Anyone try Omega 3 fish oil to treat depression? Did it help?

I''ve been on it for a few months and feel a bit better. Anyone want to share your experiences?

• I am on Lovaza at 4 grams per day for my heart health. I have been taking it for a couple of years. No changes in my mood. It didn''t make me any more relaxed or happier.

• My doctor recommended it for cholesterol, blood pressure, and mood regulation.%0D\ %0D\ It seems to have helped with the cholesterol level.

• By the way, Lovaza is prescription Omega 3 fish oil.

• It gave me fish breath.

• No, r4. You already had that....

• My doc says flax seed oil has a similar benefit. I started taking it a month ago, and have noticed some minor mood elevation (I think.)

  placebo?

• I haven''t - but if you do, make sure you have a very good brand of fish oil. The VAST majority of fish oils on the market do not contain enough fatty acids to make any difference.

• That''s why you need to get prescription Omega 3 oil pills.

• Flax seed oil does not have quite the same effect as fish oil, but I can''t stand the fish burps. Right now I''m taking Mega-Red Krill Oil, and I have NO idea whether that''s doing any good at all. But it''s pleasantly cinnamon-flavored.

• r7, what''s a good brand?

• Vitamin D is supposed to help also.

• I took both flax and fish oil. I found after a few weeks I began to shed hair like crazy. When shampooing, my hands would be full of hair. I stopped taking both oils and the shedding ceased. It was very strange.

• r10, Solgar is quite good - they are labelled as Omega 3 or EPA/GLA (not fish oil). There are few other brands which I cannot remember (often they sell the oil in bottles rather than capsules).

• bump

• Yes on Vitamin D. Most people have levels that are too low, and getting them back up really does improve mood. On doc''s advice I took 5,000 mg a day for about 6 weeks and felt much better.

• I have been taking Omega-3 fish oil supplements (vegepa) for what was severe depression for about 2 years now. I can say that since taking them my mood is definitely more stable and I feel generally more upbeat.

• These youtube videos are pretty useful in detailing how making small changes to your diet and having a regular intake of omega-3 fish oils can help you beat your depression; just search "Igennus - Beating Depression: Part 1" and "Igennus - Beating Depression: Part 2"

• I have been taking those giant fish oil capsules for about a month now.\ \ I do feel better, for the most part.\ \ However, the heartburn I get from them has been pretty intense. Yesterday at work, I seriously thought I was dying until I went to the bathroom with some seltzer water and burped for a good 15 minutes.\ \ Pleasant, I know.

• Make sure to cut out sugar too.\ \ Sugar makes many people depressed.

• It helps for my anxiety. My understanding is that it basically lubricates the nerves to make all operations smoother in the central nervous system. I''ve noticed it''s helped my higher cognitive functioning even.

  Anonymous

• How the fuck is Omega e fish oil supposed to treat depression?%0D\ %0D\ Christ some of you people are fucked up.

• Why, R21, some people''s nerves just need a good a lube job, can''t you read?!\ \ Haw!

• The NIH warns that it could actually increase the symptoms of depression.

• Link please, R23?

• I helps my skin look smooth & youthful, but it''s not a DRUG, OP, you imbecile. Why do you expect it to act like one?%0D\ %0D

• I''ve been taking Life Extension Super Omega EPA/DHA fish oil for two years. It has improved my cholesteral but not my mood and anxiety. I take Zoloft for that.

• Don''t take too much!

  Mr. Limpet

• NIH says --\ \ Bipolar disorder: Taking fish oil might increase some of the symptoms of this condition.\ \ Depression: Taking fish oil might increase some of the symptoms of this condition.\ \ Diabetes: There is some concern that taking high doses of fish oil might make the control of blood sugar more difficult.

  http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/druginfo/natural/993.html

• R25 what exactly do you think a drug is?

  Not OP

• [R21] - An important component of the phospholipid layer of cell membranes, fatty acids (found in fish oils) are vital for effective cell communication and healthy brain function. Diet is of paramount concern here: saturated and trans fatty acids (bad fats) are used by the body in the same way as unsaturated fatty acids. Shortages of the highly unsaturated fatty acids force the body to replace these flexible good fats in the brain with rigid bad fats, which harden the phospholipid layer and slow the transmission of electrical signals. This harmful process can, over time, lead to an imbalance of the levels of the mood-enhancing neurotransmitters serotonin and dopamine.

  http://igennus-hn.com/health-benefits/omega-3-epa-fish-oil-for-depression/

• R29: A drug is a chemical specifically made to combat symptoms of _____________. A nutritional supplement is something that "may help" with ____________ based on anecdotal evidence, sometimes scientific evidence. Usually you have to mega dose or take over a long period to see an effect.%0D\ %0D\ Summary: Do not expect instant relief from Omega 3 nutritional supplements. Do not expect ANY relief or improvement. May happen/may not.

  R25

• You definition is a little off, R31, as is your "summary."\ \ But even so, your backpedaling is notable.

• Some people claim it helps, but studies show it doesn''t. Either way, it can''t hurt to try it as fish oil is good for you.%0D\ %0D\ But don''t expect any miracles.

• I TRIED IT AND NOW I''M ALL FUCKED UP!!!!!!%0D\ %0D\ YEEEHAAAAAAAAAAAAA

• My partner takes it but I don''t see any difference at all. He is still a sour puss.

• You have make you sure you take enough to match your body size and also make sure that it''s got both EPA and DHA if you want to use fish oil for treating depression.\ \ It worked well for my depression, just as well as the Zoloft I was once on.\ \ It didn''t do shit for my keratosis pilaris though!

• Keratosis pilaris is a vitamin a deficiency. The reason it has been linked to fish oils is that cod liver oil contains high amounts of Vit A.\ You need a supplement containing the animal form though not betacarotene

• I don''t get gas or heartburn or any of those symptoms, but I do feel oilier.

• Military suicides linked to low Omega-3 levels

  http://www.latimes.com/health/boostershots/la-heb-suicide-military-omega3-20110824,0,2247762.story

• I have keratosis pilaris too. I have had multiple doctors say there''s not much I can do about it except to avoid certain things to make it worse. Never heard of the Vitamin A deficiency angle. If it works, I''ll be popping a few of them daily.

• Do a Google search for Dr. Stoll, MD of Harvard. One of the first to publish the possible mental benefits. Of note, he had patients take 10 grams per day (i.e. a LOT); he has later said 1-3 grams is likely adequate, AND...we are all bio-chem different. So, some may need more, others less. Additionally, seek a product with a much higher ratio of EPA to DHA, as EPA is the Omega 3 that is commonly lacking in our bodies. Anecdotally, I've been taking the high quality EPA rich fish oil, approx 2.5 grams per day, for two weeks and my anxiety is noticably less. I haven't seen any miracle skin effects, though ;) Just some 411...personally, I think diet and nutrition are crucial.

  anon

• Have your testosterone level checked. Trust me on this.

• St. Johns Wort has been used for a long time in treating depression. Chances are it's as effective as Omega 3.

• flax seed oil is great for the skin. if it is looking too red and blotchy from caffeine, spicy foods, etc - flax seed oil will calm it

• I've been taking Omega 3, along with Vitamin D for over a month now, and my mood has not improved at all. I think all of this crap about vitamins helping depression is a joke. Vitamins are obviously good for the body, but mental benefits? Don't think so. I'm going back on my antidepressants.

• Snake oil, fish oil, sam diff. Stupid sheeple.

  PPSM

• Of all people to be calling anyone else stupid, PPSM has to be the worst.

• I tried seal oil. It helped a lot.

• I enjoy a mixture of whale blubber and children's tears.

  PPSM

• I make poopies like a halibut!!

• The oil from the ass crack of the obese cures athlete's foot!

  Shaquille%20O%27neil

• I have ongoing muscle aches and find that if I don't take my fish oil supplements, it hurts worse. The fish oil acts like an anti-inflammatory. I was like others who said they didn't feel anything but I recently watched an informative program on PBS by a nutrition expert. First of all, most vitamins that you buy usually have only 300 mg of fish oil per capsule and it's misleading when it says 1000 mg. The rest are fillers so you have to read the label. It should also be enteric-coated to prevent the fish oil burping and it is digested better. Then, it should be free of mercury, etc. So it's better to buy high quality fish oil supplements from a reputable company

• I lick oily peoples faces.

• [quote] It gave me fish breath. You don't swallow them, silly!

  Cheryl

• I took that stuff, baby, and now Well, my hands are shaky and my knees are weak I can't seem to stand on my own two feet My tongue gets tied when I try to speak My insides shake like a leaf on a tree I'm ALL SHOOK UP

  Elvis Presley

• I was surprised when I began using fish oil and my knees stopped hurting. I use krill oil now, a product and company I researched well; I also take vitamin D every day. I haven't been depressed in a couple of years but there's no way to be sure about cause and effect.

• I take fish oil and vitamin d daily. So far so good.

• I used to take it in conjunction with Zoloft, and I found it boosted the effects of the AD. However, I've also taken it when off of AD's and it didn't seem to do much on its own. Also, when I took it with the Zoloft, I was A.) taking about 4-6 grams a day, which is a lot, and B.) using a pharmaceutical grade brand from a health food store, which is important if you're going to take a lot of it. Otherwise, the mercury, etc., that's in the cheap brands, blah, blah, blah . . . I now take about 2400 mg a day along with a mood stabilizer, an antianxiolytic, and a stimulant. Not sure if it's helping much in the brain department, but it has a lot of other benefits, so I'm going to keep taking it anyway.

• When I get depressed I eat chocolate ice cream and pizza.