Summaries of studies on Omega 3 Fatty Acids

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Omega 3 Fatty Acids on Mood and Mental Health

Omega 3 Fatty Acids May Positively Impact Mental Health

Research conducted at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine suggests a significant correlation between levels of Omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids and positive mental health.

The study included 106 healthy participants determined to be free of major depression or any other diagnosed mood disorders. Those who had the lowest levels of Omega-3’s were found to score higher on psychological evaluations for negative outlooks, symptoms of mild or moderate depression, and impulsivity. Impulsivity, in its more extreme form, is commonly known as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, or ADHD. Conversely, those with higher levels of Omega-3’s were found to have a more positive outlook and to be more agreeable, based upon the results of standardized tests.

While evidence from numerous prior studies has suggested a link between deficiencies in Omega-3’s and a number of serious psychological conditions (including, but not limited to, major depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, ADHD and substance abuse), the results of this study seem to indicate that increasing intake of these fatty acids could prove beneficial to everyone’s mental health.

Plasma fatty acids are associated with normative variation in mood, personality and behavior. Abstract #1411. Presented at the 64th Annual Scientific Meeting of the American Psychosomatic Society, Denver, CO, March 1-4, 2006.

Fish Consumption and Depression

Dr. Joseph Hibbeln of the National Institutes of Health was quoted in a New York Times article as saying, “In the last century, [Western] diets have radically changed and we eat grossly fewer omega-3 fatty acids now. We also know that rates of depression have radically increased by perhaps a hundred-fold." Links between fish consumption and neurological health may be supported by the results of global studies, which suggest "rates of major depression are markedly different across countries, depending upon how much fish is consumed in those countries."

Hibbeln, J.R.. "Fish consumption and major depression." The Lancet, 1998; 351: 1213.

Hibbeln, J.R.. "Long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids in depression and related conditions, in Phospholipid Spectrum Disorder." (Lancashire, England: Marius Press, 1999), pp. 195-210.

Omega-3 Fatty Acids and Mood Balance

According to a landmark study at Harvard Medical School conducted by Andrew L. Stoll, M.D. and other researchers on "Omega-3 fatty acids in bipolar disorder...", omega-3 fatty acids improved the short-term course of illness in a preliminary, double-blind, placebo-controlled study of patients with bipolar disorder. This study was scheduled to last for nine months; however it was stopped after four months because of the outstanding results. Dr. Stolls studies of omega-3 fatty acids suggest that natural sources of omega-3’s (especially fish oil) may help bring mood into balance.

Stoll, Andrew L., et al. “Omega 3 fatty acids in bipolar disorder.” Archives of General Psychiatry 56:407-12 (1999).

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