Welcome to the Depression Support Forum

[PhilipG]

Please feel free to post and share your experiences!

Regards,
Med Help

[leif ericson]

i'd like to know about the use of omega 3 (flax and fish oil)
in the treatment of depression, pms, bi-polar and such.   any help would be great.                l.e.

[sukismama]

i've tried taking fish oil vitamins before but would get a fishy taste in my mouth a while after taking them... so i didnt take them long enough to know if they helped.

i've tried prozac and celexa and didnt feel that either of them really helped at all... does anyone have any advice on how to get some relief from depression???

[jonathan06]

The only data that indicate Omega-3 oils in the treatment of depression are population studies from around the world which show indigenous consumption of fish and the correlation of fewer cases of depression per / 1000 people versus The United States.

Unfortunately, correlation studies mean very little.  They tend to indicate a presumed value in the data, showing that fewer Icelanders or Japanese have depression OR - fewer Japanese report depression to their doctors.   Similar correlation studies were common in the 1980's when certain studies were released showing that people in rural areas of the Soviet Union were living to be over 100 years of age.  Sounds good but the truth of data was that even in the 1980's many rural people in Soviet Russia were still burying their dead in family plots, large numbers of deaths would go unreported except for those persons who lived over 90 or 100 years of age, their deaths were eventually recorded because their births were recorded.  

So far, and most unfortunate is that no university has done a controlled study of Omega-3 fish oils.   A controlled study would demonstrate the efficacy of fish oil as a treatment.  With perhaps 1000 people in the study; one-third could be placed on Cymbalta or Imipramine, another third on prescription grade Omega-3 and the final third would be on a placebo.  Over the course of a single year the data would be powerful as to which group obtained the highest benefit.

Until then take comfort in the fact that Omega-3 cannot hurt you.

[leif ericson]

does omega3 oils have any GOOD effect on our health ?
and WHY has there been no university studies on the oil ?   l.e.

[oceans3]

i was reading an article in "readers digest" (dont ask me why we continiously receive this mag through the mail if we didnt order it but anyhoo)and something caught my eye. the artice is titled, "is stress making you fat?" in the conclusion, it suggested some foods to eat that would work in our favor. one of them being FISH and walnuts. both are rich in omega-3 which states are brain boosters and cholerterol clearers. in addition, omega-3 has been known to help with depression in pregnant woman. depression contributes to emotional overeating. many of us have a low omega-3 intake, eating foods rich in it may help lift our spirits and prevent us for reaching for unhealthy foods instead.
i am sure this does not put an end to your "quest" LOL.... but hopefully it helped some?
take care!

[leif ericson]

thanks, i've been interested in omega 3 for a long time, but
the depression questions are for my sister who has it bad and
horrible pms to boot !         l.e.

[hotone]

I found a website called Labelmesane.com. It is for people trying to get off of addictive prescription drugs. Thye have a regimen that is taken daily to help with the withdrawals. I want so badly to order the stuff, (it is expensive)but I am afraid it is just another dead end to spend money on. Has anyone heard of it or vidited the site?

[betsypunch]

There ARE controlled studies on fish oils and depression.  See
www.omega-research.com, click into "mental/neurological health"

I work for Nordic Naturals.  Pure clean oils that taste NICE are easy to stick with.   These are amazingly fresh, no fishy taste.  Lots of folks love these.

Betsy