Can Nutrition Play A Dominant Role In Mood? Scientists think so. (press release)

Saturday, May 28, 2005 by Mike Adams, the Health Ranger Editor of NaturalNews.com (See all articles...) Tags: mental health, nutrition, fish oils

https://www.naturalnews.com/008007.html

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Sound Mind? Sound Body! Andrew Stoll, a medical doctor at the Harvard Medical School, has conducted two studies on omega-3 fatty acids with regards to depression and bi-polar disorder. He theorizes that EPA boosts levels of the "feel good" neurotransmitter serotonin in the brain. Though the mechanism by which this process works is still unclear, he cites previous research on animals, which showed that omega-3 fatty acids replenished the lipid bilayer or "cell coating" where receptors that receive signals from chemical transmitters reside. Dr. Joseph R. Hibbein of the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism in Maryland has also conducted studies on depression and omega-3s. His evaluation was similar: omega-3s protective role in major depression is consistent with the known relationship between DHA and EPA and serotonin. Because of these works and others like them, omega-3s have been touted by some as a replacement for Prozac. Given this drug was shown to cause a 50% improvement in only 38% of patients (not much statistically better than when patients were given a placebo), a dietary option with no side effects such as fish oils containing high levels of the omega-3s EPA & DHA is a welcome arrival!

Can low DHA and EPA levels cause depression? Two pieces of scientific evidence say YES! Researchers at the University of Sheffield and the Efarnol Research Institute, both in Great Britain, report that they have found a significant association between severity of depression and the levels of omega-3 fatty acids in both the diet and the red blood cell membranes. In addition, Dr. Hibbein demonstrated in his study that DHA is a main component of the synaptic membranes and a lack of it is linked to depression. His team speculated that depression that accompanies alcoholism, Multiple Sclerosis and/or childbirth is due to a lack of DHA and can be corrected through dietary intake. Though questions still remain concerning the specific roles of DHA and EPA with regard to depression, these two omega-3 fatty acids can play a critical part in the prevention and management of mood disorders.