So many people think that the only way to deal with depression is through prescription drugs. Still others think that it’s just something you need to learn to live with. Yet, current research points to omega-3 dietary requirements that play a big part in mood disorders, including chronic and severe depression. Put more clearly, if you’re feeling depressed chances are it has something to do with what you’re eating.
There’s a direct link between the omega-3s found in fish oil and depression
A study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition showed that individuals who are suffering from depression also have low levels of omega-3 and high levels of omega-6. What this means is that there is actually more going on than meets the eye. Depression is not necessarily something you are born with, rather it is linked to deficiencies in omega-3.
The same could also be said for other disorders involving depression. For instance, researchers have found that bipolar disorder is more common in people with lower levels of omega-3, too. Furthermore, people with depressive symptoms are also much more likely to have lower levels of other nutrients that effect ‘omega-3 status’. What’s more, many other conditions affecting behavior have been linked to low levels of omega-3.
Omega-3 deficiencies are also to blame in other mood disorders
It’s not only depression that’s caused by omega-3 deficiencies, but other mood disorders, too. Study after study shows that a host of mood disorders follow from the lack of these essential fatty acids, including and certainly not limited to:
Additionally, studies show that people with depression and other mood disorders may also see a greater benefit from increasing omega-3s as they are also more likely to be obese, smoke, and suffer from metabolic side effects resulting from prescription drugs.
The sooner you work on fish oil health, the better…
Given the information known about omega-3 deficiencies and mood disorders, the sooner you start paying attention to your omega-3 levels, the better. According to the Journal of Clinical Psychiatry, fish oil is an ideal treatment option for people who currently have mood & depression disorders. This is because fish oil can be safely combined with mood stabilizers & reduce mood swings. In fact, in some studies, fish oil worked just as good as prescription drugs like Prozac.
Fighting depression now can actually help you more in the long-run
Still need more reasons to try an alternative treatment to your depression? Here’s another one for you: treating depression now can help you later in life.
According to the National Institutes of Mental Health, having depression with another medical illness makes the symptoms of both worse! Plus, long-term studies published in the Journal of Aging & Health show increasing omega-3s now can reduce symptoms of depression later
To sum it up
Depression is a serious mental illness that affects millions every year. You don’t have to sit back and let depression control your life, though. More and more studies point to a link between low levels of omega-3 fatty acids and problems with mood and depression. The sooner you start working on being fish-oil fit, the better! Who knows…fish oil might just help turn that frown upside-down!
