- Eat Against *Depression* with Foods That Fight the Blues
- Omega 3 for *depression*
- *Fish Oil*, Omega 3 Supplement, Managing *Depression*, and Dr Andrew Stoll
June 1, 2010
- “Eat against depression” at Suite 101′s Holistic Nutrition articles.
June 1, 2010
- This is a general overview on Omega 3 fish oil and depression at Hubpages.
June 1, 2010
- A book review of Andrew Stoll’s great book on depression and fish oil.
Filed under Fish oil in the news by on Jun 1st, 2010. 
Fish oil capsules are readily available on the Internet. With a capsule, you avoid the taste of the oil itself as is the case when you take a fish oil liquid. The capsules include an antioxidant to keep the oil fresh over its journey from the fishery to your refrigerator, typically vitamin E. You will notice this additional ingredient (or one like it) in your fish oil. It will give your fish oil a longer life; refrigerating it will help as well.
Perhaps you have wondered: Is taking fish oil as effective as eating fish itself? Can you get the Omega 3 in the supplement and avoid eating a fish fillet? Researchers actually asked this question in a study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition:
Omega 3 Fatty acids (FAs) have been shown to be beneficial for cardiovascular health. Whether Omega 3 FAs from oily fish consumed weekly or from fish-oil capsules taken daily are equally bioavailable is not clear….These findings suggest that the consumption of equal amounts of EPA and DHA from oily fish on a weekly basis or from fish-oil capsules on a daily basis is equally effective at enriching blood lipids with Omega 3 FAs.
Some people do meet their Omega 3 need by eating fish several times a week. People requiring high doses of Omega 3 fatty acids for conditions like depression, heart disease, and diabetes will have a difficult time meeting that need with fish alone. In that case, a fish oil capsule is a very good bet. But quality matters. Our favorite for quality and for high EPA for depression is Ascenta’s NutraSea. The bottle shows you a lot number that you can look up on the Ascenta website to see the purity tests associated with that particular lot. We know of no other company that provides this quality testing information. You can find it at Amazon; it is otherwise not widely distributed in the United States.
Filed under Fish oil brands by on Jun 2nd, 2010.
A recent study in the Journal of Affective Disorders found that fish oil was therapeutic for depression in patients with Parkinson’s disease. They conclude:
Patients supplemented with fish oil showed a significant decrease in MADRS and CGI-Depression scores….These results reveal that Parkinson’s disease patients taking fish oil, with or without antidepressants, presented improvement in depressive symptoms and indicate that the intake of omega-3 can be used with an antidepressant effect or as adjuvant therapy with some other medication.
What they mean by “antidepressant effect” is that the fish oil may reduce depression even if the patient is not taking a pharmaceutical medication. It may be used as an “adjuvant therapy” as well which means that it may be taken along with anti-depressant medication to improve the patient’s mental health.
Either by itself or along with anti-depressant medication, fish oil may fight depression in patients with Parking’s disease.
Filed under Fish oil research by on Jun 3rd, 2010.
People with depression may benefit from quality fish oil. In this video, Dr. Hyla Cass cites Hibbeln and Stohl, both researchers on Omega 3 fatty acids and depression. Hibbeln for instance has found rates of depression lower in people who live near the sea and eat a lot of fish.
In her practice, Cass recommends fish oil to her patients. For vegetarians she suggests flax oil plus a vegan form of DHA made from algae. These are less effective options, but they may work well for some people.
Cass suggests that the low fat craze in this country in the 1980s and 90s was a real bad idea. We need healthy fats.
In terms of quality, we need fish oils that are not polluted. Cass suggests fish oil from smaller fish or fish oil that has been molecularly distilled.
Filed under Fish oil safety by on Jun 4th, 2010.
- Woman's Doc: Fight *Depression* Through Food
- Beat *Depression* Naturally with St. John's Wort and *Fish Oil*
- How does *fish oil* benefit health? | Ask Dr. Oz
June 8, 2010
Our comment: – She recommends adding Omega 3s and B vitamins to your diet and drinking less coffee.
June 8, 2010
Our comment: – A Suite 101 article about natural remedies for depression.
June 8, 2010
Our comment: – A discussion of fish oil benefits at the Dr. Oz website.
Filed under Fish oil in the news by on Jun 8th, 2010.
An ABC news clip available at YouTube (view the video at YouTube) discusses the recent lawsuit on the levels of PCBs found in some common brands of fish oil. PCBs are an environmental toxin linked to cancer and birth defects.
The news program suggests we wait for further information on the topic — the levels of PCBs found in the supplements were not higher than World Health Organization standards. We can also simply eat more fatty fish.
For people with depression taking 1-4 grams of EPA daily, more fish is not sufficient. Consumers need to select a supplement with a positive safety record. We like Ascenta’s NutraSea product because it allows consumers to look up test results for their batch of oil. When you receive your oil, you simply look up the batch number on the Ascenta website to read the lab report associated with that particular oil.
Filed under Fish oil safety by on Jun 10th, 2010.
Dr. Mercola recommends krill oil as an Omega 3 supplement and specifically recommends against fish oil. Mercola is speaking to average consumers, not to consumers with depression seeking to match the dosages of fish oil used in clinical trials.
There is no krill oil on the market that has enough EPA for depression. You need a fish oil high in Omega 3 fatty acids. We recommend Ascenta’s High EPA NutraSea. It has a high EPA content and comes with the best quality guarantee in the marketplace. In fact, your bottle will have a batch number that you can look up on the Ascenta website to see the purity test results for that particular batch.
Filed under Fish oil brands by on Jun 11th, 2010.
Fish oil is critical to brain health. Our brains are composed of nearly sixty percent fat and they require healthy fat to serve us well. If we do not consume enough of the fat in fish oil, we may suffer from depression. With studies in the news regularly on the importance of fish for and depression, a question is: How much fish oil is recommended for depression?
Research in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that Americans should consume 3 1/2 grams of EPA and DHA every day to minimize our risk of depression, cardiac disease, and diabetes. EPA and DHA are long-chain Omega 3 fats found in fish oil. In The Omega Connection, Andrew Stoll recommends 4 grams of EPA each day for those suffering from depression. The recommendation of 4 grams of EPA daily is quite a bit but important to refill what has been missing in our diet.
EPA and DHA are particular long chain fatty acids found most commonly in fish and seafood. That is why fish oil is the most common source of these beneficial fats. In lesser amounts, these fatty acids are found in eggs enriched with Omega 3 and grass fed beef and lamb. EPA is not found in vegetarian sources of Omega 3 fats such as flax oil.
An option for meeting the goal of 3-4 grams of EPA and DHA daily is to eat more fatty fish. One 3-ounce serving of a fatty fish such as tuna may have 1-3 grams of EPA and could satisfy your fish oil need for the day.
Most people will meet their requirement with a fish oil pill. While you shop for a supplement, it is critical that you read the label on the back of the bottle. The front of the bottle may list “1000 mg of fish oil.” 1000 mg is one gram of fish oil or Omega 3. On second glance, you may notice that the oil has only 100 mg of EPA. You would require 25 servings to meet the suggested intake of fish oil for depression. Not only is that product costly, but it is hard to imagine swallowing that much fish oil.
Look at the label in detail and shoot for 4 grams of EPA and DHA from fish oil each day.
Filed under Fish oil research by on Jun 17th, 2010.
- Omega 3 for *Depression*? How Much Do You Need?
- Proper Nutrition Now Means Longevity And Good Health Later
June 19, 2010
Our comment: – You need 2-4 grams of EPA, the long chain fat found in fish oil. Look at the label on your fish oil carefully.
June 19, 2010
Our comment: – The “long game” aspect of this article is very good. We want fish oil for depression, but we want a long life with excellent brain health. Low Omega 3s (the form found in fish oil) are linked to diseases of the aging brain such as dementia and Alzheimer’s.
Filed under Fish oil in the news by on Jun 19th, 2010.
- Benefit Of Taking *Fish Oil* | LIVESTRONG.COM
- Canadian study says: Take your Omega 3s | REBUILD FROM DEPRESSION
June 25, 2010
Our comment: – Fish oil is an anti-inflammatory and helps the conditions listed here which are largely associated with inflammation.
June 25, 2010
Our comment: – Start taking fish oil today but do not overlook other remedies, all of which can together pack a punch. Read more at the Rebuild blog.
Filed under Fish oil in the news by on Jun 25th, 2010.
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