Omega-3 fatty acids in the prevention of interferon-alpha-induced depression: results from a randomized, controlled trial.
Level 2 - randomized trial
Individual randomized controlled trial.
PubMed 24602409 · doi:10.1016/j.biopsych.2014.01.008
What was done
A 2-week, double-blind, placebo-controlled randomized trial compared eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), and placebo for the prevention of interferon (IFN)-α-induced depression in patients undergoing IFN-α therapy for chronic hepatitis C virus. A total of 162 patients were randomized and completed the 2-week intervention; 152 patients were followed across 24 weeks of IFN-α treatment and included in the primary analysis.
What was found
Incident rates of IFN-α-induced depression were significantly lower with EPA (10%) than with DHA (28%) or placebo (30%, p = .037). Both EPA and DHA significantly delayed depression onset relative to placebo (mean onset at week 12.0 for EPA and 11.7 for DHA vs. 5.3 for placebo, p = .002). EPA treatment increased erythrocyte levels of both EPA and DHA, while DHA treatment increased only DHA levels. Both interventions were well tolerated.
Why it matters
EPA offers an effective, well-tolerated preventive option for cytokine-induced depression during hepatitis C treatment, providing clinical support for anti-inflammatory interventions in inflammation-driven depressive disorders.
Limits
The sample size was relatively small when split across three arms (~50 per group), the trial was restricted to a specific clinical population receiving IFN-α, and the abstract does not report exact supplement dosages, baseline psychiatric comorbidities, or generalizability to non-inflammatory major depression.
Cited by
- partial Administering the omega-3 fatty acid EPA alongside interferon prevents the development of interferon-induced depressive symptoms.