Doctors told fish oil can help patients to overcome depression

The Scotsman

By Lyndsay Moss, Health correspondent

MORE GPs should be handing out fish oil supplements to depressed patients instead of turning to drugs, a nutrition expert urged yesterday.
Dr Tom Gilhooly, a GP in Glasgow, said his practice now prescribed omega 3 supplements to people with mild to moderate depression, with as many as 60 per cent seeing a major improvement without antidepressants.
But he said there was a lack of knowledge about the benefits among GPs. Dr Gilhooly, director of the Centre for Nutritional Studies in Glasgow, also said the higher cost of supplements over antidepressants made health boards loath to let doctors prescribe them.
His comments came at a conference in Glasgow looking at food's impact on behaviour.

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