Effect of omega-3 supplementation in patients with bipolar disorder.
ABSTRACT
Background
There is a direct relationship between omega-3 and major depression. This study was conducted to investigate the effect of supplementation of omega-3 fatty acids on serum levels of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and depression status in patients with bipolar disorder (BD).
Methods
This double-blind clinical trial was conducted on 60 men with BD. The patients were grouped into two groups and received 2 g/day of omega-3 supplements or a placebo daily for 2 months. The serum concentrations of BDNF and depression scores were investigated before and after the intervention. Afterward, the data were analyzed using the non-parametric Wilcoxon and Mann–Whitney tests.
Results
The supplementation of omega-3 fatty acids significantly increased the serum concentration of BDNF compared to pre-intervention (0.449 ± 0.110 ng/mL vs. 0.756 ± 0.160 ng/mL) and also decreased the scores on the Hamilton test (40.13 ± 9.51 vs. 22.40 ± 7.49) (p < 0.05). The results also showed that supplementation with omega-3 fatty acids significantly increased the serum concentration of BDNF (0.756 ± 0.160 ng/mL vs. 0.504 ± 0.154 ng/mL) and decreased the scores on the Hamilton test compared to the placebo group (22.40 ± 7.49 vs. 29.35 ± 6.08) (p < 0.05).
Conclusions
In conclusion, daily supplementation with 2 g of omega-3 fatty acids for 2 months decreased depression scores and increased serum concentrations of BDNF in BD patients compared to the placebo group.
Journal of Human Nutrition and Dietetics, Volume 38, Issue 3, June 2025. Read More