Has anyone had success using fish oil supplements to treat their seasonal depression in addition to a prescribed anti depressant? I have been taking 2 capsules a day (1 gram omega 3 fatty acids) for a year now, and recently upped the dosage to 4 capsules. I have noticed that I feel better than usual during winter, so I think it works. However as I have the summer kind of depression too, and suffer in spring from headaches and depression if I stay in the sunlight too long, I noticed what seems to be an increased sensitivity to sunlight due to the fish oil. I stopped the fish oil for a couple of days and the headaches plus depression have improved. I also started to wear dark sunglasses when I go for a walk. Does anyone have any of these weird symptoms?

Are you taking St John's Wort. This is a popular and quite effective supplement for depression but it does have the occassional side effect of making you more light sensitive. Increased light sensitivity is an interesting issue in any case. With depression you may actually want to be more light sensitive because light stimulates the release of the feel good hormone serotonin. Depression during the winter is called Seasonal affective disorder and fish oil is an effective therapy. Other therapies include light boxes and EFT. For a free book on depression, zone diets, fish oil supplementation, and much more you could read From depression to glorious health in six steps (free download at www.geocities.com/glorioushealth ) I hope something in there is useful to you. Kindest regards, Andrew Cavanagh

Dear Andrew, Thank you for your message and reference. I do not take St John's Wort, I take Anafranil (it is the anti depressant that seems most to help). The fish oil in winter is great, I felt better than usual. In spring I am thinking of reducing the dosage to 2 or 3 capsules a day instead of 4, because it increases the sensitivity of my brain to sunlight making me "hyper" in an unpleasant way and giving me headaches. The problem with that is that on cloudy days i might get depressed (spring here is very changeable)! Regards, Eve

I think fish oil's half life in your body is about two days so I'm not sure that will work but it might be worth a try. Taking fish oil symptomatically is the basic recommendation in any case. Kindest regards, Andrew Cavanagh

[quote:34d0bda17c="AndrewGloriousHealth"]I think fish oil's half life in your body is about two days so I'm not sure that will work but it might be worth a try. Taking fish oil symptomatically is the basic recommendation in any case. Kindest regards, Andrew Cavanagh[/quote:34d0bda17c] Hi, The half life is actually longer than 2 days as explained to me by Dr. Sears himself. If I remember correctly it is about one week. Sue

Yes, I have read two different lengths of time, both by Sears. When he spoke to you did he explain the half life of fish oil or the effective half life as a result of incorporation of EPA into the cell membranes. Andrew

I am off of anti-depressants thanks to The Zone Diet, lots of aerobic excercise, and I take St Johns Wort when I need it, usually in the winter months. I have read that fish oil helps, I think it was on these forums before the changeover to the current format. It seems as if it took a large dose however. I take it any way. Good luck Gary

Relief of depression and mental fuzziness is the main benefit to me from taking fish oil. I have never been clinically depressed (never have been diagnosed as such, anyway) but enough that I notice it myself. When I take the fish oil I'm calmer, happier, can see through any problem that comes my way at work, I'm efficient, organized..... the difference is striking. For the winter depression, a thing my mother uses (she is clinically depressed and takes an antidepressant) is a lamp called the "Happy Lite." She found it on the internet. It is simply two "daylight" fluorescent tubes with a frosted acrylic shade, and she turns it on and sits in front of it in the morning while she eats breakfast, and for lunch too if she's at home. She says it makes a substantial difference to how she feels. You might try that. Good luck! ---Kate

In support of Kate's happy light suggestion. Bright light therapy is a well established and often very effective therapy for depression and especially seasonal affective disorder. If you have natural sunlight when you get up in the morning this is even better. Bright lights in the morning stop the production of the sleep hormone melatonin, reset your body's 25 hour clock so your body knows when to fall asleep the next night and stimulates the production and release of serotonin the feel good hormone. For more information on bright light therapy and places to purchase "happy lights" you can go to www.sleepnet.com They are also mentioned and explained in the book From depression to glorious health (free). Kindest regards, Andrew Cavanagh