Posted by circusboy on October 13, 2006, at 15:23:58
In reply to Increased depression from DHA?, posted by psychobot5000 on October 11, 2006, at 21:48:25
I'll chime in...
When I first started taking fish oil ages ago, I found it slowed down my thoughts and darkened my mood a bit if I took it during the day. Partially because of this and partially on Larry Hoover's advice to take it with your fattiest meal of the day, I started taking a full dose in the evening.
Recently I dropped all my psych drugs ('cept trusty methylphenidate) and, as you can see from my posts on SAMe, etc., got deeper into the alternative stuff. This included switching to a higher quality, higher-EPA brand of fish oil. I remembered that likadge (and others?) thought EPA gave them a boost and may even be dopaminergic, but my experience made me skeptical. For some reason, though, taking this new stuff, I wasn't sleeping as well... but I'd been throwing so many supplements at myself in a thoroughly unempirical and increasingly desperate attempt to fight back a resurgent depression, I coudn't pin it on the EPA. Finally, on a desparate whim, I took a dose at lunch and... felt pretty good. I was more focused in the afternoon and in a generally better mood.
I've been taking it at lunch every day for several weeks now with the same results. It's really surprised me, actually, that I had (part of :)) part of the answer all along, just didn't get the brand and timing right.
Anyway: I hypothesize that the old brand of fish oil had more DHA than advertised -- or at least not enough EPA to compensate -- and that's what caused the blahs. And that the new brand, with its quality and EPA content, is improving my mood.
-cb
poster:circusboy
thread:693971
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/alter/20061013/msgs/694524.html