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Is Depression a Dietary
problem?
There are two types of
essential fatty acids – omega-3 and omega-6. Both are necessary
for health. Neither are made in the body, and so both must be obtained
from the diet.
Omega-6
fatty acids are found in many vegetable oils, including soybean, safflower,
corn, sunflower, flax and walnut oils.
Omega-3
fatty acids are found in flaxseeds, hemp, pumpkin seeds, walnuts and
oily cold-water fish.
Omega-3 fatty acids were
an important part of our ancestors’ diets, but people today consume
only a tiny proportion of the amount naturally occurring in traditional
diets. It appears, however, that we may need omega-3s for our
mental health.
British
researchers have found that a lack of omega-3 may be responsible for
some cases of depression. They examined the fatty acid composition
of red blood cell membranes in both depressed patients and non-depressed
controls. The depressed group had significantly fewer omega-3s, particularly
docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), than the control group.
The lower
level of omega-3 found in the cells of depressed patients may be due
to greater oxidative damage of cell membranes, indicating that these
people have inadequate antioxidant defenses. Another study found
that patients suffering from more severe depression had lower levels
of fatty acids and lower dietary intakes of omega-3 than those with
milder cases of depression.
Researchers
suggest that supplementation with omega-3 might be of therapeutic value
for those suffering depression.
(Based
on information in: Journal of Affective Disorders, 1998, Vol.48 p.149)
Further studies
A study
at Purdue University found that children with attention deficit disorders
(ADD) were more likely than their peers to have low levels of omega-3s
in their blood.
A study
of Japanese teens found that those who had been taking omega-3 supplements
for three months were less aggressive during a stressful exam period
than teens not taking supplements.
Note: The information on this website is not a substitute
for diagnosis and treatment by a qualified medical practitioner.
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