Taking a daily dose of fish oil can do wonders for your mental health and yet many of us are still unaware of this and tend to associate fish oil as having a beneficial effect on the heart or arthritis and not specifically on the brain itself.
It's no coincidence that fish has long been known as brain food and the facts are that by taking fish oil capsules on a daily basis you can improve your mental health as well as your brain power.
Many studies have now shown that the Omega 3 fatty acids, particularly Eicosapentaenoic acid or EPA, which is found in fatty fish, helps to protect against and alleviate the symptoms of many different types of mental health problems including anxiety and anxiety related disorders, depression, ADHD and ADD, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia and even Alzheimer's disease and other forms of dementia.
Facts about Mental Health Today
It's quite a worrying statistic that around a quarter of the adult population are suffering from some kind of mental health problem at any one time and that ten percent of children between the ages of 5 and 15 are suffering too.
Any one of us can develop depression or an anxiety related disorder at any time of our lives no matter who we are, where we live, or what our social status is. Mental health problems are common.
Researchers are now associating the rising numbers of people suffering from depression and other mental health related problems with a decline in fish consumption as we are not getting enough of the Omega 3 fatty acids such as Eicosapentaenoic acid to keep our brains functioning as healthy as they should be.
Studies have shown that Omega 3 fish oil high in EPA helps our brains to function better on a daily basis enabling us to process information faster, improve our memory and concentration and promote better learning at school as well as boost our mental health in general.
Although no one yet understands the exact mechanisms involved as to why this is the case, there are several indicators as to what is going on in our brains when we get enough EPA in our diets to make a difference.
What can EPA fish oil do for our brains?
Researchers have found that people who are suffering from depression or other mental health problems have lower than normal levels of EPA so it stands to reason that by increasing our consumption of EPA we improve our mental health too.
EPA is anti-inflammatory so if there is enough of it included in the diet it helps to reduce inflammation anywhere in the body including the brain.
As it thins the blood it also helps the blood to flow more easily throughout the body and to the brain itself bringing much needed nutrients. The brain itself is composed mostly of Omega 3 fatty acids.
It is also believed that Eicosapentaenoic acid improves inter-neural connectivity allowing better communication between the brain cells.
Finally, Fish oil containing high concentrations of EPA can boost mood and feelings of well being and bring back a sense of joy into our lives.
Unfortunately it is no longer advisable to eat a lot of fresh fish due to the amount of industrial toxins that can be present in the fish but as fish oil is safe to take for both children and adults alike, it is an ideal way of making sure you get enough Omega 3 fatty acids in your diet on a daily basis.
When purchasing a fish oil make sure that you buy one from a reputable source which has been through processes to remove the toxins and which contains high levels of Eicosapentaenoic acid.
