Depression is a common disorder, especially among the elderly population. The prevalence of clinically significant depressive symptoms among older adults has been reported to range from 8% to 16%, and is likely higher since there seem to be many cases which are undiagnosed and untreated. Nutritional factors are often a contributing problem in depression, and nutritional supplementation has been proposed as a way to alleviate or protect against depressive symptoms. Studies of nutrients that could help in depression have particularly focused on polyunsaturated fatty acids, such as eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA).
A recent study from France observed the association between plasma levels of fatty acids and the severity of depressive symptoms. 1390 subjects with an average age of 75 years participated in the study. Researchers found that plasma levels of EPA were significantly lower in the individuals with depression than in control subjects. The association of EPA levels and severity of depression remained significant even after adjusting for other factors, such as sociodemographic characteristics and health factors.
EPA’s role in mental health may be due to its ability to regulate the inflammatory response, which is involved in depression. EPA may also help regulate the composition and fluidity of the membranes of neurons, which could affect cellular signaling. The activity of enzymes that are needed to produce long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids decreases with age, so supplementation with these fatty acids may be helpful for elderly individuals.
Feart C, Peuchant E, Letenneur L, Samieri C, Montagnier D, Fourrier-Reglat and Barberger-Gateau P. Plasma eicosapentaenoic acid is inversely associated with severity of depressive symptomatology in the elderly: data from the Bordeaux sample of the Three-City Study. Am J Clin Nutr 2008;87:1156-62.
For more information see Omega EPA
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