Omega-3 and Anxiety

In a randomized trial, the results of which were published this year, Ohio State University researchers found that omega-3 fatty acids reduced anxiety in the healthy young people studied.

The total number of participants in the study was 68. The control group received a placebo. The study was double-blind, which means that neither the student volunteers or the researchers knew which were getting omega-3 and which were getting the placebo.

The group receiving omega-3 had a 20% decrease in the amount of anxiety they experienced before an exam, compared to the control group. Salmon, flax seed and walnuts are all sources of omega-3.

I believe we can help our problems with mood through what we eat, and evidence supporting that belief is piling up. That's good news.

Catherine Boyer, MA, LCSW
Upper West Side Counseling