Flaxseed oil and depression – does it help?

Flaxseed oil and depression – does it help?

The popular dietary supplement flaxseed oil contains an essential fatty acid called alpha-linolenic acid, one of the omega-3 fatty acids. However, it also appears to have some health benefits that research is just beginning to prove. One of them is depression. Although the conclusion is still unclear, there is evidence that omega-3 generally has some effectiveness in reducing depression. Flaxseed oil itself may not be as effective. It can also have a negative impact on some forms of depression. In this article, I will detail each of these factors to see if flaxseed oil is effective in fighting depression.

Several recent studies have shown that depression decreased in those whose diets contained more omega-3 fatty acids than normal. Other studies have shown no connection. In one study, there was a decrease in depression among those who took a small amount of omega-3, but no difference between the placebo group and those who took a higher dose. In other words, the lower doses actually appeared to be more effective. However, there is a problem with these studies.

They examined the effects of omega-3, but not specifically flaxseed oil. Although flaxseeds contain an omega-3 acid, the body itself has to break it down into usable acids, in contrast to fish oil, which already contains high amounts of the useful fatty acids.

In short, flaxseed oil is not the best choice for omega-3. The doctors involved in the above studies recommended using fish oil rather than flax.

Well, there have been some anecdotal reports of users having success with flaxseed oil for their depression, so I suggest exploring it as an option if you've tried everything else. But if you're not a vegetarian, try fish oil instead.

One study that used flaxseed oil included bipolar patients. The study concluded that flaxseed increases mania in people with bipolar disorder while potentially reducing levels of depression. The conclusion suggested the possibility of using flaxseed to treat depression, but keeping it away from people with bipolar disorder.

Unfortunately, the research on flaxseed oil and depression is inconclusive. While the more potent omega-3 found in fish oil supplements has shown some ability to treat it, and flaxseed oil has some evidence to support this, there is simply no good indication that it will be effective for everyone at this point. Personally, I recommend trying it for your depression when all else has failed; Flaxseed oil and perhaps fish oil if not.

Inspired by Alan Glender