Depression: EPA can combat that caused by interferon alpha.
Interferon-alpha depression: EPA helps fight it
Omega 3s could prevent depression that arises during treatment of hepatitis C virus infection with interferon-alpha (IFN-ɑ). Just by taking supplements rich in EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid) for two weeks, the rate of depression in patients can be reduced by 30 to 10 percent.
This is according to a study published in the journal BiologicalPsychiatry and conducted by researchers, led by Professor Carmine Pariante, of King's College London.
The side effects of Interferon
Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection often progresses to liver cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. Treatment with IFN -α is the standard therapy for HCV infection, however, it can have serious side effects such as fatigue, malaise, anorexia and apathy. In addition, up to 30 % of patients develop a form of depression in the first 3 months.
These neuropsychiatric effects often cause early discontinuation of therapy. On the other hand, routine prophylaxis with antidepressants may expose patients to adverse effects, so the need for alternative preventive interventions has emerged. Omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids are safe and effective substances for the treatment of depression due to their anti-inflammatory action. Furthermore, as found in previous studies, low Omega-3 levels in red blood cells have been associated with an increased risk of IFN-ɑ-induced depression.
Il DHA reduces the risk of depression
Pariante and his team recruited 152 patients with hepatitis C to participate in the study. Each was chosen, randomly, to receive supplements containing 3.5 grams of EPA, or 1.76 grams of DHA (docosahexaenoic acid) or just a placebo every day for two weeks. The doses of EPA and DHA were chosen based on previous studies conducted in Taiwan, which showed that the effective dose of EPA was between 2.2 and 4.4 grams per day, and that of DHA was between 1.2 and 2.2 grams.
Following the 14-day supplementation, patients were treated with the usual doses of IFN-ɑ for 24 weeks, and were monitored to determine the onset of depressive symptoms. The results showed that, compared with placebo, the incidence rates of depression were significantly lower in EPA-treated subjects, but not in DHA-treated patients (10 % and 28 %, respectively, and 30 % for placebo). In other words, only one in ten of those who had been treated with EPA had manifested inflammation-induced depression, compared with three in ten of those who had taken DHA or placebo. Both EPA and DHA were able to delay the onset of depression to about 12 weeks, compared to 5 for those of those who had taken placebo. All supplements were well tolerated by the test population.
Omega-3s fight inflammation
This is the first study to demonstrate the beneficial effects of omega-3 fatty acids in preventing IFN-induced depression- ɑ during the treatment of patients with hepatitis C virus, a depression due to the establishment of inflammatory mechanisms. Further studies are needed, however, and the results will need to be replicated.
Source: Kuan-Pin Su, Hsueh-Chou Lai ,Hui-Ting Yang, Wen-Pang Su, Cheng-Yuan Peng, Jane Pei-Chen Chang,Hui-Chih Chang, Carmine M. Pariante. "Omega-3 Fatty Acids in the Prevention of Interferon-Alpha-Induced Depression: Results from a Randomized, Controlled Trial" October 1, 2014 Volume 76, Issue 7, Pages 559-566
