If you're feeling depressed, you might feel better if you take fish oil supplements, a new study shows.
Some patients in the study, but not all, got relief from the omega 3 fatty acids in the fish oil. The ones who did improve – about half the group – were those who didn't also have a diagnosis of an anxiety disorder.
The other half – depressed people who had anxiety disorders, too – didn't get any clear benefit from taking the supplements compared to placebo.
These findings, published in the Journal of Clinical Psychiatry, add to the confusion about whether omega-3 fatty acids really help depression. Different studies have reported conflicting results. At least some of the confusion is due to the fact that researchers rarely test these substances in any standard way. Some studies have looked at omega-3 as a stand-alone therapy; others have tested it in combination with antidepressants. The formulations often vary, too.
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