OMEGA-3 especially EPA for Depression

My pdoc has always been one to try the natural supplements especially when for me, all the others caused horrible side effects that were really bad (the parkinson's symptoms were the worst).

He has been doing some research on the effects of OMEGA3 on depression & gave me a lot of findings to read. Everything I read about it was that is was also so good for all the other parts of the body, that even if it didn't work for the depression, it was going to be a good thing. The theraputic dosage for depression requires 2000+mg of the EPA omega 3. The DHA has less effect on depression. I looked at different brands, & it would take at least 8-10 tablets a day to get a therpautic dose. I looked on the internet & found one brand that it extra high on the EPA & only takes 2 capsuls a day to get the required amount.

I have been taking the OMEGA 3 for about 3 months now. I don't know if that is what is working, but my depression level has never been lower for 13 years. It could be the move to KY that is helping the depression, or probably both. I can truely say, that this supplement is great for the heart, & every other aspect of the body, so I feel much healther taking this also...let alone mentally feeling better.

I realize it doesn't help much with anxiety however. That is still a curse I am dealing with. Wish it worked as well for the anxiety as it does for the depression.

Just wondering is anyone else is using the OMEGA3....EPA/DHA for their treatment of depression.
Debbie

Just curious, is my pdoc the only one that recognizes the benefits of OMEGA 3?

Debbie

I take Omega 3-6-9 morning and night and am in a slamming depression right now. I take it for my heart but if it wishes to help me out on my depression I would be one happy as heaven camper. I am not sure of my dosage but I am sure it is not as high as yours though. My pdoc has not mentioned the benefits though he knows I am on this.

My pdoc is into research on medications/narutal formulas that help with depression & other mental illnesses. That is his passion. He did say that unless I took at least 2000mg/day of the EPA OMEGA 3, it would have no effect on the depression. I can honestly say that my depression is almost non-existant. I wish I could say the same for my anxiety, but at least I'm not fighting the depression.

I found a site on the internet where they carry the pharmasutical doses so I didn't have to take 100 pills just to get the necessary amount. I told him about it at my appointment last month....he was surprised that I sound the same brand he knew about because they told him it couldn't be purchased online. The company Nordic Naturals is the only one I have found that produces the pharmaceutical dosage & it is hard to find anyone who carries it. The best part of it is that it is good for the heart, colestoral, & mind (even though the DHA is better for the mind). & not only that, but I don't have the nasty side effects as I did with sll the other chemical meds.....so I feel better physically. That could also help with the mental too.

Hope you can find something that helps with your depression right now.
Debbie

I've considered taking these, but one thing that's caused me to drag my feet is concerns over mercury content. Does anyone know if there is a problem with mercury in these supplements like with some fish?

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SecretGarden said:
I take Omega 3-6-9 morning and night and am in a slamming depression right now.

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Because of the massive amount of vegetable oil that modern diets contain, I can't conceive of any reason to take a supplement that contains omega-6, with one exception. That's gamma-linolenic acid, which is anti-inflammatory. Preferential use of olive oil would cover any omega-9 intake. That leaves omega-3, and the alpha-linolenic acid in this supp is not going to do much for your heart. ALA is not efficiently converted to EPA and DHA, the heart-healthy long-chain omega-3s. Fish and/or fish oil and/or algae-derived oils are the only reliable sources, now that the meat supply is grain-fed.

Recent work has shown that ALA -> DHA conversion is less than 0.1%.

Lar

There is no mercury in fish oil. Mercury binds to protein, which is why it is toxic. All protein is removed during purification of fish oil, so the mercury is totally removed too.

Lar

Interesting. Thanks Lar.

Cool, thanks.

Thanks Lar,

Have you heard much about the OMEGA-3 for depression? Doesn't seem to hurt, but don't know if depression is my problem right now anyway with so much anxiety....it kinda covers up any depression. I think it's a high dose of the DHA that works on anxiety....hard to find an OMEGA 3 that is high in both EPA & DHA.

Debbie

The supplement I take is made of purified deep sea fish oil from anchovies & sardines & adds lemon oil & rosemarry extract. With 1060mg EPA/gel capsule, 274 mg DHA/gel capsule & 202mg of other omega3s. It also adds vitamine E derived from refined soybean oil. This was the only pharmaceutical grade omega 3 brand (nordic naturals) that I found in searching & then found that it was the one my pdoc recommended anyway.

I just bought a few supplements, including GNC Omega-3 Fish Body Oil. I made sure it was free of mercury, and other things like dioxin, PCBs and Chlordane. I wanted Carlson's Omega-3 fish oil, or ZoneLabs brand, but I think you can only get ZoneLabs directly from them, and it ain't cheap. But no biggie.

A guy I've been talking to online in dealing with anxiety and OCD without drugs says he takes 10,000 mg a day. My main problem with all these supplements is the cost. Even if they work, will I be able to stay on them? Especially if I'm using them up quickly, taking so much a day (I don't plan to take 10,000 mg a day, at least at first, but even a few a day adds up).

I also got some Biotin, mainly because I want to see if it will improve my hair and nails as I've heard it will.

I have done some research, but I'm really a novice to all this stuff. It bores me to tears, so retaining what I've learned is difficult.

I got some Inositol, because it's supposed to be really good for OCD, although I'm interested in getting some organic Evening Primrose Oil and Flaxseed oil (both must be taken with a protein).

Additionally, I got a B-Complex vitamin. There are other vitamins and supplements I may get in the future, too.

I'm considering trying Peppermint Oil for my IBS, and for anxiety and OCD, a combination of St. John's Wort (although I'm nervous about messing with that) and Passion Flower, possibly via a supplement that consists of the two, like Native Remedies' MindSoothe.

I couldn't stand taking all those pills.....& as for the 10,000mg....there is no point in taking more than the amount that works....it's like throwing it away if you do that & you are right....at the cost of suppliments...it's just plain stupid to take more than the doseage that works.

OMEGA 3 includes EPA & DHA.....each help aspects of depression & anxiety....I know that 2000mg of EPA is the dosage that works for depression.....so anything over that would just be throwing it away. I think if I remember what my pdoc said, the DHA works best on anxiety & that takes a dose of around 800mg per day for that to be effective. There are other OMEGA 3's that aren't the EPA & DHA....so if the omega 3 doesn't have those.....it isn't going to do any good either.

There are only a few & they are the expensive brands, but they end up not being that expensive because they contain the higher dosage, so you don't have to take as many. I only have to take 2 capsules a day & I get the 2000mg that is required for the depression....so it isn't as expensive as the brands that I would have to take 10 pills a day to get the dosage.

That is what you have to look at when you are in charge of determining your suppliments unless you have a Dr that does the thinking for you & can tell you exactly what to take.

Don't know if you are taking any other meds, but there can be problems with interreactions between natural supplements & prescribed meds.....so it is important to tell your Dr about all the suppliments you are on besides any prescribed meds. Suppliments can have interactions between themselves also.....so you need to be careful about that too.

Do your research before putting pills down your throat.....bad reactions take a long time to overcome & can leave you with some nasty side effects (even the non prescribed ones)

Debbie

eskielover - My pdoc likes new studies and he has mentioned omega 3 and recommended it early on. I'm now taking Bio-35 from Pro-Biotiks for Omega Oils as a suppliment to my meds. By itself it helped a little but I really saw a difference when it was combined with Requip. I read somewhere (not officially) that the Omega 3 enhances that drug. I'm taking the Requip for anxiety and depression. It has definately improved my mood. Not sure on the anxiety - but it seems less when encountering one of my triggers. They are doing studies on this drug for use on anxiety and depression currently.

W.Rose,

I haven't heard of requip. My pdoc is so leary of putting me on any chemical meds due to my horrible side effects.....but it sure would be nice to find something other than the seroquel that would work more naturally on my anxiety attacks. I will have to look into requip since you say it is known to work in conjunction with the omega 3.

Thanks for the info,
Debbie

bump

i got flax seed oil (omega 3, 6, 9).
part of the reason was that i wasn't sure whether the fish oil was okay with respect to heavy metal accumulation in the fish...
the other part of the reason was concern about the fish oil making my breath / pores smell (controversial whether it does or it doesn't)
another part of the reason is that i'm not at all sure that the fish oil is harvested in a sustainable fashion and i'm concerned about nets capturing dolphins (for example) and just generally speaking i think we are better not to harm living things (who might feel pain given that they have a nervous system) over flax, for example (that lacks a nervous system).

same active ingredients...

have trouble remembering to take the darned things truth be told...

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alexandra_k said:
i got flax seed oil (omega 3, 6, 9).
part of the reason was that i wasn't sure whether the fish oil was okay with respect to heavy metal accumulation in the fish...

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Flax oil is fine as a source of alpha-linolenic acid, but nobody needs extra omega-6 fatty acids, with the modern diet full of vegetable oils.

There is no heavy metal associated with fish oils. Metals are mopped up by proteins and all protein is removed from fish oils before they get to market. There are no detectable heavy metals in fish oil.

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another part of the reason is that i'm not at all sure that the fish oil is harvested in a sustainable fashion and i'm concerned about nets capturing dolphins (for example) and just generally speaking i think we are better not to harm living things (who might feel pain given that they have a nervous system) over flax, for example (that lacks a nervous system).

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By and large, all commercial fish oil is made from the byproducts of fish destined for the table. In some regions, fish oil is burned for power, there is such a glut from the fish processing industry. Better consumed as a nutrient, than burned.

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[same active ingredients...

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That is incorrect. Flax oil (and all other vegetable oil sources of omega-3) contain the 18-carbon, thrice unsaturated fatty acid known as alpha-linolenic acid. It was long believed that this fatty acid was essential, and served as a precursor for the (truly) essential fatty acids EPA (20-carbon, five times unsaturated), and DHA (22-carbons, six times unsaturated). Recent experiments using radio-labelled alpha-linolenic acid have shown that only about 5% makes it to EPA, and less than 0.1% (an average, nil in most subjects) made it so far as DHA. The elongase and desaturase enzymes we thought could do the trick are woefully ineffecient. DHA is now being declared fully essential, i.e. it must be obtained from diet.

DHA is found in some marine algae, and there are a couple of algal-based oil products on the market, for the vegans out there. Otherwise, seafood is the only alternative.

Lar