No effect of n-3 long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acid (EPA and DHA) supplementation on depressed mood and cognitive function: a randomised controlled trial
Open accessAbstract
Low dietary intakes of the n-3 long-chain PUFA (LCPUFA) EPA and DHA are thought to be associated with increased risk for a variety of adverse outcomes, including some psychiatric disorders. Evidence from observational and intervention studies for a role of n-3 LCPUFA in depression is mixed, with some support for a benefit of EPA and/or DHA in major depressive illness. The present study was a double-blind randomised controlled trial that evaluated the effects of EPA+DHA supplementation (1·5 g/d) on mood and cognitive function in mild to moderately depressed individuals. Of 218 participants who entered the trial, 190 completed the planned 12 weeks intervention. Compliance, confirmed by plasma fatty acid concentrations, was good, but there was no evidence of a difference between supplemented and placebo groups in the primary outcome – namely, the depression subscale of the Depression Anxiety and Stress Scales at 12 weeks. Mean depression score was 8·4 for the EPA+DHA group and 9·6 for the placebo group, with an adjusted difference of − 1·0 (95 % CI − 2·8, 0·8;P = 0·27). Other measures of mood, mental health and cognitive function, including Beck Depression Inventory score and attentional bias toward threat words, were similarly little affected by the intervention. In conclusion, substantially increasing EPA+DHA intake for 3 months was found not to have beneficial or harmful effects on mood in mild to moderate depression. Adding the present result to a meta-analysis of previous relevant randomised controlled trial results confirmed an overall negligible benefit of n-3 LCPUFA supplementation for depressed mood.
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An RCT evaluating the effect of n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid (1.5 g/day) supplementation on mood and cognition in mildly to moderately depressed patients did not indicate any significant change in cognitive functions.
“An RCT evaluating the effect of n-3 PUFA (1.5 g/day) supplementation on mood and cognition in mildly to moderately depressed patients did not indicate any significant change in cognitive functions [139].”
From Cognitive remission: a novel objective for the treatment of major depression? (2016) · cites this paper as [139]
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- Authors
- Rogers, P. J., Appleton, K. M., Kessler, D., Peters, T. J., Gunnell, D., Hayward, R. C., Heatherley, S. V., Christian, L. M., McNaughton, S. A., & Ness, A. R.
- Affiliations
- University of Bristol (GB)
- MRC Elsie Widdowson Laboratory (GB)
- Corresponding author
- Rogers, Peter J.
- ORCID
- Venue
- British Journal of Nutrition
- Publisher
- Cambridge University Press (CUP)
- Published
- 2008-02
- Volume
- 99
- Issue
- 2
- Pages
- 421-431
- ISSN
- 0007-1145 (ISSN-L)
- 1475-2662
- OpenAlex
- W2109322748
- Cited by
- 243
- References
- 51
- Citations by year
- 2026: 2 · 2025: 7 · 2024: 7 · 2023: 7 · 2022: 5 · 2021: 8 · 2020: 10 · 2019: 14 · 2018: 11 · 2017: 6 · 2016: 21 · 2015: 15 · 2014: 17 · 2013: 13 · 2012: 15
- FWCI
- 20.11
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- bronze
- doi.org
- Locations
- British Journal Of Nutrition (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Explore Bristol Research (submittedVersion)
- Funders
- Government of the United Kingdom
- Food Standards Agency
- University of Southampton
- University of Bristol
- Medical Research Council
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Nursing › Nutrition and Dietetics › Fatty Acid Research and Health
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Biological Psychiatry › Tryptophan and brain disorders
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health › Nutritional Studies and Diet
- Keywords
- n-3 long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids, eicosapentaenoic acid, docosahexaenoic acid, fatty acid supplementation, depression, depressive mood, cognitive function, mild to moderate depression, plasma fatty acid concentrations
- MeSH terms
- Adult, Affect, Cognition, Depression, Depressive Disorder, Docosahexaenoic Acids, Double-Blind Method, Female, Humans, Male, Middle Aged, Neuropsychological Tests, Patient Compliance, Psychiatric Status Rating Scales, Eicosapentaenoic Acid, Treatment Outcome, Dietary Supplements
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