New Study Reveals Omega 3 Fatty Acids Influence Mood, Impulsivity and Personality
An exciting new study presented recently by the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine revealed that adding Omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (EFA=essential fatty acids) may influence mood, personality and behavior.This is huge. Research continues to prove what many of us have known and understood for quite some time. Americans are deficient in Omega-3 fatty acids and a myriad of chronic health conditions have emerged that are not genetic and not due to lack of drugs in their bodies, but due to lifestyle choices.
In the study of 106 healthy volunteers, the researchers discovered that participants who had lower blood levels of omega-3 essential fatty acids were more likely to report mild or moderate symptoms of depression, a more negative outlook and be more impulsive. Conversely, those with higher blood levels of omega-3s were found to be more agreeable.
"A number of previous studies have linked low levels of omega-3 to clinically significant conditions such as major depressive disorder, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, substance abuse and attention deficit disorder," said Sarah Conklin, Ph.D., a postdoctoral scholar with the Cardiovascular Behavioral Medicine Program in the department of psychiatry at the University Of Pittsburgh School Of Medicine. "However, few studies have shown that these relationships also occur in healthy adults. This study opens the door for future research looking at what effect increasing omega-3 intake, whether by eating omega-3 rich foods like salmon, or taking fish-oil supplements, has on people's mood."
Due to mercury in our waters, it is imperative to take molecularly distilled fish oil supplements to get enough EFA’s. Unfortunately if you eat large quantities of fish, you run the risk of mercury toxicity.
Another great source of Omega 3 fatty acids is grass-fed beef. Read our article below about the benefits of grass fed beef.
Good luck and keep educating yourself about the role Omega 3’s play in your health.
