Should You Take Fish Oil for Depression?
Recent research reveals that certain supplements can be beneficial for mental health — but you need to read the fine print first
Today it feels like there’s a supplement for just about anything that ails you. Can’t sleep? Pop a melatonin pill. Need more energy? Pop a vitamin B12. Want to improve your mental health? There’s a supplement for that, too. And that’s where things can get a bit tricky: Mental health conditions, like depression, can be serious health problems if left untreated. Is a vitamin enough to tamp down symptoms?
Researchers have long known that high fish consumption — thanks to fish being rich in omega-3 fatty acids — is linked to lower rates of depression. This has led scientists to look into whether fish oil, which contains high levels of omega-3s, has a similar association.
A recently released report from Consumer Lab, a private company that independently tests and reviews health and wellness products, looked at different types of supplements that are often recommended for mental health, including fish oil, krill oil, algae oil, calamari oil, and sea buckthorn oil, to see what the science said. Based on a review of currently available research, the lab concluded that fish oil does appear to have promise for helping…
