EPA & DHA in Depression

EPA and DHA may aid in the treatment of depression.

A mood disorder, depression devastates a person life, overwhelming it with sadness, fatigue and feelings of worthlessness, according to the Mayo Clinic. For relief, some may turn to alternative remedies like eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and decosahexaenoic acid (DHA) supplements.

Source of EPA and DHA

EPA and DHA are omega-3 fatty acids that can be found in fish (like salmon and sardines) and fish oil, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center (UMM).

Depression and EPA + DHA

According to the Linus Pauling Institute, in several clinical studies, patients who consumed a combination of EPA and DHA were less likely to develop depression symptoms.

Dosage

The World Health Organization recommends that healthy adults consume between .3 g and .5 g of EPA and DHA daily, says the U.S. National Library of Medicine.

Considerations

According to the U.S. National Library of Medicine, in rare cases, omega-3 fatty acid supplements have induced mania in people with bipolar depression. Check with your healthcare provider before consuming any supplement.

Warning

Too much fish oil may increase your risk of bleeding, according to the U.S. National Library of Medicine. The oil may also interfere with blooding thinning medications.

References

• U.S. National Library of Medicine: Omega-3 fatty acids, fish oil, alpha-linolenic acid
• Mayo Clinic: Depression (major depression)
• Linus Pauling Institute: Essential Fatty Acids
• University of Maryland Medical Center: Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA)
• University of Maryland Medical Center: Eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA)

Resources

• National Institute of Mental Health: Depression