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Comparison

Only one of fish oil's two main fats moved depression scores

Pooling 26 trials in 2,160 people who were also on antidepressants, omega-3 came out modestly ahead of placebo, almost entirely on the strength of EPA-built capsules rather than DHA.

Omega-3 Fatty Acids (EPA/DHA)

Fish oil is bought as though the capsules were interchangeable. Pooling 26 double-blind trials in 2,160 people, omega-3 came out modestly ahead of placebo on depression, and almost the whole of that came from EPA-built capsules; the ones weighted toward DHA, the other main omega-3 fat, missed significance. Every trial gave the capsules alongside antidepressants, not instead of them, and the EPA figure rests on fewer trials than the overall one. What is printed on the label is the variable.

The findings behind this

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Mood & wellbeingOnly the EPA kind of fish oil moved depression scores

Across 26 trials in 2,160 people taking antidepressants too, omega-3 modestly beat placebo, and nearly all of it came from capsules built on EPA rather than DHA.

★☆☆Contested — the evidence disagrees with itself, or the finding carries a caution. A caution or conflict always shows one star, however strong the sources are.CautionEvery trial gave the capsules alongside antidepressants rather than instead of them, so what was measured is an add-on effect. The EPA-heavy figure rests on a smaller set of trials than the overall one, which makes it the top of a range rather than a settled number. A correction to this analysis was published two years afterwards, so its exact figures are worth re-checking. Depression trials also carry a strong placebo response, which pushes small differences around.Click to keep this openSupport moodOmega-3 Fatty Acids (EPA/DHA)

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