Eating omega-3 fatty acids found in seafood such as tuna, herring, salmon and sardines might stave off depression in pregnant women, both before and after childbirth.
The federal government has issued warnings to pregnant women about eating fish due to their potentially harmful levels of mercury, but government recommendations still allow eating up to 12 ounces a week of a variety of species.
In the study, researchers analyzed 11,721 British women. They found that women who consumed greater amounts of omega-3 fatty acids in seafood during the third trimester were less likely to show signs of major depression during pregnancy and for up to eight months after the birth.
Women with the highest intakes of omega-3, who consumed fish two or three times a week, were half as likely to suffer from depression as women with the lowest intakes.
According to researchers, the 12-ounce-a-week government recommendation would allow for two servings of fish per week. Salmon, catfish and scallops reportedly have very little mercury and fish-oil supplements are supposed to be mercury free.
About 10 percent of pregnant women--13 percent to 15 percent among new mothers--develop depression severe enough to interfere with their functioning.
Although studies looking at the risk of antidepressant drugs in pregnant and nursing women have showed low risk, there have been few studies about long-term effects.
The current research shows a strong correlation between low levels of omega-3 fatty acids and symptoms of depression, researchers said. However, further studies are needed to prove that boosting levels of fatty acids will fight depression.
Government warnings have urged pregnant women to avoid eating shark, swordfish, king mackerel and tilefish because they can contain high levels of mercury, which can damage the nervous system of the fetus. Additionally, fish may also pose other contamination risks. Researchers suggested that women follow local recommendations in regard to eating fish.
Annual Meeting of the American Psychiatric Association; San Francisco, CA May 20, 2003
First and foremost, especially with pregnant women as the above study suggests, the use of omega-3 oils is an absolute must. It is also clear that omega-3 fat supplementation and restriction of omega-6 fats will profoundly improve the brain function.
Dr. Stoll, director of the psychopharmacology research lab at Boston's McLean Hospital and assistant professor of psychiatry at Harvard Medical School, discusses this extensively in his book The Omega-3 Connection. He also reviews the new evidence supporting the use of omega-3 oils for depression.
However, as the FDA and EPA both strongly state, pregnant women should avoid fish as most are contaminated with mercury that can cause neurodevelopmental delays in about 10 percent of children.
Fortunately, you do have viable options for obtaining the nutritious benefits of fish without worrying about mercury contamination. Early last year we did extensive testing on fish from a company that takes the salmon from the interior of Alaska and were surprised and delighted to find that the mercury levels were virtually undetectable.
If you enjoy the delicious taste and immense health benefits of some of the world's finest salmon--Alaskan wild red--but you are concerned about the mercury and other toxins now found in dangerous amounts in almost all fish, then please consider trying the Alaskan wild red salmon from Vital Choice that tested safe and is now available in our Web site store.
Additionally, regularly consuming high-quality fish oil will also provide you with the outstanding health benefits of omega-3.
When choosing your fish oil or cod liver oil, it is important to remember that not all brands are the same. In my research--and in my clinical experience with my patients--I have found that 1) the liquid form is superior to capsules; 2) that certain brands definitely seem inferior to others; 3) that the Carlson's brand of fish oil/cod liver oil is of an exceptional quality and purity. It is likely not the only brand in the world of such high quality, but up to this point it is the only one of such quality that I can recommend, so I now have the Carlson's fish oil and cod liver oil available on Mercola.com; you can also check your local health food store to see if they carry it.
So what is the difference between fish oil and cod liver oil? In short, fish oil should be consumed in warm weather months and warm climates, while cod liver oil should be consumed in cool weather months and cool climates. Cod liver oil is high in vitamin D (and vitamin A); those in cool weather climates do not generally get enough vitamin D. However, in warm weather, their vitamin D is usually sufficient, as sunshine is one of the primary methods of obtaining this vitamin; if you consume too much vitamin D in these warm weather months, you do risk overdosing.
A reasonable dose for both fish oil and cod liver oil is one teaspoon for every 50 pounds of body weight daily.
Rather than using antidepressants to treat depression, it sure seems to make a lot more sense to use the simple therapies recommended above, which are far more effective and virtually non-toxic.
However, antidepressants are the top-selling therapeutic drug class, with $12.5 billion in retail sales annually, so it is easy to see why many people use a drug-based solution to address depression.
While second generation antidepressants have traditionally been believed to be safe during pregnancy, at least one study has shown that antidepressant drug Paxil may cause withdrawal symptoms in babies once they are born.
While I am certain that some women benefit in some ways from their use, these drugs are in no way, shape or form ever responsible for improving the underlying cause of depression.
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