Our brain is built of 60% of fat and that means that the fat is necessary for brainto be functional. Fats that are extremely useful for the brain are omega-3 fats, eicosapentaenoic acid and docosahexaenoic acid. It is proved that the lack of these fats cancause depression and some other psychological problems.
How effective is fishoil in depression treatment?
Fish oil is full ofomega-3 fats and therefore, it can be used for treating depression. Omega-3fatty acids are beneficial for our brain functions because they promote thegrowth of nerve cells in our cortex. These acids are good for properfunctioning of certain neurotransmitters that are important for our good mood. Researchesshowed that if a person takes enough omega-3 acids on a daily basis, than he orshe will be more protected from psychological problems such as anxiety,depression and others. It was also proved that these acids can prevent suicide attemptsin depressive individuals if taken regularly. Women who are expecting a babyshould take supplements based on fish oil in order to prevent postpartumdepression. Studies showed that omega-3 fatty acids can decrease the chancesfor attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, dyslexia and problems withcoordination in children. In order to benefit as much as possible from fish oilsupplements, you should use supplements with high content of eicosapentaenoic acid and docosahexaenoic acid, and the ratio should be 2 to 1. There areother fish oil supplements that don’t have these specific acids, so, they won’thelp you much with depression. The supplement that you use should have minimum250 mg of DHA and 120 mg of EPA. If you are suffering from depression, youshould take medicines, eat healthy food, workout on a regular basis and usesupplements that are effective. Even though omega-3 fatty acids are good fordepression, you shouldn’t use them as a substitute for prescription drugs. It isvery important to listen to your health provider and do what he tells you, ifyou want to get rid of the depression.
Recommended dose offish oil
If you suffer fromdepression, the right dosage will depend on how much omega-3 fatty acids onecapsule contains. For adults the usual dose is three capsules daily when thecapsule contains 500mg of omega-3 fatty acids per 1000mg of oil. You can alsobenefit from amino acid 5-HTP if you are depressed. This amino acid will notresult in any unwanted effects. When fish oil is used together with 5-HTP andSAM-e, it gives the best results.
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