When some Montreal researchers studied the effectiveness of omega-3 fatty acids in fighting depression, they found that it did seem to provide some relief, at least for those who did not also have an anxiety disorder.
The study included a total of 432 participants in Quebec and Ontario. Half of the participants took three capsules daily for eight weeks of a fish oil supplement called Omega-3 Emotional Balance, which is standardized to contain 1050 mg of EPA and 150 mg DHA per three capsule dose. EPA and DHA are both omega-3 fatty acids which are found in fish. The other half were given a placebo containing only sunflower oil flavored with 2% fish oil. At several points during the eight week period the participants were asked to fill out a questionnaire that was used to evaluate their symptoms.
“Overall, we found there was a small trend favoring omega-3 over placebo,” said Nancy Frasure-Smith, a McGill University psychiatry professor who helped conduct the study, “but it was not statistically significant.”
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