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my personal edition > depression > news
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DGReview
Docosahexaenoic Acid, An Omega-3 Fatty Acid, Not Effective In Treating Major Depression
A DGReview of :"A double-blind, placebo-controlled study of the omega-3 Fatty Acid docosahexaenoic Acid in the treatment of major depression"
American Journal of Psychiatry
05/20/2003
By Emma Hitt, PhD
Monotherapy with the omega-3 fatty acid docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) does not appear to improve symptoms of unipolar major depression, according to the findings of the first randomised trial evaluating DHA alone.
Previous studies have suggested that omega-3 fatty acids, found in fish oil, may improve depressive symptoms. The family of omega-3 fatty acids includes eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and DHA, but it is unknown whether these agents differ in their ability to influence depression or whether one is more effective than the other.
Lauren B. Marangell, MD, and colleagues with the Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, United States, randomised 36 patients to receive DHA, 2 g daily, or placebo for 6 weeks. Patients were between 18 to 65 years of age and met the DSM-IV criteria for major depressive disorder without psychotic features.
Response was defined as a 50% or more reduction in score on the Montgomery-Asberg Depression Rating Scale. Of the 35 evaluable participants, 18 received DHA, and 17 received placebo.
The researchers reported that 27.8% in the DHA group qualified as responders compared to 23.5% in the placebo group. The difference in response rates between groups did not reach statistical significance.
Side effects in the DHA group included a "fish" aftertaste (n=14), belching (n =3), lightheadedness or dizziness (n =3), loose stools (n =2), headache (n =2), and insomnia (n =1). In the placebo group, reported side effects included fatigue (n =3), insomnia (n =1), and loose stools (n =1).
"Despite the lack of therapeutic response in this study, it is important to note that the rationale for the use of omega-3 fatty acids (both DHA and EPA) in the treatment of bipolar disorder is different from that in unipolar depression," Marangell and colleagues point out.
"Clearly, more studies are needed to establish the potential role for omega-3 fatty acids in the treatment of affective disorders," they add.
Am J Psychiatry 2003 May;160:5:996-8.
"A double-blind, placebo-controlled study of the omega-3 Fatty Acid docosahexaenoic Acid in the treatment of major depression"
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