Updated February 8, 2008
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| Author/Link | Condition |
Studied # patients |
Fish oil dose (grams/d) | Outcome |
| Berger et al. 2007 | Psychosis | 80 15–29 yrs |
2 g E-EPA | E-EPA significantly speeded up the recovery |
| Peet et al. 2008 | Major depression | 60 | 1 g EPA, or fluoxetin, or EPA+fluoxetin | EPA+ fluoxetin was significantly more effective than either one alone |
| Wozniak
et al 2007, USA |
Bipolar |
20 children, |
1,3–4,3 g EPA+DHA 8 weeks |
Significant but modest reduction in Young Mania Rating Scale (YMRS) |
| Frangou et al 2006, UK | Bipolar | 75/placebo |
1 g/d E-EPA |
Significant improvement in both groups as compared to placebo and baseline status |
| Bipolar, recently in remission | 80/placebo | 9.6 g E-EPA + E-DHA 4 months |
Relapse rate sharply reduced by Omega-3 | |
| Nemets
et al, 2002 Israel |
Depressed (mean age 54 yrs) |
10 E-EPA |
2 g E-EPA (96%) + 0.2% vitamin E | Highly significant benefits by week 3 in HDRS |
| Peet
an Horrobin, 2002 England and Scottland |
Depressed despite of "adequate" medication |
70/placebo (18–70 yrs) 17 to 18 patients in each group |
1, 2, 4 g E-EPA 12 weeks |
1-gram group did best; 2 gms did not improve, 4 gms trended better in HDRS |
| Zanarini
et al, 2003 USA |
"Borderline", women | 30/placebo | 1 g E-EPA | Decreased aggression, depression |
| LLorente
et al, 2003 USA |
Postpartum depression | 44 DHA 45 placebo |
200 mg DHA | Plasma DHA increase 8%, no effect on depression |
| Marangell
et al, 2003 USA |
Depressed | 17 DHA 18 placebo |
2 g DHA | At 6 weeks, a trend but not significant benefit |
| Su,
2003 China |
Major depression (mean age 35 yrs) |
14 omega-3 14placebo 8 weeks |
9,6 g = 4,4 g EPA 2.2 g DHA (10 caps/d) |
Significant benefits versus placebo by week 4, bigger yet by week 8 |
| Chiu, 2003 | Depressed, pregnant case report | one | 4 g E-EPA 2 g DHA |
Improvement by week 4, better yet by week 6 |
| Sagduyu
et al. 2005 USA |
Bipolar | 37/no placebo | 2,8 g DPA+EPA | less irritability |
| Sagduyu, 2003 (letter, Psychiatric Times, March 2003 pg 9), USA | Bipolar | 19/ no placebo | 0.5 to 6 g | less irritability |
|
Osher
et al. 2005 |
Bipolar | 12, no placebo | 1,5 to 2 g | Hamilton Score improved by 50 % |
| Case report and testimonial | Bipolar | 1/no placebo, but look at prior course
of illness |
2,2 g EPA 1,8 g DHA Flax seed oil |
Read report |
| Puri
et al case report England |
Treatment-refratory | 1/no placebo, but impressive outcome | 4 g E-EPA | Dramatic cure, read report |
|
Ayton et al. 2004
|
Severe anorexia | 1 patient, impressive case report | 1 g E-EPA | Rapid recovery in 3 months, read report |
| Nemets
et al. 2006 Israel |
Children´s (6-12 yrs.) m,ajor depression | 28/14 | 400 mg EPA+ 200 mg DHA 4 months |
Significant effect, recommended for treatment |
|
Nemets
et al. 2004
|
Major depression | 1 woman 1 man |
2 g E-EPA/d | Dramatic recovery in 1 month, read report |
| Ayton
et al. 2004 England |
Severe anorexia | 7 patients, no placebo, impressive improvement | 1–4 g E-EPA | 3 recovered, 4 improved in 3 months, read report |
| Keck
et al. 2006 USA |
Bipolar and "rapid cycling" | 120/placebo | 6 g E-EPA | No difference from placebo |
| Amminger et
al 2006 Wienna, Austria |
Autism | 13 children 5–17 yrs |
840 mg EPA 700 mg DHA 6 weeks |
Aberrant Behaviour (hyperactivity) decreased, large effect size |
| Silvers
et al 2005 New Zealand |
Depression | 45/placebo | 2,8 g DHA+EPA | No difference from placebo |
| Case report |
Review
article and more tables:
James M. Martinez and Lauren B. Marangell: Omega-3 fatty acids: Do 'fish
oils' have a therapeutic role in psychiatry? Current Psyciatry online
Vol. 3, No. 1 / January 2004
Review article
Nemets B, Osher Y, Belmaker RH. Omega-3 fatty acids and augmentation strategies
in treating resistant depression. Essential Psychopharmacology 2004;6(1):59-64.
Review.
Evid Rep Technol Assess (Summ). 2005 Jul;(116):1-11
Forthcoming studies
The US National Institutes of Health (NIH) is currently
carrying out a study on complementary treatment using omega-3 and omega-6
fatty acids as augmentation to cipramine for depression. More
In
Vienna, Austria, 80 young patients are supplemented for 52 weeks with
E-EPA (2 g/day) in a study led by professor Paul Amminger.
In Israel, an open study ongoing, by Professor in Psychiatry R.H. Belmaker,
at Ben Gurion University of the Megev, Beer Sheva (reported by Nemets
et al 2004).
E-EPA capsules are pale, clear, pure and strong.
They are well accepted by patients as the oil is from nature.
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