MORE GOOD NEWS ABOUT GOOD OILS!

I just received the following summary of a clinical research study that indicates that omega 3 fatty acids show significant benefit in the treatment of Borderline Personality Disorder...this adds it to the list along with depression, bipolar disorder and schizophrenia....as well as its numerous other health benefits! Now there's one more reason to eat more fish and add fish oils to your daily supplement regime! You can learn even more about the benefits of fish oils/omega 3s by going to mercola.com.

Maybe grandma was really on to something afterall when she was spooning out doses of cod liver oil! ; )




Ethyl-Eicosapentaenoic Acid for the Treatment of Borderline Personality Disorder

Reference:
Zanarini M, Frakenburg F. Omega-3 fatty acid treatment of women with borderline personality disorder: a double-blind, placebo-controlled pilot study. Am J Psychiatry 2003;160:167-9.

Design:
Randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled

Participants:
Thirty female subjects (mean age 26.3 years) meeting Revised Diagnostic Interview for Borderlines and DSM-IV criteria for borderline personality disorder.

Study Medication and Dosage:
Ethyl-eicosapentaenoic acid (E-EPA) (Laxdale Pharmaceuticals, Stirling, U.K.) 500 mg b.i.d. Twenty subjects were randomly assigned to receive E-EPA while 10 subjects received placebo.

Duration:
Eight weeks

Outcome Measures:
Subjects were seen every week for the first month and biweekly for the second month of the study.  The Modified Overt Aggression Scale (MOAS) and the Montgomery-Ashberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS) were administered.

Key Findings:
Subjects treated with E-EPA experienced a significantly greater reduction in MOAS and MADRS scores at eight weeks compared with those treated with placebo (p < 0.0001 for both measures). No clinically relevant side effects were observed during this study. 

Practice Implications:
This small pilot study suggests that 1 g of E-EPA per day may be a promising monotherapy for women with moderately severe borderline personality disorder. The results of this study add to the potential use of omega-3 fatty acids for psychiatric conditions.  Earlier studies have also suggested efficacy in the adjunctive treatment of bipolar disorder, depression, and schizophrenia. In all of these conditions, clinical trials with larger populations and longer treatment periods are needed to obtain a clearer view of the role that E-EPA or other omega-3 fatty acids may play in the management of psychiatric conditions such borderline personality disorder.

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