I've found it works. Just copied this from a site I researched. Please take into consideration taking anything without consulting your physican, research or considering your over all health situation. This is just sharing and certainly not prescribing.

http://www.searsfishoil.com/research/depression.ht


Fish Oil and Depression


Can fish oil really help depression?
Amazingly enough, more than half of the brain's dry weight comes from fat. Some of these fats are the key building blocks of cell membranes, and play essential roles in the brain's function. Omega-3 fatty acids, for example, help form cell membranes, keep those membranes flexible, and regulate the flow of hormones and other chemical messengers, which may affect our mood. A few promising studies suggest that natural sources of omega-3s -- like fish oil -- may help bring mood back into balance.

In one study -- one set of patients was given fish oil, while the other set was given a pill that had no physiological effect (a placebo); neither group knew which one they were taking. Of the 30 patients in the study, 14 were put on fish oil, and 16 were put on olive oil (the placebo). But after four months of treatment, 11 of the 14 patients taking fish oil capsules reported fewer symptoms of depression, and only 2 had suffered a manic-depressive episode since the study began. In contrast, only 3 of the 16 patients taking the olive oil placebo said they felt any better, and 9 had major attacks. Researchers stopped the study early, partly because it seemed unethical to withhold fish oil from any of the patients.

In one case, a participant came to the study with a treatment-resistant case of bipolar disorder marked by what Stoll described as violent rages and crime sprees. "When given the opportunity to participate in our fish oil study, he was eager indeed," Stoll writes. "The fish oil was a charm. Participating in our double-blind study, he had no way of knowing whether his capsules contained fish oil or placebo, yet he announced almost immediately that whatever we were giving him, it worked! His mood swings and rages stopped abruptly, and he felt well for the first time in his life. He has remained on fish oil supplements for three years."

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New research has found that people with depression who received a daily dose of 1 gram of an omega-3 fatty acid for 12 weeks experienced a decrease in their symptoms, such as sadness, anxiety and sleeping problems.

Previous researchers have suggested that the balance of omega-3 fatty acids in the brain may become skewed in people with depression, and earlier studies have shown that fish oil supplements can help alleviate the symptoms of schizophrenia and bipolar disorder, or manic depression.

The study included 70 depressed patients who took a daily dose of one to 4 grams of EPA or an inactive drug. The treatment lasted 12 weeks.

The doses were either 1 gram, 2 grams or 4 grams of EPA. There was a significant improvement of those patients who took 1 gram of EPA daily: 69 percent of the patients achieved a 50 percent reduction in their symptoms, in contrast to those who took the inactive drug, where 25 percent of the patients saw improvement.

The higher-dosage groups saw similar improvements, but no higher improvement than those who took the 1 gram daily dose.

Hello Victoria:
I have a Bachelor of Science degree in Nutritional Science from a 4 yr University. I would like to share with you some knowledge I have about fish oil. The following information is from Understanding Nutrition by Eleanor Noss Whitney & Sharon Rady Rolfes, a textbook from one of my nutrition courses.
First of all, fish oil should come from eating the actual fish and not from fish oil supplements. There are a number of reasons why fish oil supplements are not recommended. The scientific evidence on their safety and effectiveness is not conclusive. In addition, high intakes of fish oil increases bleeding time, interferes with wound healing, worsen diabetes, and impairs immune function. Also, supplements have high levels of Vitamin A & D which in excess can be potentially toxic. Finally, The supplements can contain environmental contaminants and they are expensive.
Instead, eating fish in place of meat 2 or 3 meals a week can promote heart health. One fish meal a week may also be enough for a difference.
It is very critical that when you are looking for nutrition information you look for the information from reliable sources. There is so much false information out there on nutrition that you really have to be careful. You can obtain reliable nutrition information from the American Dietetic Association (http://www.eatright.org), the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the American Heart Association, an accredited college, and a registered dietitian.
Hope this helps.

amethyst,
Some certified nutritionists say that fish oil is good for someone that doesn't eat fish 3 times a week. Supplementing a few times a week shouldn't be problem. I understand that it can thin the blood and precautions have to be taken.
People with certain diseases or conditions should not use fish oils but I don't believe that applies to everyone. I have heard of fish oils ability to boost the immune system and also it's anti-inflammatory properties. Studies show that fish oils have and still are being used for people with digestive disorders like ulcerative colitis and Chrohn's disease. Currently I do not take a fish oil supplement but my doctor is looking into it for me. Right now, I eat haddock, cod or swordfish at least once a week for dinner and during the day throughout the week, I may have a couple cans of sardines. I also eat canned tuna but most of the oil is gone with packaging.

What is your take on flaxseed Oil instead of fish oil supplements? Flaxseed is also a good source of Omega 3 fatty acids...or perhaps Evening primrose oil ??

Victoria, There are other natural supplements that you can use for depression/post traumatic stress disorder. GABA ( gamma aminobutyric acid ) has been proven to work for depression.
There are also flower essences that work as well.
Bach's flower essences have been around a very long time. There is alot of researched information out there on certain supplements but you will probably not find it so much in the medical community but rather through someone like a certified nutritionist.

I wish you well in your journey to recovery!

Victoria and Amethyst,

You both may be interested in reading this very educational article on Omega 3 fatty acids.
http://www.painstresscenter.com/mall/Omega%203%20Fatty%20Acids.htm

Take Care!

Thank you both for taking the time to reply and for your input. As you will note, the topic is "Fish Oil for depression." As with any food, vitamin, minneral, herb, medication and the like--what can be one man's drug (cure) can be another man's poison. Therefore, the consumer takes it upon themselves to search out further anything recommend on a forum, by a friend or advertisement whether there might be a problem for their particular medical situation. So, although fish oil or fish has been determined by some sectors of research to be good for depression as I so posted--it may not be good for some who suffer with a medical condition, predisposition or history. That applies to anything we consume or put in or on our body.

For over thirty years I have been envolved some way or another in diet and nutrician even representing a company selling nutrictional products. My husband has a history in sports medicine, red cross first aid and the like and we currently, as members of the BBB, have a consumer consulting business which deals with product representations. So, to say the least, we are cautious when we consume certain things thus assuming responsibility for such choices not prescribing.

We can be all together afraid to touch fish, especially salmon because of the recent warnings in the markets regarding the contamination and health risks. The same goes for certain herbs and products sold in health food stores, etc. Saddly this can apply to many product representations including what is truly organic.

Nicholas Perricone, M.D., is a certified Physician by the American Board of Dermatology and has served as an assistant clinical professor of dermatology at Yale University School of Medicine. He is also a fellow of the New York Academy of Sciences, a fellow of the American Collage of Nutrition, and chairman of the annual international Conference on Aging and skin. Additionally, he is a world-renowned researcher and scientist. In 2002 he was the recipient of the Eli Whitney Award which is presented annually by the Connecticut Patent Law Association to an outstanding individual in recognition of significant contribution to science. He is established and published a diet which consists most of fish-- mostly salmon. Although this is good for the skin (his books The Perricone Prescription and The Wrinkle Cure) ) it works well as a mood mender. He quotes recent studyies on omega-3 having linked fish intake to an increased incidencxe of psychological problems, including depression, bipolar disorders, postpartum depression, and sucidal tendencies. He quotes supportive studies from Brigham and Woman's Hospitial. His research to into consideration skin canser and the immune response to his suggested methods.
Still I do not consider him a God or infallible. --Ps. 146:3.

I can quote others that recommend fish for body types and weight loss to boost the matablism. Also, the Midwest Center under, Dr. Fisher's direction, includes tuna as a helpful aid.

I'm not saying, amethys, what you are saying regarding bleeding wounds has no merit. I will say however, that I have a medical problem whereby I can profusely bleed from a wound. Yet, when I was on the Perricone Prescription diet with a daily consumtion of salmon that I did not have a problem with bleeding. I was mentally more alert, less depressed as observed by others, improved sex, my skin looked great and I looked years younger. This happens whenever I get back on it again. Having got off it and I observed I was less able to handle stress and had bad bleeding problems again.

Some people take baby asprin as suggested by their physician as a heart attack prevention. However, although a small dose--I will not take anything containing asprin as I have a bleeding problem again.

Sunnset, Perricone also suggests flax seed oil and Evening Primrose oil. I took the Primrose and experienced a painful hormone shift and stopped. Yet, others may sware by it. I've taken flax seed thru out the years as needed and have found many beenfits which includes regularity. I've tried flower essences and
Bach's flower essences, which may work for some, did not work for me. I'm fortunate to have one of the larger homopathic pharmacys a few block from me and have found several homopathic remdies that work wonders for me. As the result of one --I have not had a cold or flu in over three years. I take a remedy when I sence something and it never developes after just one or two doses.

Even amongst the scholars of the scientific field you will read debates and changes of thought over time. Therefore, I think it's good that we can come together and share information, web sites and the like. I've been helped over the last couple of years from the sharings of members on this forum. But I think the bottom line is that none of us can recommend or prerscribe in the direct sence to anyone anymore than the employee at a health food store should not. And even mindful doctors do well, after taking into consideration the medical make up of the individual, to consider the side affects of what they before prescribing.

My sharing, thus, is not to endorse the web site on my post or the use of fish oil. But just to share what seems to be understood in the field for mood disorders. Still, as with many other products, yes they might affect a person's health negatively and therefore should not be taken with out being informed.

Wishing you both the best and thanks for sharing further information on the topic.

Sincerely,
Victoria

This is only my opinion....from what I have read, fish oil can thin the blood. My dad took fish oil for a long time (I wasn't aware of it at the time) and was hospitalized with a bleeding problem, which I will not go into here. He didn't mention it to the doctor because he wasn't aware that it could cause thinning of the blood. We figured it all out after he told me all the different supplements that he was taking and I told him about fish oil. I don't know that he believed me until he told the doctor, who confirmed it...lol. Anyway, I guess what I want to say is that even though there a lots of 'natural' remedies and supplements available, we really need to do our research before taking and/or combining them.

quote:

Originally posted by SuzanneMarie:
[qb]This is only my opinion....from what I have read, fish oil can thin the blood. [/qb]

Thank you for sharing this experience. In my case I was eating the fish at the time -- not taking the oil.

Victoria

I've been taking fish oil for about 6 mo. to lower my cholesterol level which it helped with that but in reading this post maybe I have to do some more extensive research. Thank you all for sharing..you all helped me. I know that everybody's intention here was to educate and help and that is a good thing-it means we care about each other. There are always two sides to a coin and it's up to each individual to pick what side they want to look at and what they would like to believe-I guess that's the American way, right? Anyways...thank you all again, Best wishes and take care ...

quote:

Originally posted by Timber64:
[qb]I've been taking fish oil for about 6 mo. to lower my cholesterol level which it helped with that but in reading this post maybe I have to do some more extensive research....[/qb]

You're welcome. What helps me is knowing that even most medications have side affects. So the more we research anything the more negatives we will learn. The good thing is if you know yourself well you will know if you are taking a risk or not. Wishing you the best.

Victoria

Just want to let you all know that I talked with my Gastroenterologist today and he said yes to me supplementing with fish oil. I have a bleeding condition in my intestines called Ulcerative Colitis. I'm sure every case is different and that's why we are all suppose to check with our doctors before we begin taking a supplement.

That was a wise thing to do Sunset. Sorry you have the condition you mentioned.

To all in General,
JOURNAL
I've been thinking this morning that a wise thing for me to do is journal the foods and suppliments I take daily and write down how I felt physically and emotionally that day. I did excellant eating fish as I described but when I wasn't making it recently I took the salmon fish oil. I also was bleeding more and longer. Never put the two together because it would happen after stress and thus I thought that was the relation. I'm going to stop the fish oil and watch and see if there is a differance. Perhaps this suggestion of journaling may be helpful for some who are not sure or don't see a relationship on whatever they are taking and their physical and emotional symptomes.

Victoria

Victoria, Sunset, SuzzaneMarie, and those who are interested:
First of all, I would also like to state that I am not prescribing anything. I am just sharing what I have been taught and how one can find accurate scientifically sound nutrition information. But, as always checking with a registered dietitian would be the best bet. And I realize that everyone should make choices they feel are best for them, however I feel that knowledge based on science is the best way to go. So I would like to share this information with those who are interested.
The first point I would like to make is that it is critical that you get your information from reliable sources. As I said before a �registered dietitian� is what to look for. A �certified nutritionist�, �nutritional counselor�, �nutritionist�, or �dietist� is certainly not the same thing. To become a registered dietitian you minimally have to obtain a BS degree in Food Science, Human Nutrition, or related field from an accredited college or university (accredited by an accrediting agency recognized by the US Department of Education; you can see what colleges are accredited by going to the American Dietetic Association�s website). In addition, you must complete a clinical internship or equivalent for a year, pass a national exam administered over 5 competency areas by the American Dietetic Association (ADA), and participate in continuing education activities (attending seminars, taking courses, or writing professional papers) to keep up with the latest information (Whitney & Rolfes, 1996).
Those that DO NOT possess the title of �registered dietitian� may possess a fake nutrition degree from a school �accredited� by a phony accrediting agency. In fact it is so easy to obtain a fake certification that there are examples of pet owners having dogs and cats that obtained a �nutrition certificate� (Whitney & Rolfes, 1996).
Even a valid medical doctor has limited knowledge on nutrition. According to Whitney & Rolfes, only about one-fourth of all medical schools in the US require students to take even one nutrition course.
Nutrition is a science, therefore it derives its information from scientific research. This means that experiments are conducted according to the scientific method. After an experiment is complete, the experiment is peer reviewed, which means that a group of other scientists reviews the study to make sure the experiment followed the scientific method. If the peer reviewers believe that the conclusions are well supported by evidence, they will endorse the study for publication in a scientific journal. However, even after publication the information is only preliminary and has no meaning by itself. To become meaningful, other scientists must replicate the experiment and either confirm or disprove the original study and its conclusions. In order for the information obtained in experiments to be accepted into the body of nutrition knowledge, it must withstand rigorous and repeated testing by many different researchers. Accurate nutrition information that is accepted, is obtained from years of replicating study findings. It may seem like the scientists are coming up with conflicting information all the time, since the media jumps to invalid conclusions, but this really is not the case. What actually happens is that as studies are performed, replicated, and valid conclusions are drawn, accurate nutrition information gradually changes followed by modifications in recommendations (Whitney & Rolfes, 1996).
With this said, I looked for further information regarding fish oil (omega- 3 fatty acids) from scientifically sound sources. I did not find any information linking fish oil consumption with decreased depression. I did find a statement from a professor at Tufts University stating that there is not enough evidence to recommend fish oil for depression and she recommends that human trials be conducted instead (http://nutrition.tufts.edu/news/fnn/2003-09-22.html). The reason why I shared the information about fish oil and heart disease is because I wanted to show what experts do know about fish oil. For more information on fish oil and heart health visit: http://www.eatright.org/Public/NutritionInformation/92_nfs0999.cfm .
In regards to fish oil supplements, the ADA does not recommend them as a substitute for fish or as a dietary supplement (http://www.eatright.org/Public/NutritionInformation/92_nfs0999.cfm). One thing that is critical to know about dietary supplements is that unlike pharmaceutical drugs, which must be proven safe and effective for their intended use before marketing, dietary supplements do not need to be approved by the FDA for safety and effectiveness before they are sold to the consumer. Additionally, manufacturers and distributors of dietary supplements are not required by law to record, investigate, or forward any reports of injuries or illness from use of their product to the FDA (http://www.cfsan.fda.gov/~dms/ds-oview.html). Therefore I would not recommend the use of any supplement, unless it was determined necessary by a registered dietitian. In response to any statement such as �evening primrose oil and fish oil are rich in polyunsaturated fatty acids, a source of energy that increases metabolic levels and helps in diminishing saturated fatty acids� I would say this is not a scientifically valid statement. It is true that these oils have �energy�, but this is merely caloric energy. Neither evening primrose oil nor fish oil increase metabolism (http://www.quackwatch.org/01QuackeryRelatedTopics/cellulite.html).
In fact many of those who tout the use of specific dietary supplements actually sell the product themselves. This seems like a conflict of interest to me. The websites two of you mentioned each sell their own products.
Finally, I would like to address the original message posted. There are a number of concerns I have about the �study� that was sited. The �study� only had 30 patients. This is a very low sample number. A much larger sample should be studied in order to determine statistical significance. Another problem with the study is that it fails to follow the scientific method. Conclusions were drawn without even finishing the experiment.
Also, because of the way the paragraphs are written, they imply that research was stopped, by the researchers, partly because results were showing that after four months there was such a significant difference in those taking fish oil supplements that it would just not be ethical to deny the people the supplement. Yet in the next paragraph they refer to �the study� as a �double-blind study�. The mere definition of double-blind study would make this an impossible reason for stopping the study, beyond the fact that stopping a study and drawing conclusions without completing the study is unscientific. As defined by Whitney & Rolfes, a double-blind experiment is �an experiment in which neither the subjects nor the researchers know which subjects are members of the experimental group and which are serving as control subjects, until after the experiment is over.� Therefore, if the experiment was a true double-blind experiment then the researchers would not have known how many people found the supplements helpful, until the study was complete!
The following websites may be of interest to those of you who are interested in learning about ways of obtaining scientifically accurate nutrition information and ways of identifying nutrition misinformation:
http://www.eatright.org/Public/Other/index_adar0202.cfm
http://www.quackwatch.org/01QuackeryRelatedTopics/spotquack.html

Hope this information is helpful to those of you that are interested in it. Good luck to all of you!

REFERENCES
Whitney, Eleanor Noss & Rolfes, Sharon Rady (1996). Understanding Nutrition. St. Paul, MN: West Publishing Company.

http://nutrition.tufts.edu/news/fnn/2003-09-22.html

http://www.eatright.org/Public/NutritionInformation/92_nfs0999.cfm

http://www.cfsan.fda.gov/~dms/ds-oview.html

http://www.quackwatch.org/01QuackeryRelatedTopics/cellulite.html

quote:

Originally posted by amethyst98:
[qb]Victoria, Sunset, SuzzaneMarie, and those who are interested:
First of all, I would also like to state that I am not prescribing anything. I am just sharing what I have been taught and how one can find accurate scientifically sound nutrition information. . . . . Therefore I would not recommend the use of any supplement, unless it was determined necessary by a registered dietitian.
[/qb]

Hi amethyst98:
I understand and did not allude to your stating that you are prescribing anything. But perhaps you just want to make it clear so that you are not misunderstood in this regard. Thank you. The same goes for the post itself. If you will read the original post you will note that it is not perscribing. I personally took into consideration what you originally shared which you can observe especially when I wrote in one of my replies that I'm considering journaling to see my own reaction to fish oil. At least a couple of us gave what you shared some thought.
Perhaps what you shared in the long run may help someone prevent a possible medical problem.

Just as you are sharing your knowledge we are likewise sharing either what we have read or from experience. Most of us that come to the forum share limited if any information in our profile that provides credibility to any field or profession we may be in if someone would want to verify. I know that you are very new to the forum and wish to welcome you. Having been a member of the forum for a long time I've read posts that members share what they have found to help them which is not prescribing. I've benfited from what I wished to look into while I discarded what I felt was not applicable to my situation.

You wrote: "Therefore I would not recommend the use of any supplement, unless it was determined necessary by a registered dietitian." As I also replied something similar because of legalities. However a physician can recommend for his patient a suppliment and some do. Although as you wrote and as one doctor admitted to me--their limited education in nutritian.

You seem very concerned that we get accurate information from the right accredited
sources. Thank you for the time you took to research the topic. Whether the quote in my post is accurate or not I don't know. But regarding fish in itself I do believe what I've read and the Midwest comments regarding tuna and its affect on our mental well being. I believe it because I have had an observed significant differance in my outlook as observed by others.

I feel as if you are uncomfortable with the quote in this post. I'm considering deleteing this post because I'm concerned about your feelings. Just let me know if you would like to see it deleted and I will oblige you.

Sincerely wishing you well,
Victoria

Hi Victoria:
Thanks for reading over my posts. Please do not feel like you need to delete your post. That is not my intentions. In fact having both sides would be helpful for those wishing to make their own decisions about their health.
I was just caring on a lively debate over an issue (science and nutrition) I feel strongly about. I stand by my statements, however you and others can take what I say and choose what is best for you. I just wanted to make sure that people are aware of the science of nutrition and how careful you need to look at what is presented to you. I still believe there is a lot of pseudo science and so I wanted to site my sources so that those who are interested, can obtain information that is considered credible in the field of nutrition. I know that if I hadn't studied nutrition (I went to an accredited college) then I may not have understood how to find scientific information and how to interpret scientific findings. I enjoyed having an opportunity to express my beliefs on a topic I like, in hopes of providing someone with something they could use.

tee hee! Sorry, just had to throw a little humor in here.