Although omega-3s\u2014essential polyunsaturated fats the body can\u2019t produce on its own\u2014are best known for their cardiovascular and cognitive benefits, they\u2019re also widely marketed as mood-boosting supplements. But how well does that claim hold up? Here\u2019s what to know about omega-3s and mental health.<\/p>\n
Some research suggests that omega-3s may improve mood\u2014but only in certain circumstances, experts stressed.\u00a0\n<\/p>\n
There is little robust support, for example, for the idea that omega-3s can improve mental health concerns like anxiety<\/a>, manic symptoms, low-grade depression, or generalized stress, said Aleta Storch, MS, RDN, LMHC<\/a>, a dietitian and therapist based in Bellingham, WA. However, when it comes to major depressive disorder, there\u2019s stronger evidence that omega-3 supplements may offer relief.\n<\/p>\n A 2023 observational study, for instance, found that people with mild or moderate depression who combined omega-3s with three different types of SSRI medications over two years experienced a significant decline in depressive symptoms. A 2021 review of 35 studies concluded that, compared with a placebo, omega-3s may offer small-to-modest benefits for depression.\u00a0\n<\/p>\n Evidence suggests that eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), the type of omega-3 naturally found in seafood, may offer more benefits than docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), which is found in plants, according to Pat F. Bass III, MD, MS, MPH<\/a>, a Louisiana-based primary care physician. He pointed to a 2019 meta-analysis that found the greatest improvement when people with depression took supplements formulated with 60% or more EPA.\n<\/p>\n Still, the overall certainty of the evidence is low, Bass noted. \u201cSo we should avoid big promises,\u201d he said.\n<\/p>\n Omega-3s affect the brain in several ways that could help explain their potential to lift depressive symptoms. One is their ability to lower inflammation<\/a> in the brain (and throughout the body), since higher levels of inflammation have been linked to depression, Storch explained.\u00a0\n<\/p>\n These fats may also help regulate feel-good chemicals like serotonin, dopamine, and norepinephrine, and influence the activity of brain-derived neurotrophic factor, a protein that promotes the growth of neurons, said Lina Begdache, PhD, RDN, CDN, CNS-S, FAND<\/a>, an associate professor of health and wellness studies at Binghamton University in New York.\n<\/p>\n Omega-3s can even affect the brain\u2019s structure. \u201cThey increase the actual flexibility of the membranes within neurons,\u201d Storch said, allowing mood-regulating chemicals to move more easily throughout the brain.\n<\/p>\n If you\u2019re simply feeling a little low, it may not be worth adding omega-3s to your supplement routine. \u201cAt this point, the evidence really doesn\u2019t support the use of omega-3s as a treatment option for people with occasional or mild depressive symptoms, or anxiety,\u201d Storch said.\n<\/p>\n