Fish oil supplements may reduce symptoms of depression and a subsequent risk of dementia, suggests new data from Australia.
The apparent brain-boosting benefits of fish oil are related the combination of DHA (docosahexaenoic acid) and EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid), which calls into question the use of pure EPA supplements in some mental health studies.
For the new study, fish oil supplements were associated with improvements in scores on the Geriatric Depression Scale and verbal fluency The new study – published in the British Journal of Nutrition – adds to an every growing body of science supporting the potential cognitive benefits of fish oil and the omega-3 fatty acids it contains.
The majority of the science focuses on heart health, but an increasing number of studies have reported benefits for mood, behavior, and mental function. Such is the interest in the area of omega-3 and brain health that the US Army is studying the effects of omega-3 status on suicide rates of troops and service personnel (Journal of Clinical Psychiatry , doi: 10.4088/JCP.11m06879), and how omega-3 supplementation may improve mental health and stress resilience .
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