Fish oil supplements may help manic depression and alcoholism
Baku, August 6 (AZERTAC). Fish oil pills, which contain omega 3 fatty acids, have become a popular supplement for their heart health benefits. New research shows that omega 3 fatty acids may also be beneficial for treating alcohol abuse and serious mood disorders.
Researchers at the Indiana University School of Medicine conducted a multi-year study which showed conclusive behavioral and molecular benefits for omega 3 fatty acid given to mice models of bipolar disorder. The fatty acid DHA (docosahexaenoic acid),which is one of the main active ingredients in fish oil, "normalized their behavior," according to Alexander B. Niculescu, M.D., Ph.D., associate professor of psychiatry and the lead author of the study.
The study which was reported online in the journal Translational Psychiatry, found that mice with characteristic bipolar symptoms including being depressed and, when subjected to stress, becoming manic, responded well to the DHA in fish oil.
"The mice that were given DHA normalized their behavior, they are not depressed and when subjected to stress, they do not become manic," said Dr. Niculescu. "When we looked into their brains, using comprehensive gene expression studies, we were surprised to see that genes that are known targets of psychiatric medications were modulated and normalized by DHA."
This laboratory research supports the work of Dr. Andrew L. Stoll with human patients suffering from depression and bi-polar disorder, as set forth in his book, “The Omega-3 Connection.”
An unexpected finding of the research was the discovery that the mice given DHA also showed a reduced desire for alcohol.
"These bipolar mice, like some bipolar patients, love alcohol. The mice on DHA drank much less; it curtailed their alcohol abusive behavior," he said, adding that this is a completely novel finding. To verify this finding, the researchers studied another well-established animal model of alcoholism and obtained similar results.
"We believe a diet rich in omega 3 fatty acids may help the treatment and prevention of bipolar disorder, and may help with alcoholism as well," he said.
"There is now substantial evidence at the molecular level that omega-3 fatty acids work on the brain in ways similar to psychiatric drugs," said Dr. Niculescu.
According to the authors, omega 3 fatty acids are known to be good for one's health, good for one's brain, and lack major side-effects, as opposed to some psychiatric medications.
Dietary sources of DHA come primarily from animal products such as fish, eggs and meats.
Oily fish, such as mackerel, herring, salmon, trout and sardines, are the richest dietary source, containing 10 to 100 times more DHA than vegetarian sources such as nuts, seeds, flax seeds, whole grains and dark green, leafy vegetables.
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