Omega-3 Treatment of Childhood Depression: A Controlled, Double-Blind Pilot Study

This clinical trial evaluated the potential for supplementation with omega-3 fatty acids as DHA plus EPA (combined) to potentially attenuate measurements of depression in children suffering from major depressive disorder (ages ranging from 8-12.5 years with an overall average range of 10 years for the group studied). As pointed out by the authors, major depression disorder is a recurrent and somewhat common disorder in children – often accompanied by poor psychosocial outcomes, substance abuse, and increased risk of suicide. This condition, which affects approximately 3% of children, requires clinical care. In the omega-3 trial, measurements of depression were performed throughout (at entry, 2, 4, 8, 12, and 16 weeks) including rating by the Childhood Depression Rating Scale (CDRS). In this controlled double-blind pilot study, patients received a placebo (control) capsule or a daily supplement for 16 weeks providing 380-400 mg EPA plus 180-200 mg DHA daily. Seven out of ten children on DHA/EPA omega-3 supplementation had a greater than 50% reduction in their CDRS scores while none of the 10 children on placebo exhibited a greater than 50% reduction. Furthermore, four out of ten children on DHA/EPA supplementation met the remission criteria of a CDRS score <29 at study exit while no patient in the control group met this criteria.