Omega-3 fatty acids, like those found in fish, may help with depression
Whether or not you are depressed may have to do with the type of fat in your diet. A study published in the Journal of Nutrition (November 1, 2013 vol. 143 no. 11 1743-1752) looked at 1,746 adults between the ages of 30 and 65 years. Increased symptoms of depression were noted in just over 25% of the women and around 18% of the men who took part in the study. The researchers found a relationship between the amount of omega-3 fatty acids in the diet (omega-3 fatty acids are found in fish oil). Specifically, in women, the highest tertile of omega-3 fatty acids intake was associated with a reduced odds of EDS by 49%, as compared to the lowest tertile. Specifically, in women, the highest tertile of omega-3 fatty acids intake was associated with a reduced odds of EDS by 49%, as compared to the lowest tertile. Furthermore, the omega-3 PUFA to omega-6 PUFA ratio was inversely associated to EDS in women, and a similar pattern was found for omega-3 HUFA vs omega-6 HUFAs. The authors conclude, “…among United States women, higher intakes of n-3 fatty acids [absolute (n-3) and relative to n-6 fatty acids (n-3:n-6)] were associated with lower risk of elevated depressive symptoms, specifically in domains of somatic complaints (mainly n-3 PUFAs) and positive affect (mainly n-3 HUFAs).”
