 2009; 78 (2): 125.
  2. Ruo B, Rumsfeld JS, Hlatky MA, Liu H, Browner WS, Whooley MA: Depressive symptoms and health-related quality of life: the heart and soul study. JAMA 2003; 290: 215–221.
  3. Spitzer RL, Kroenke K, Williams JB: Validation and utility of a self-report version of PRIME-MD: The PHQ primary care study. JAMA 1999; 282: 1737–1744.
  4. Sontrop J, Campbell MK: Omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids and depression: a review of the evidence and a methodological critique. Prev Med 2006; 42: 4–13.