Study Shows Higher Omega-3 Status Is Linked To Lower Risk Of Depression & Anxiety
Depression and anxiety now affect hundreds of millions of people1 worldwide. That’s why researchers continue to look beyond medication and therapy alone, exploring nutritional factors that might quietly impact mental health. Omega-3 fats in particular may have a protective effect.
Omega-3s are already well known for supporting brain and heart health, lowering inflammation, and promoting longevity. Past research has also linked higher omega-3 intake with better mood outcomes. Now, a large new study adds to that evidence, finding that people with higher omega-3 levels were less likely to have depression or anxiety.
Here’s what the research found, and why it matters.
About the study
The goal of this study was to better understand how omega-3s relate to mental health, specifically whether omega-3 levels in the body, fish oil supplement use, and oily fish intake are associated with depression and anxiety, both over a lifetime and within the past year.
To do this, researchers analyzed data from the UK Biobank, a large health database that includes medical records, blood samples, and lifestyle information. Omega-3 status was measured using blood samples, including total omega-3s, DHA, and a group of omega-3s that largely reflects EPA.
They also analyzed self-reported fish oil supplement use and fatty fish intake. In total, 258,354 adults were included in the blood analysis, and 468,145 participants contributed data on fish oil supplement use (making this one of the largest studies to examine omega-3s and mental health!).
Omega-3s reduce depression risk
The strongest patterns in this study came from blood omega-3 levels.
People with higher plasma omega-3s were significantly less likely to have a history of depression or anxiety. Those with the highest omega-3 status had a 15-33% lower likelihood of depression and a 19-22% lower risk of anxiety compared to those with the lowest omega-3 levels.
These patterns were clearest for lifetime diagnoses, rather than recent depression or anxiety. That’s likely because recent cases were far less common in the dataset, making them harder to detect statistically. Still, even for recent mental health concerns, the risk estimates generally pointed in the same protective direction.
And, EPA fatty acids were found to be the most protective of mood.
But how did the sources of omega-3s impact this?
Fish oil supplements also showed benefits, though the effects were more modest. People who reported regular fish oil use had a slightly lower risk of depression and anxiety overall, but the associations weren’t as strong as those seen with blood omega-3 levels.
But wait? Isn’t omega-3 status a reflection of the overall intake of these fats? How are blood levels of omega-3 so closely tied when the research isn’t as strong for fish oil supplements or fish intake?
What else impacts omega-3 status
It turns out that your blood omega-3 status is influenced by more than just overall intake. Several other factors influence how much of these fats actually make it into your system:
- Absorption: Not all omega-3s are absorbed equally. For fish, how it’s prepared (like lightly cooked versus fried) can make a difference. For supplements, triglyceride-based forms are generally the most efficiently absorbed.
- Metabolism: Genetics can also play a role in how your body processes and incorporates omega-3s into cells.
- Diet and lifestyle: High intakes of omega-6 fats from processed foods or certain vegetable oils throw off omega-3 balance in the body2. Gut health, overall fat intake, and even body composition can affect how well omega-3s circulate in your blood.
- Consistency and dose: Sporadic fish meals or irregular supplement use often aren’t enough to move the needle. Regular, adequate intake over time3 is what really builds meaningful omega-3 status.
Improving omega-3 status
All that to say, the first step to improving your omega-3 status is to increase consumption of these fats. About 75% of people globally aren’t consuming enough omega-3s in their diet (so there’s a lot of room for improvement).
If you can, aim to get three, 3- to 4-ounce servings of oily fish like salmon, mackerel, anchovies, sardine, or herring a week.
Most people would also benefit from integrating a high-quality fish oil supplement into their daily routines. Look for options that provide at least 1,000 milligrams of combined EPA and DHA daily and are optimized for absorption. Here’s our expert-vetted list of the best omega-3 supplements.
Remember: Consistency is crucial! That means weekly fish intake and daily supplementation.
Finally, remember that omega-3s work best as part of a holistic approach to mental health. It’s also important to reduce omega-6 intake from overly processed foods for a more balanced fat intake.
The takeaway
Higher omega-3 levels (especially EPA and DHA) are consistently linked with a lower risk of depression and anxiety. Focusing on regular, bioavailable sources of omega-3s, combined with healthy lifestyle habits, can be a simple, practical way to support mood and overall mental well-being.
