“No net benefit” for the prevention of depression?

December 22, 2021 – Fish oil supplements do not help prevent depression or boost mood, new research suggests.

the VITAL-DEP i studyincluded over 18,000 participants. In adults 50 years or older, none of whom were clinically depressed, long-term use of marine omega-3 fatty acids (omega-3) supplements did not reduce the risk of depression Where symptoms of depression – or make a difference in the quality of the mood.

In fact, a slight increase in the risk of depression or depressive symptoms has been seen with omega-3 supplements.

“While a slight increase in the risk of depression was within the statistical range of significance, there was no harmful or beneficial effect of omega-3s on overall mood changes over the 5-7. approximately years of follow-up, ”said lead author Olivia. I. Okereke, MD, of Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, says.

The discoveries were published online this week in the Journal of the American Medical Association.

Risk assessment for the general population

For many years, experts have recommended omega-3 supplements for depression in certain high-risk patients, Okereke says, but there are no established guidelines for its use.

The study involved 18,353 elderly people (mean age, 67.5 years; 49% women). Of these, 16,657 were at risk for incident depression, defined as having no history of depression; and 1,696 were at risk for recurrent depression, defined as having a history of depression but not having received treatment for depression in the past 2 years.

About half of the participants were randomly assigned to receive omega-3 fatty acids and the other half to placebo for an average of 5.3 years.