Fish Oil and Mental Health
We have previously written about fish oils and discussed how the could have a role when it comes to depression, talking about how they are manufactured, and have even written about how they might play a role in building Muscle Mass. But in regards to fish oil And mental health , we are going to look at the effects of omega 3 fatty acids on different aspects, such as stress, anxiety, and depression.
Anxiety
Anxiety is reported to be the most commonly experienced psychiatric symptom. It is a psychological state in which a person feels inappropriate or exaggerated fear leading to distress or impairment and it is estimated that 1 in 3 of us will suffer from an anxiety disorder in our lifetime. Membranes within the brain contain a high proportion of omega-3 fatty acids and most animal and human studies suggest that a lack of omega-3 in the brain might induce various behavioral and neuropsychiatric disorders, including anxiety-related behaviors (1). In a recent systematic review of 19 studies, including over 1000 participants, omega 3 supplementation was significantly more effective than placebo treatments at reducing measures of anxiety (2). Sub-analysis showed that supplementation was more effective in individuals with specific clinical diagnoses. When the dose of supplementation was examined, it was shown that doses of 2000mg and above per day were most effective.