Ask your pharmacist fish oils and mood

Eamonn Brady is a pharmacist and the owner of Whelehans Pharmacy, Pearse St, Mullingar. If you have any health questions e-mail them to info@whelehans.ie.

Studies indicate that only 10% of the Irish population eat sufficient oily fish to receive their necessary intake of Omega 3. Omega 3’s have many benefits including helping reduce inflammation, preventing heart disease and more. Omega 3 fatty acids are primarily found in oily fish such as salmon, fresh tuna, mackerel, herring, sardines and pilchards. We should eat two portions of fish per week, one of them oily.

Non-fish sources of fish include linseed, beans and many types of nuts.

Omega 3’s and mood

There is evidence that omega 3 fatty acids supplementation might be helpful in cases of depression and anxiety. Studies report mood improvement from omega 3 fatty acids supplementation alone and in conjunction with medication.  Research indicates a possible link between the amount of a fish people in different countries eat and the level of depression.

In Japan, where people eat on average 70kg of fish a year, the rate of depression is 0.12%. Whereas in New Zealand, where people eat only 18kg of fish a year, the rate of depression is almost 50 times higher. This may not be all down to the amount of fish Japanese people have in their diet but it could have an influence.

It is thought that omega 3 may help your brain work more efficiently, so serotonin, which can boost your mood, has more of an effect on you. There is another theory that omega 3 is a natural anti-inflammatory and that this anti-inflammatory effect has a positive effect on mood. I will discuss this theory in more detail in next week’s Westmeath Examiner.

A 2008 study in the Australian and New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry showed that an omega 3 supplement called PlusEPA® may be as effective as Prozac® in reducing the symptoms of depression. When PlusEPA® was used in combination with anti-depressants; results were enhanced effectiveness of the anti-depressant.  PlusEPA® is a 95% concentration of omega 3 containing a daily dose of 1000mg of EPA designed for emotional health. It is available from Whelehans Pharmacy.

Despite this, evidence of the effects of Omega 3’s on mood is still not conclusive and omega 3’s should not be considered a stand-alone treatment for depression and anxiety. Always speak to a health professional to discuss your options if suffering from depression and anxiety.

Talk on depression and mental health next week

Whelehans Pharmacy has organized an expert panel to discuss depression and mental health in February. The talk will be held in The Greville Arms Hotel on Tuesday February 10th at 7pm. Speakers will include Consultant Psychiatrist from St Lomans Mental Health Service, Dr Ciaran Corcoran; Specialist Psychiatric Nurse Colette Moriarty and Pharmacist Eamonn Brady.  This talk is open to all and is free of charge.

You can turn up on the night or incase it is booked out you can put your name down in advance by calling Whelehans at 04493 34591.
  
This article is shortened to fit within Newspaper space limits. More detailed information and leaflets is available in Whelehans