Omega-3 supplementation reduces stress, anxiety, and depression in Saudi adults over three months.
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Key Takeaway
Consider omega-3 as a potential adjunct for mood and sleep issues, but evidence is limited to a small Saudi trial.
This study was a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial involving 64 participants from the Saudi population, with a follow-up period of three months. The intervention consisted of omega-3 supplementation at a dose of 500 mg EPA and 250 mg DHA daily, compared against a placebo. The primary outcome was not reported, but secondary outcomes included stress, anxiety, depression, sleep quality, and everyday memory.
Main results showed significant improvements across all measured outcomes. For stress, anxiety, depression, sleep quality, and everyday memory, the results indicated reductions or improvements with p < 0.001. However, exact absolute numbers and effect sizes were not reported, limiting the ability to quantify the magnitude of benefits. The study did not provide specific data on baseline levels or changes over time.
Safety and tolerability were noted as safe, but adverse events, serious adverse events, and discontinuation rates were not reported. Key limitations include a lack of prior data on omega-3 effects in the Saudi population for these conditions, and the study did not address how individual responses may be influenced by baseline inflammation and omega-3 status. Funding and conflicts of interest were not disclosed.
In practice, these findings suggest omega-3 supplementation could serve as a potential adjunct for managing stress, mood disorders, and sleep disturbances, but clinicians should interpret results cautiously due to the small sample size, absence of detailed safety data, and need for replication in broader populations. The evidence supports further investigation rather than definitive clinical recommendations.
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View Original Abstract ↓
BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Psychological stress, anxiety, depression, memory impairment, and poor sleep quality are prevalent issues that affect individuals' quality of life and overall health. Omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) have been suggested to have mood-regulating effects. However, there is lack of data on the effect of omega-3 supplementation on depression, stress, anxiety, everyday memory, and sleep quality on Saudi population. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the impact of omega-3 supplementation on stress, anxiety, depression, everyday memory, and sleep quality in individuals with severe psychological distress.
METHODS: A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial was conducted involving 64 participants with high levels of stress, anxiety, depression, memory issues and with poor quality of sleep with 32 allocated to the intervention group and 32 to the control group. The participants received either omega-3 supplementation (500 mg EPA + 250 mg DHA) or a placebo daily for three months. Pre- and post-intervention assessments were conducted using validated scales, including the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS), Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7), the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9), the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), the Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS), and the Everyday Memory Questionnaire (EMQ).
RESULTS: Significant improvements were observed in the intervention group regarding stress, anxiety, depression, sleep quality, and memory outcomes (p < 0.001 for PSS, GAD-7, PHQ-9, PSQI, and EMQ). Between-group comparisons showed statistically significant reductions in post-intervention scores for the intervention group versus the control group. Regression analysis revealed strong predictive relationships between pre- and post-scores, particularly for stress and depression.
CONCLUSIONS: Omega-3 supplementation resulted in notable psychological and cognitive improvements, suggesting its potential as a safe and effective adjunct for managing stress, mood disorders, and sleep disturbances among participants with psychological distress. Further research should explore how individual responses are influenced by baseline inflammation and omega-3 status.
CLINICALTRIALS: gov: NCT07157241.
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