Current Research on EPA and Depression
The following is a look at recent and current research concerning EPA and depression. Note that studies done with high amounts of DHA yielded no or negative results. (For an understanding of the relationship between EPA and DHA, please see “Why is the EPA to DHA Ratio Important?”
| Author/Link | Condition | Studied # patients | Fish oil dose (grams/d) |
Outcome
|
| Frangou et al 2006 | Bipolar | 75/placebo | 1 g/d E-EPA 2 g/d E-EPA 12 weeks |
Significant improvement in both groups as compared to placebo and baseline status |
| Andrew Stoll et al, 1999 USA |
Bipolar, recently in remission | 80/placebo | 9.6 g | Relapse rate sharply reduced by Omega-3 |
| Nemets et al, 2002 Israel |
Depressed (mean age 54 yrs) |
10 E-EPA 10 placebo (28–73 yrs) 4 weeks |
2 g E-EPA (96%) + 0.2% vitamin E | Highly significant benefits by week 3 in HDRS |
| Peet et al, 2002 England and Scottland |
Depressed despite of “adequate” medication |
70/placebo (18–70 yrs) 17 to 18 patients in each group |
1, 2, 4 g E-EPA 12 weeks |
1-gram group did best; 2 gms did not improve, 4 gms trended better in HDRS |
| Zanarini et al, 2003 USA |
“Borderline”, women | 30/placebo | 1 g E-EPA | Decreased aggression, depression |
| LLorente et al, 2003 USA |
Postpartum depression | 44 DHA 45 placebo |
200 mg DHA | Plasma DHA increase 8%, no effect on depression |
| Marangell et al, 2003 USA |
Depressed | 17 DHA 18 placebo |
2 g DHA | At 6 weeks, a trend but not significant benefit |
| Su, 2003 China |
Major depression (mean age 35 yrs) |
14 omega-3 14placebo 8 weeks |
9,6 g = 4,4 g EPA 2.2 g DHA (10 caps/d) |
Significant benefits versus placebo by week 4, bigger yet by week 8 |
| Chiu, 2003 | Depressed, pregnant case report | one | 4 g E-EPA 2 g DHA |
Improvement by week 4, better yet by week 6 |
| Sagduyu et al. 2005 USA |
Bipolar | 37/no placebo | 2,8 g DPA+EPA | less irritability |
| Sagduyu, 2003 (letter, Psychiatric Times, March 2003 pg 9), USA | Bipolar | 19/ no placebo | 0.5 to 6 g | less irritability |
| Osher et al. 2005 Israel |
Bipolar | 12, no placebo | 1,5 to 2 g | Hamilton Score improved by 50 % |
| Case report and testimonial | Bipolar | 1/no placebo, but look at prior course of illness | 2,2 g EPA 1,8 g DHA Flax seed oil |
Read report |
| Puri et al case report England |
Treatment-refratory | 1/no placebo, but impressive outcome | 4 g E-EPA | Dramatic cure, read report |
| Ayton et al. 2004 England |
Severe anorexia | 1 patient, impressive case report | 1 g E-EPA | Rapid recovery in 3 months, read report |
| Nemets et al. 2004 Israel |
Major depression | 1 woman 1 man |
2 g E-EPA/d | Dramatic recovery in 1 month, read report |
| Ayton et al. 2004 England |
Severe anorexia | 7 patients, no placebo, impressive improvement | 1–4 g E-EPA | 3 recovered, 4 improved in 3 months, read report |
| Keck, 2003 (pending; see preliminary report) | Bipolar | 120/placebo | 6 g EPA+DHA | No difference from placebo |
| Silvers et al 2005 New Zealand |
Depression | 45/placebo | 2,8 g DHA+EPA | No difference from placebo |
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SOURCE: Bio-Vita.fi (Dr. Matti Tolonen, University of Helsinki)