Research paper
No effect of n-3 long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acid (EPA and DHA) supplementation on depressed mood and cognitive function: a randomised controlled trial
Study answer
What this study found
EPA and DHA supplementation did not improve depressed mood or cognitive function over 12 weeks. For the primary DASS depression outcome, the week-12 adjusted difference was -1.0 (95% CI -2.83, 0.81; P = 0.27), indicating no statistically significant benefit versus placebo. Other mood-related measures were also null, including Beck Depression Inventory at week 12 (P = 0.44), General Health Questionnaire (P = 0.88), and STAXI state anger (P = 0.46). The overall conclusion was that n-3 long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acid supplementation produced no meaningful benefit, and meta-analysis…
- Study & population
- Randomized placebo-controlled trial in adults aged 18 to 70 years with mild to moderate depressive symptoms, recruited mainly from general practice surgeries and community settings in Bristol, United Kingdom.
- Intervention
- Participants took three capsules daily by mouth for 12 weeks.
- Key limitation
- The intervention lasted only 12 weeks, so longer-term effects were not assessed.
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Open PDFOriginal abstract
Low dietary intakes of the n-3 long-chain PUFA (LCPUFA) EPA and DHA are thought to be associated with increased risk for a variety of adverse outcomes, including some psychiatric disorders. Evidence from observational and intervention studies for a r…