# does fish oil help?



## jason (Jan 2, 2005)

stumbled upon this site
http://fishoil.atspace.com
it seem to help with mental problems perhaps S.A too
anyone tried fish oil already?
can feed back to me?
i have add, s.a and used to have depression too...
the long list of benefits tempts me into buying fish oil


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## arthur56 (Jul 31, 2005)

fishg oil is being promoted as a magic cure for everything, try it it cant harm you and isnt expensive, the omega 3 type is best, IMO


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## perfectlycalm (Nov 15, 2005)

The fish oil perhaps didn't help my anxiety a whole lot, but depression and anxiety are connected so closely, so being that it helped my depression I really think it has helped my anxiety because when you mess with one of the disorders you can't help but mess with the other.

A lot of people think the fish oil is being marketed as a magic cure, and I think it is being used in that way. I think it is getting sometimes a little too much credit for curing everything, I don't believe that omega 3 can cure everything. But omega 3 isn't new, I mean how many years has people been taking fish oil for ailments and the doctors didn't agree with it having any helpful value. Just now all of the sudden they agree with it being healthy. But if you go to a psychiatrist they usually will never mention anything about it unless you bring it up first, I think it's a shame because a lot of people could benefit from it. I really think they should, I mean before you go taking some powerful harmful drug why not give fish oil a shot. It's safer.

You may not believe it but fish oil has helped me in more ways than mental, I have scoliosis, and my back used to hurt from just 15 minutes of using the computer, but that pain has slowly gone away since using the omega 3, and as long as I take the fish oil I don't have any back pain.


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## Caedmon (Dec 14, 2003)

perfectlycalm said:


> A lot of people think the fish oil is being marketed as a magic cure, and I think it is being used in that way. I think it is getting sometimes a little too much credit for curing everything, I don't believe that omega 3 can cure everything. But omega 3 isn't new, I mean how many years has people been taking fish oil for ailments and the doctors didn't agree with it having any helpful value. Just now all of the sudden they agree with it being healthy. But if you go to a psychiatrist they usually will never mention anything about it unless you bring it up first, I think it's a shame because a lot of people could benefit from it. I really think they should, I mean before you go taking some powerful harmful drug why not give fish oil a shot. It's safer.


It's almost a shame that a drug company hadn't snared fish oil and patented it before it was marketed as a supplement. It would probably be more popular. I haven't heard anyone claim it cures "everything" although supplements are often overextended in their claims.

It may take up to 3 months of consistent use before you see full results from what I've read, so keep that in mind. It takes time for the omega-3s to replace omega-6s in the metabolic pathways and replenish the weakened cell membranes.


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## excbs (Nov 30, 2005)

you should definately take omega3s, but not too much. the health beneifit of taking in omega3 actually comes from maintaining the correct omega3mega6 ratio. since the typical american diet takes in too much omega6, omega3 supplements were introduced for those who don't maintain this ratio, is which 4:1 or 5:1 (omega6mega3).

read the the studies first! good luck!


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## nickguy (Feb 14, 2006)

I take fish oil capsules. They haven't helped with anxiety, although I guess they have helped depression a very small amount. I've tried a lot of the vitamins that are supposed to combat anxiety (chromium picolinate, vitamin b-12, glutamine) and none have helped. However, fish oil and vitamin b-12 are both great for your health. My opinion is that no vitamin is going to cure my difficulty in obsessing over what people think about me.


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## jc/sc/anxiety22 (Dec 11, 2005)

What worked for me for the first time was my prescription xanax(1mg(3x daily) and the Omega 3 fish oils. I take NOW brand 2000 mg fish oil concentrate 360 EPA 240 DHA) The fish oil improves muscle tone, skin complexion, and i believe yesterday it made me less aggressive though not a mood booster by any means. I've read previously that it "inhibits the fight or flight response", as well :b


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## cellardoor (Dec 12, 2005)

Ive been taking fish oil for a while and have experimented with different brands and doseage levels. I take it to help with depression but u need high doses for this- i use 7 grams per day. But the mood lift is amazing, i havent been depressed for the longest time now.


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## Hopeless05 (Jan 3, 2006)

cellardoor said:


> Ive been taking fish oil for a while and have experimented with different brands and doseage levels. I take it to help with depression but u need high doses for this- i use 7 grams per day. But the mood lift is amazing, i havent been depressed for the longest time now.


I'm glad to hear that the fish oil is working for you. I tried it but only for a couple weeks and stopped because I didn't see effects, lol. I'm too impatient; maybe I should try again for longer.

It is important though to note that you shouldn't say that "you need" high doses to help yourself. Some studies show that (according to Wikipedia and some other places I've read) lower dosages of Omega-3 are optimal for psychiatric treatment, and higher dosages may have no effect, or even WORSEN conditions. It is also true that other studies have shown higher dosages to be beneficial in treatment. This is very important to take into consideration for anybody who wants to try this stuff.

You can find out more at Wikipedia, which I think is one of the more reliable sources on Omega-3 and it's health effects.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Omega-3


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## DayTrader (Aug 9, 2004)

my doc recommended it to me since I'm hesitent to try Lexapro. 

she said this one is very good:

(in a bottle)
Carlson 
The Very Finest
Fish Oil (NOT Cod Oil)
Omega 3's DHA & EPA
lemon flavored
will be in refrig section of health food store

i just bought one myself.


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## Caedmon (Dec 14, 2003)

Hopeless05 said:


> It is important though to note that you shouldn't say that "you need" high doses to help yourself. Some studies show that (according to Wikipedia and some other places I've read) lower dosages of Omega-3 are optimal for psychiatric treatment, and higher dosages may have no effect, or even WORSEN conditions. It is also true that other studies have shown higher dosages to be beneficial in treatment. This is very important to take into consideration for anybody who wants to try this stuff.


I would say that most of the time, people are on doses that are much lower than the doses that have been studied.

Remember folks, the active ingredient is EPA and DHA - those are the fatty acids that are found in fish oil. I have read various reports on one or the other being important; I would say that they are probably both important. The doses used in trials range from *1-6 grams of the active ingredients (EPA + DHA)*.

That is not 1-6 grams of fish oil. That is 1-6 grams of EPA/DHA. You have to add it up on the bottle, how many pills per day will get you there. I take 3 g per day, which means that I have to take 10 pills.

And it's true, I've also read that higher doses are of no benefit. Speculatively this is because the higher doses cause oxidative stress. Therefore it's recommended to take fish oil supplements with Vitamins C and E. I do this myself, not only because it's probably helpful in increasing the availability of PUFAs but also because the vitamins themselves are good for me.

And like all psych regimens, it may not work for everyone.

http://www.psycheducation.org/depressio ... mega-3.htm


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## nesteroff (Nov 14, 2003)

I took one fish oil capsule per day for about 6 months with absolutely no change in depression or anxiety. But I only took one pill per day. Maybe it would've been different if I had taken 10? 

I've also heard just eating lots of salmon is beneficial to depression and anxiety, as well as being a huge benefit to your physical health. Seems like getting it through fresh fish would be a better way, in terms of getting more out of it.


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## cellardoor (Dec 12, 2005)

for someone who said my dose is too high, it isnt. I am not taking that dose forever, its is just a theraputic dose to start me off on an omega 3 regimen. and the theraputic dose range is 3-10 grams. I wouldnt worry about taking that much omega 3, it is not toxic and we consume alot more grams of omega 6 which has a more negative health impact.

****and for peoples information buy only omega 3 that is not an ethyl-ester. The ethhly ester is like a synthetic fatty acid only buy fish oil in the natural triglyceride form. "natural triglyceride form was 300% better absorbed than the synthetic ethyl ester form" - cheers


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## jason (Jan 2, 2005)

i went to the http://fishoil.atspace.com today again and it get updated with another research saying it reduces and aid in recovery for cancer patient using chemotherapy. I am getting really interested in it since it does improve physical strength, sex, fat loss and from what research on the net, it seems to even thinning the blood and thus improve blood circulation. I kinda trust those clinical researchs they had done. I went to the Omega fish oil $2.09 in the advertisement banner there. Anybody wants to mass order from there? Only the shipping fee is a concern and if there is lots of them to share in the mass order,it would be so much cheaper than buying it on the stores.. I aim to get cheap and good deal...


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## Guest (Apr 16, 2006)

I don't know what you all are talking about? It does nothing for my anxiety or depression.

I've taken it for 3 years now and have seen major improvements in my skin and muscle tone.....it's great for heart health. But mental health.......I haven't noticed anything.


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## racheH (Aug 29, 2005)

PLEASE READ

No fish oil anyone is likely to be buying is free from mercury, and most of it also contains dioxides. These things are *bad* for the brain. Some people will be affected more than others - some with biological depression, anxiety, psychoses, or autistic spectrum disorders are thought to be especially harmed.

There are products out there from specially grown algae containing DHA (which can be converted to the other types so you don't need them separately) that contain no harmful chemicals. Make sure you keep the containers seeled and cool, and get one with vitamin E to make sure it's absorbed.

By the way, those of you who've not had good results from fish oil - there is another explanation, other than being sensitive to the metals. If you are consuming transfats, hydrogenated oils (found in most butter and margarines, fast-food, chocolates, sweets, supermarket cakes, crisps, and some microwave dinners) you will be inhibiting the absorption of DHA and EPA and reversing their affects on your brain, as well as increasing your chances of several serious mental and physical illnesses.

I advise everyone to research these things for themselves before making purchases like these, that could actually do you harm or at least waste your money...


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## medea (May 6, 2006)

Fish oil is sort of expensive, I just bought 60 softgels for $17! This brand, oil smart has Omega 3,6,9 and includes like 180 mg of linolenic acid and linoleic acid which really helps your complexion but that is a little steep price wise. I hope it works. 

I read somewhere that your body normally produces linoleic acid when you eat oily fish and it allows sebum to liquify and flow easily out your pores. When you don't have enough the sebum turns oily and hard and you get whiteheads/blackheads because it can't escape.


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## emily77 (May 4, 2006)

What i know about fish oil:

There *IS* a kind you can purchase that is free of heavy metals. Look for omega3 made from krill in the arctic or antarctic waters. This is because they are so far from polluted waters. 

Also, *DONT* take omega 3 after about 3-4 pm. you need to be active to fully use and excrete extra fish oil from your body, and it takes a while. Fish oil is natorious for going rancid fast, and you want to use it and get it out of your body as efficiantly as possible to avoid this. once in a while it is ok to take it later in the day, but dont make a habit of it.


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## Caedmon (Dec 14, 2003)

racheH said:


> No fish oil anyone is likely to be buying is free from mercury


You aren't likely to find mercury in fish oil, since any mercury that would be present is stored in the protein rather than the fat. A fish fillet is much more likely to contain mercury.



> and most of it also contains dioxides.


You can usually buy fish oil with PCBs, dioxides, etc filtered out.



> If you are consuming transfats, hydrogenated oils (found in most butter and margarines, fast-food, chocolates, sweets, supermarket cakes, crisps, and some microwave dinners) you will be inhibiting the absorption of DHA and EPA and reversing their affects on your brain


It's true that polyunsaturated fatty acids compete with other fatty acids in the metabolic chain, to form the lipid layer of your neurons. It's mostly a matter of ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 (generally, a diet higher in omega-3 will provide some benefits to neurological function over the long term). This change can take months, because it takes a long time for omega-3s to effectively compete with, and change places with, omega-6s.

Perhaps the easiest way to ensure this ratio is to consume an omega-3 supplement, and adjust the dose according to your normal fat intake. BTW I buy mine from Spring Valley, 250 enterically-coated softgels (300mg PUFAs) for only $12.


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## Lyric Suite (Mar 16, 2006)

Fish oils are wierd. Two days after starting taking Omega 3 i got some wierd dreams, and then nothing. 

After a while i stopped out of boredome, but recently i tried again, and same result. Wierd dreams for a couple of days, then no effect. 

What the heck are they supposed to do anyway?


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## shoe (Dec 14, 2005)

Fish Oil has never had any affect on me one way or another. I use it mostly as I would a vitamin - for health reasons (and most vitamins have no affect on my anxiety/mood either, btw).


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## Caedmon (Dec 14, 2003)

Lyric Suite said:


> What the heck are they supposed to do anyway?


The brain can form cell membranes from omega-3 or omega-6. However, Omega-6 is far inferior in terms of stability. Membranes formed from n-6s are weaker, do not transport as well, break down easier (often caused by - yep, _stress_ and anxiety), etc. If they are formed from n-3s, they have more integrity. Your brain is constantly regrowing cells, as well as cellular connections. n-3s (specifically, EPA and DHA) are an ingredient in that. If the membranes are stronger, the cells work better.

It's been shown that anxiety and mood disorders actually cause atrophy (shrinkadge and death) in certain parts of the brain. Effective treatments (medications, therapy, nutrition, exercise) stimulate regrowth. Weird, but true.

It is important to point out that there are a couple of different types of n-3s. ALA is one, and is found in flax seed oil and in many dietary sources. EPA and DHA is another, and is found in cold water fish. Here is the take-home lesson: _EPA and DHA are the omega-3s that are psychoactive_. They are the ones that actually cause long-term alterations (beneficial ones) in the brain. (ALA may still have some heart benefits however.)

EPA and DHA do some other things too that are involved in cell growth and stability. They inhibit PKC, an enzyme that is activated by cellular excitability from mania or stress, and which also tears down cells. G protein transduction is also decreased by these n-3s, which is involved in metabolic pathways inside cells (although in ways that I don't really understand). They have anti-inflammatory properties, which may benefit inflammation due to stress. They also seem to have MAOI-B properties, which increases dopamine in the frontal cortex.

~~~

I know that's a bit confusing. The bottom line is that EPA and DHA are involved in the health of brain cells. Those are the active ingredients. The therapeutic dose for them is between 1 and 4 grams (maybe more in some cases). The ratio of EPA to DHA is less important right now, because nobody knows (I would just go for slightly more EPA than DHA). These are obtainable from fish oil, not from flax seed.

I currently take 1.8 g of EPA and DHA per day. I take them with Vitamin E.


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## mystica24 (Jun 15, 2006)

I also take fish oil because some elderly folks I know swear by it as a wonder drug in their old age to keeping healthy. But I don't see or feel any difference when taking it or when i'm not taking it.


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