Fish Oil Treats, Prevents Postpartum Depression
...While Also Giving Baby's Brain a Significant Boost!
Feb 18, 2009
It's hard to pick up a health-related newsletter in this day and age without seeing an emphatic declaration of fish oil's many powerful health benefits. Fish oil has been proven to combat heart disease, several forms of mental illness, dementia, learning disabilities, and several other common ailments and conditions. New mothers seeking natural, safe relief from postpartum depression can also find solace in this extremely healthy supplement.
Fish Oil Supplementation During Pregnancy
Because it contains large amounts of EPA and DHA-- the omega-3 fatty acids that form the building-blocks of the brain-- fish oil is a winner when it comes to any ailment involving the brain. In fact, because of the brain-building powers of omega-3 fatty acids, the vast majority of doctors recommend that women take fish oil during pregnancy to assist in healthy brain development for the unborn baby.
The simple step of taking omega-3 supplements during pregnancy will not only protect the baby against future learning disorders and neurological abnormalities-- it will also help the mother to build a safe store for her own usage. When EPA and DHA become depleted as a result of pregnancy or breastfeeding, it is very common for antenatal or postpartum depression to occur as a result. An expectant mother's deficiency in omega-3 fats will both hinder her baby's brain development and starve her own brain from the emotional stamina she needs to get through the early postpartum days.
Postpartum Fish Oil Supplementation
If a mother has already given birth, it is by no means too late to begin supplementing with fish oil, or to increase the dosage used. The neuroprotective, depression-combatting factors of omega 3 fats are not limited to prenatal nutrition, and may in fact be more necessary for women who have recently given birth. Breastfeeding, while it offers some significant protection against postpartum depression, might deplete maternal reserves of DHA and EPA. This, in turn, might worsen postpartum depression if the mother remains deficient in omega-3.
The benefits of fish oil for the baby's brain development do not end with childbirth, either. Many very well-controlled, double-blind studies have confirmed that babies who receive breastmilk enhanced with the brain-buillding omega-3 fat, DHA, will have higher IQs and a much lower incidence of learning disabilities, including autism and mental retardation, compared to babies who consume only "standard" breastmilk. The lack of DHA in infant formula is also believed to be the primary cause of higher rates of cognitive delay among formula-fed babies.
The Safety of Fish Oil During Pregnancy and Lactation
Fish oil is considered to be more than just safe in preventing and treating postpartum depression: it is extremely beneficial to both the mother and baby, both before and after childbirth. While pharmaceutical antidepressants may be necessary for some mothers, the common issue of postpartum depression can often be treated simply and safely with fish oil supplements.
New or expectant mothers who are interested in taking fish oil supplements should let their doctors or midwives know about their intentions before beginning omega-3 supplementation to prevent or treat postpartum depression. A healthcare provider who is trained to diagnose, treat, and prevent postpartum depression will be able to make an accurate assessment of fish oil's efficacy, specific to the needs of the mother or mother-to-be.
Sources Used:
Singh (March 2005). "Essential Fatty Acids, DHA and the Human Brain from the Indian Journal of Pediatrics, Volume 72"
Su, Kuan-Pin; Huang, Shih-Yi; Chiub, Chih-Chiang; Shenc, Winston W. (August 2003). "Omega-3 fatty acids in major depressive disorder: A preliminary double-blind, placebo-controlled trial". European Neuropsychopharmacology (Elsevier) 13 (4): 267-271.
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