Reader Msjay used the "Contact Me" on this website on 2021-11-22 to inquire:
Hello Professor, after seeing these two reports, the pharmacists and scientists mentioned that fish oil can help treat depression, and I don’t know what you can read. Because I have been sick for many years, but high concentration of fish oil is very expensive, I don’t know if I should try it. If I can, I would like to know the content of these research, thank you for your answer.I clicked the online link he sent and saw the following two articles:
2021-7-19 published in Yahoo's research found: Fish oil can help improve depression. How to eat Omega-3?2021-11-19 Posted in Heho's depression is coming to knock on the door! What should I do with the love "Kaka"? Pharmacist: Use high concentration EPA fish oil to relieve your worries
The article published in Yahoo was reproduced from "NOW Monthly" by "Changchun Monthly". Its focus is: "A new study recently found that fish oil may also help fight depression, and the results were published in Molecular Psychiatric On Psychiatry. Participants in this new study included 22 patients with severe depression. They were given one of EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid) or DHA (docosahexaenoic acid) once a day for 12 weeks, with EPA and DHA being Omega-3 contained in deep-sea fish. Before and after treatment, the symptoms of depression were assessed by blood. There was a significant improvement in the treatment of depression with Omega-3, with an average decrease of 64% in the EPA group and an average decrease of symptom of DHA group. 71%. ”
The study described in this paragraph is the Omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids protected against inflammation through production of LOX and CYP450 lipid mediators: relevance for major depression and for human hippocampal neurogenesis (Omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids protect against inflammation through production of LOX and CYP450 lipid mediators: relevance for major depression and for human hippocampal neurogenesis (Omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids protect against inflammation through production of LOX and CYP450 lipid mediators: relevance for major depression and for human hippocampal neurogenesis).
This study mainly uses cultured cells to explore the effects of EPA and DHA on some chemical molecules related to depression. Although it also has some data from patients with depression, these people's data are far less than the cell's (I estimate it is about one tenth). However, that Yahoo article (also a Changchun monthly article and a NOW monthly article) only mentions the human data, while the words do not mention the cell data. This will make people mistakenly think that this study is human trial, although it has not been classified as clinical research.
In fact, there are still many doubts about the relevant people. First, although Yahoo's article repeatedly quotes two researchers (Alessandra Borsini and Carmen Pariante) from the Royal College of London, England, the 22 patients with severe depression came from Taiwan (Hospital Affiliated to China University of Medicine). Second, all of these 22 patients took EPA or DHA only, so this study lacked a key consolation control group. Third, the test results, that is, "the average decline in symptoms of taking EPA groups by 64%, and the average decline in symptoms of taking DHA groups by 71%," is inconsistent with existing evidence. Please see EPA but not DHA appears to be responsible for the efficiency of omega-3 long chain polyunsaturated fatty acid supplementation in depression: evidence from a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials (EPA rather than DHA: evidence from random control trial analysis).
The first paragraph of the article published in Heho is: [According to the World Health Organization Statistics, more than 350 million people worldwide suffer from depression. Depression is the number one in disease-induced disability, and it extends to many social economic burdens, and its seriousness needs to be highly valued. Many studies have found that taking more fish oil Omega-3 fatty acids can help relieve depression, especially fish oil with a high EPA ratio, but how should we choose many different types of fish oil currently on the market? Nutritionists and pharmacists both pointed out: "rTG high-concentration fish oil EPA of 80%" is the key to choose. 】
From this paragraph, it can be understood why there is an advertisement for "High-concentration EPA Fish Oil" by a pharmacist and XX Physician founder.
No matter what, it is a coincidence. Reader Msjay came to the letter to inquire on 2021-11-22, and two days later, a high-quality review paper was published.. The title of this article is Omega-3 fatty acids for depression in adults, and it is published in the highly recognized Cochrane Database Systematic Review. The Examination Blue is an independent, non-profit, non-governmental organization composed of more than 37,000 volunteers. The purpose is to provide medical professionals, patients, medical policy recipients and others with the information needed by medical professionals, patients, medical policy recipients, etc. in order to facilitate medical selection.
This article was written by 7 experts from 10 British medical centers and institutions. After reviewing all 35 related random clinical trials, they obtained the conclusion: "At present, we do not have sufficient high-certification to determine the effectiveness of Omega-3 as a treatment for severe depression. Our main analysis may indicate that Omega-3 has a small to moderate, nonclinical benefit effect on depression compared to the palliative agent; however, the estimate is inaccurate and the evidence based on which we judged the results from low to very low. Our data may also indicate adverse events and trial incomplete rates of Omega-3 and palliative agent groups; Similar, but our estimates are again very inaccurate. Compared with anti-depressants, the effect of Omega-3 is very inaccurate and indeterminate. A more complete evidence is needed to prove the potential positive and negative effects of Omega-3 on severe depressive disorders. ”
From this conclusion, it can be seen that "fish oil can fight depressive disorders" currently lacks accurate evidence. Therefore, patients should go to a psychiatrist instead of listening to the so-called health website marketing, thinking that if they buy expensive high-density EPA fish oil to eat, the disease will be cured.
Note: Omega-3 from food is good for health, but Omega-3 from medicine cans has always been controversial. Please check out the fish oil supplement and add the coffin.
Original text: Can fish oil fight depression?