Depression substantially decreased with Omega-3 – Sept 2015

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Short-term supplementation of acute long-chain omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids may alter depression status and decrease symptomology among young adults with depression: A preliminary randomized and placebo controlled trial.

Psychiatry Res. 2015 Sep 30;229(1-2):485-9. doi: 10.1016/j.psychres.2015.05.072. Epub 2015 Jun 27.
Ginty AT1, Conklin SM2.
1Department of Psychiatryy, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA. Electronic address: atg25 at pitt.edu.
2Psychology, Neuroscience, and Global Health Studies, Allegheny College, Meadville, PA, USA.

The current study examined the psychological effects of acute and low-dose long-chain omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (LCPUFAs) supplementation on young adults with depressive symptoms. Participants (N=23, M age (SD)=20.2 (1.25), 78% female), with a Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) score of greater than 10, were randomly assigned to a placebo (corn oil) or LCPUFAs group (1.4g of eicosapentaenoic and docosahexaeonic acids) and were instructed to consume the assigned capsules daily for 21-days. BDI was completed prior to supplementation and at day 21. Group differences in depression status on day 21 were analyzed using chi-square tests. After 21-days of supplementation, there was a significant difference in depression status between groups. 67% of the LCPUFAs no longer met criteria for being depressed, while only 20% in the placebo group were no longer depressed. A mixed ANOVA revealed a significant group x time interaction for BDI scores. Post-hoc analyses revealed the LCPFUAs group had a significant reduction in BDI scores over time, while the placebo group's scores did not significantly change. These findings suggest that LCPUFAs may alter depression and depressive symptomology in young adults in a relatively short amount of time.

PMID: 26188642

Publisher wants $31 for PDF

Omega-3 reduced Depression in Shift Workers - RCT 2016

Are Supplementation of Omega-3 and Ascorbic Acid Effective in Reducing Oxidative Stress and Depression among Depressed Shift Workers?
International Journal for Vitamin and Nutrition Research. DOI: 10.1024/0300-9831/a000249. © 2016 Hogrefe AG.
Farahnaz Khajehnasiri Related information Department of Community Medicine, School of medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran

• Shahin Akhondzadeh Related information Psychiatric Research Center, Roozbeh Hospital, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
• Seyed Bagher Mortazavi Related information Department of Occupational Health, School of Medical Sciences, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran
• Abdolamir Allameh Related information Department of Biochemistry, School of Medical Sciences, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran
• Gity SotoudehRelated information Department of Community Nutrition, School of Nutritional Sciences and Dietetics, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
• Ali Khavanin Related information Department of Occupational Health, School of Medical Sciences, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran
• Zahra Zamanian Related information Department of occupational Health, School of Health, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran

Background: This study assessed the effect of supplementation of omega-3 fatty acids and ascorbic acid alone and in combination on the level of lipid peroxidation (malondialdehyde, MDA concentration), total antioxidant capacity (TAC) and depression scores in depressed rotational shift workers in the Tehran Shahid Tondgoyan Oil refinery.

Material and methods: In this randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial, 136 men who met the inclusion and exclusion criteria and had a Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) score ≥ 10 were selected. Among the participants, 33 received omega-3 fatty acid soft gel (1000 mg twice daily) with vitamin C (250 mg twice daily) (group 1), 31 took omega-3 fatty acid supplements and vitamin C placebo (group 2), 30 took omega-3 fatty acid supplement placebo and vitamin C (group 3), and 32 received omega-3 fatty acid supplement placebo and vitamin C placebo (group 4) for 2 months. Measured were serum MDA, TAC concentrations, and BDI scores at baseline and after 2 months.

Results: This study showed that the BDI score was reduced significantly in all 4 groups, however, the level of decrease was more in the omega-3 fatty acid (alone) supplementation group (mean 6.29 score decrease) (p < 0.001). MDA level decreased significantly in groups with omega-3 fatty acids (mean 0.78 μmol/L ± 1.64 μmol/L decrease) (p = 0.014) or vitamin C supplementation alone (mean 0.74 μmol/L ± 1.55 μmol/L decrease) (p = 0.014), but not in combination.

Conclusions: Supplementation of omega-3 fatty acids alone and not in combination with vitamin C had a better impact on depression and MDA level pronounced in depressed male shift workers.

Zahra Zamanian, Department of Occupational Health, School of Health, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran, Tel.: +98 7117251001, E-Mail zamanianz at sums.ac.ir

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beck_Depression_Inventory
0–9: minimal depression
10–18: mild depression
19–29: imoderate depression
30–63: severe depression.

See also Vitamin D Life

• Depression category listing has 215 items along with related searches

Pages listed in BOTH the categories Omega-3 AND Depression