| If you have lost your joie de vivre, then there is every | | | | of developing postnatal depression and that research |
| chance that you are deficient in the essential fatty | | | | spanned 22 countries.o An Italian study by Fontani et al |
| acids required for regulating mood and for efficient | | | | concluded that Omega 3 supplementation improves |
| functioning of the brain. It is now well documented that | | | | complex cortical processing with improvements in |
| insufficient Omega 3 fatty acids in the diet not only | | | | mood and a reduction in anger, anxiety and depression |
| leads to an increased risk of developing physical health | | | | These examples represent only a fraction of the |
| problems like heart disease and atherosclerosis, but | | | | studies conducted but they demonstrate just how |
| also to mood and learning related disorders. | | | | effective fish oil can be in positively influencing mood |
| Studies show that people who are suffering from | | | | and mental functioning. |
| depression, bipolar disorder, ADHD, ADD, postnatal | | | | But one of the biggest studies to date on the effect of |
| depression, PMS, dyslexia and many other mood and | | | | Omega 3 fatty acids on depression was conducted |
| learning related disorders have low levels of the | | | | by Malcolm Peet at Sheffield University who found |
| essential Omega 3 fatty acids in their blood. High levels | | | | that ethyl-EPA, a highly concentrated and purified form |
| of the equally essential but over abundant Omega 6 | | | | of the Omega 3 fatty acid EPA, dramatically reduced |
| fatty acids have also been found. This imbalance can | | | | depression. He, along with a growing number of others, |
| turn out to be extremely debilitating for some, or it | | | | now believe that EPA is the fatty acid primarily |
| could simply mean low moods, an inability to | | | | responsible for the profound effect on mood and brain |
| concentrate and focus, irritability and a general feeling | | | | functioning and not DHA as once was thought. |
| of malaise for others. | | | | EPA versus DHA |
| Over the past 70 years or so, we have dramatically | | | | Although we need both EPA and DHA equally, as |
| increased our consumption of Omega 6 and all but | | | | Ralph Holman, an expert on fatty acids once said |
| annihilated our intake of Omega 3 and the staggering | | | | "DHA is structure and EPA is function". We need DHA |
| reality is that very few of us are actually getting the | | | | for the proper development of the brain during |
| amount of Omega 3 we need. Fish oil contains the | | | | pregnancy and through the first few years of life, but |
| Omega 3 fatty acids Eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) | | | | the rest of the time we need EPA for the brain to |
| and Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), both of which are | | | | function efficiently. Some research has also indicated |
| vital for healthy brain development and function. Putting | | | | that the presence of DHA might actually interfere with |
| physical health problems aside, those of us who have | | | | the beneficial properties of EPA making it somewhat |
| low blood levels of Omega 3 are more likely to adopt | | | | less effective than fish oil with a very high EPA |
| a negative outlook on life, to behave impulsively and to | | | | content. |
| feel depressed according to researchers at the | | | | How EPA works |
| University of Pittsburgh. | | | | No one yet knows exactly how EPA works, but it is |
| It stands to reason that if we increase our intake of | | | | believed to reduce inflammation, thin the blood, increase |
| Omega 3 fatty acids in the form of fish oil, then we | | | | serotonin levels, and improve blood flow to the brain |
| might be able to improve mood and reduce, eliminate | | | | leading to greater inter-connectivity in the neural |
| or even prevent many of the symptoms associated | | | | networks. EPA and other fatty acids we consume |
| with a lack of these fatty acids. And this is exactly | | | | compete with each other to be converted into |
| what researchers have found. | | | | eicosanoids. These hormone-like compounds will either |
| What the research says...o According to a study led | | | | be pro-inflammatory or anti-inflammatory depending on |
| by Lawrence Whalley, a mental health professor at | | | | the type of fatty acid that dominated at the time, for |
| Aberdeen University, fish oil appears to help the brain | | | | example, Omega 3 or Omega 6. |
| to work faster, it increases IQ scores and slows down | | | | As EPA is constantly being used up as it were, we |
| the ageing process by reducing inflammation.o The | | | | need to replenish our supplies in order to inhibit |
| Durham trials led by Dr Madeleine Portwood have | | | | overproduction of pro-inflammatory eicosanoids, which |
| consistently shown that fish oil with a high EPA content | | | | is known to put us at greater risk of depression and |
| improves behaviour, concentration and learning resulting | | | | other health problems. Conclusion |
| in better grades at school. o Adelaide University, who | | | | Fish oil may not be a panacea for mental health |
| also used high EPA fish oil, claimed it to be an | | | | problems, but there is little doubt that supplementing |
| effective treatment for ADHD.o Research led by Dr | | | | with fish oil high in EPA has the ability to improve |
| Andrew Stoll looked at the effect of Omega 3 fatty | | | | mental functioning and to make a profound difference |
| acids on Bipolar disorder and found that fish oil reduced | | | | to the symptoms associated with mood related |
| the severity of the symptoms.o Hibbeln et al found a | | | | conditions like depression. |
| direct link between lower fish consumption and the risk | | | | |