Omega-3s against anxiety and stress

Worry, restlessness, irritability, sleep disturbances, palpitations, irrational fears, panic attacks...

What if we told you that anxiety symptoms can be reduced by 20 percent with just 2.5 g of Omega-3 a day? This is proven by data collected from the study by Janice Kiecolt-Glaser, a psychologist specializing in psychoneuroimmunology and director of the Ohio State Institute for Behavioral Medicine Research.

Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), due to their anti-inflammatory effect, play an important role in combating this disorder.

The effects of omega-3s on cortisol

But how do omega-3s work against anxiety? Essential fatty acids, particularly EPA and DHA, appear to have a calming effect on our nervous system because they help regulate the production of cortisol, the stress hormone. Studies show that .

In her research involving 68 medical students, Janice Kiecolt-Glaser monitored levels of inflammation-triggering molecules (cytokines) and symptoms of anxiety and depression in the periods leading up to college exams and during low-stress periods.

Participants were divided into 2 groups:

• The first group consumed an amount of fatty acids corresponding to the typical diet of a U.S. resident.
• The second group took an extra dose of 2.085 g EPA and 348 mg DHA daily for a period of 12 weeks.

The result? A 14 percent reduction in cytokine production and a 20 percent reduction in anxiety symptoms were observed in students who had taken a higher dosage of EPA+DHA.

The researchers concluded that the ratio between plasma concentrations of Omega-6, fatty acids that promote inflammatory phenomena, and those of Omega-3, the fatty acids that quench inflammation, is critical: a decrease in this ratio, and thus an increase in Omega-3 compared to Omega-6, results in lower levels of anxiety.

But having reached this point you may be wondering what inflammation has to do with anxiety, and how these two phenomena are related.

Stress, Omega-3 and inflammation: an unexpected triangle

Numerous collected data had already highlighted the potential of Omega-3s in mood regulation, but the study by Janice Kiecolt-Glaser and colleagues tells us something more: low Omega-3 levels are associated with inflammation and depression. And these two phenomena, the research authors explain, are related. How?

Cytokines, the molecules involved in the development of inflammatory processes, promote the synthesis of a hormone that stimulates states of fear and anxiety.

According to the researchers, EPA and DHA, by lowering cytokine production, thus prove to be a valuable aid in countering anxiety symptoms and, more importantly, preventing them.

If you want to take a concrete step toward greater emotional balance, nourish your mental well-being with Omega-3s. Let's make a difference in your life together.