Posted by Ritch on May 8, 2002, at 23:59:26
In reply to For all you fish lovers!!!!, posted by Jaynee on May 8, 2002, at 12:46:24
>
> Personally, I'll skip the can of sardines and wait for the pill. But what bothers me about this is they eat a lot of fish in Norway, but depression rates are still high. There has to be more of a genetic component to it. I have always blamed my anxiety/depression on my Scandinavian genes, those good ol' viking genes. The fact that I absorb to much iron from my diet doesn't help, which is mostly a northern european trait(hemochromatosis). I look like the quintessential viking female, but I hate fish, the cold and I won't go out sailing unless I can see land. Hmmmm......
>
>
> May 07, 2002 10:45 AM ET
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>
> By Anna Peltola
>
> STOCKHOLM (Reuters) - Eating fatty fish is already thought to help
> cure depression, but a simpler method to treat the illness may soon be
> available as pharmaceutical companies plan drugs based on fish acids.
>
> An antidepressant drug based on eicosapentaenoic (EPA) acid found in
> fish may be on markets in two years, David Horrobin, researcher at the
> private-owned British Laxdale Ltd, told journalists at a psychiatrists'
> conference.
>
> The majority of the human brain consists of fat, but about a fifth of
> that fat cannot be formed by the body and people have to get it from
> their diet, Horrobin said.
>
> Two studies published so far have shown that EPA in a pure form
> helped reduce depression in patients who had not earlier responded to
> antidepressants or who had initially responded but then seen a
> setback.
>
> "It is surprising how strong the effect is. It is a very big effect
> compared with standard antidepressants," Horrobin said, adding two
> new studies, soon to be published, showed similar results.
>
> Research has shown that fish and seafood consumption correlates with
> depression, so populations and individuals who consume much fatty
> fish are less prone to depression.
>
> This might explain why depression is rare in Far Eastern countries, such
> as Japan, where fish is a popular food, and more commonplace in North
> European states.
>
> The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) had given researchers a
> lot of guidance and the authority was likely to speed up the drug's
> entry into the markets, Horrobin said.
>
> "If the dossier is complete, they (the FDA) could give it fast-track approval," he said.
>
> He said an emerging research theme was the link between depression and heart problems.
> EPA and another fat acid, docosahexaenoic (DHA), can also be used to treat and prevent
> cardiovascular problems.
>
> A drug based on the pure form of fish acids would make it possible to treat patients with
> an optimal dose, but a couple of weekly helpings of fatty fish -- such as herring or
> sardines -- may also help fight depression, Horrobin said.
>
> EPA and DHA acids can also be found in meat and eggs but in small amounts. All green
> vegetables, especially flax seeds, have the ingredient, but fish is by far the best source.
>
> "It really looks like grandma was right, fish is good for your brain," Horrobin said.Thanks for that! I have been supplementing with Omega-3's now for a while (minimal dosages) with some good result. ADHD and bipolar folks should benefit in addition to unipolar depressives from what I have heard (anecdotally of course). I love fish, but hate bones! That probably keeps me away from it more than I should. I have been religiously buying tuna instead of chicken lately.
Mitch
poster:Ritch
thread:105604
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20020503/msgs/105682.html