We all know that fish oil, which is full of healthy omega 3 fatty acids, is good for the heart.   A recent study from the University of Montreal shows that fish oil is also good for people who have symptoms of mild depression.

The study, which was published in the Journal of Clinical Psychiatry, made use of data collected from more than 400 test subjects.  Half of the respondents had symptoms of mild depression, which the other half had the same symptoms but were also diagnosed with anxiety disorders.

According to Francois Lesperance MD, the research made use of specially prepared fish oil supplements and placebo pills made of vegetable oil.  Questionnaires were also given out to the respondents of the study to gauge the severity of their current clinical depression.

The study produced mixed findings: according to the researchers, it appears that fish oil will only produce improvements on mildly depressed individuals if they did not have any anxiety disorders.  Test respondents that suffered from the latter did not experience any improvements.  Lesperance made a further note that they were able to arrive at these results by making use of their own fish oil supplements and not commercially available fish oil pills.

A clear obstacle to many studies similar to the Montreal study is the fact that researchers rarely use substances like omega 3 fatty acids in fish oil in a standard manner.  The use of these substances also varies greatly depending on the goal of the study.  Sometimes, fish oil is used independently, while other times, it is used alongside other natural supplements.

What about depression prevention?  In another independent study published in the American Journal of Epidemiology, it was found that if you were able to cut the stress emanating from your current job, that would greatly reduce your risk of developing clinical depression.  The study discovered that over time, work-related stress (either short term or long term) predisposed a person to developing depressive symptoms.

Sources:
depression.about.com
newsmaxhealth.com