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Long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids from fish or algal oil that are incorporated into cell membranes and reduce pro-inflammatory eicosanoid production; linked to cardiovascular, joint, and neurological benefits.
Major depressive disorder, persistent low mood, and related mood conditions.
Also known as: Fish Oil, Krill Oil, EPA, DHA
Every published result for this pair, extracted and audited.
These charts group published studies by what they reported and how they were run — green marks studies that reported a benefit for this pairing. Tiers run from pooled analyses of many trials (strongest) to one-off observational reports.
Direction of reported outcomes for Omega-3 (EPA/DHA) in depression.
Study designs behind these findings.
Every measured outcome, one row per finding - numbers exactly as reported.
| Study | Design | n | Duration | Outcome measured | Reported result | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PMID 34817851 2021 | Systematic review | 1503 | - | adverse events | 1.27 OR (95% CI 0.99 to 1.64) | No benefit |
| PMID 34817851 2021 | Systematic review | 1848 | - | depressive symptomology (continuous) | -0.40 SMD (95% CI -0.64 to -0.16) | No benefit |
| PMID 34817851 2021 | Systematic review | 40 | - | depressive symptomology (vs antidepressants) | -0.70 MD (95% CI -5.88 to 4.48) | No benefit |
| PMID 34817851 2021 | Systematic review | 476 | - | quality of life | -0.38 SMD (95% CI -0.82 to 0.06) | No benefit |
| PMID 34817851 2021 | Systematic review | 609 | - | remission rates | 1.13 OR (95% CI 0.74 to 1.72) | No benefit |
| PMID 34817851 2021 | Systematic review | 794 | - | response rates | 1.20 OR (95% CI 0.80 to 1.79) | No benefit |
| PMID 34817851 2021 | Systematic review | 40 | - | response rates (vs antidepressants) | 1.23 OR (95% CI 0.35 to 4.31) | No benefit |
| PMID 34817851 2021 | Systematic review | 1777 | - | trial non-completion | 0.92 OR (95% CI 0.70 to 1.22) | No benefit |
| PMID 34817851 2021 | Systematic review | 40 | - | trial non-completion (vs antidepressants) | 1.00 OR (95% CI 0.21 to 4.71) | No benefit |
| PMID 31383846 2019 | Meta-analysis | 2160 | - | depression symptoms | -0.28 SMD (P=0.004) | Benefit |
| PMID 31383846 2019 | Meta-analysis | - | - | depression symptoms (DHA-pure and DHA-major) | reported qualitatively | No benefit |
| PMID 31383846 2019 | Meta-analysis | - | - | depression symptoms (EPA-major) | -1.03 SMD (P=0.03) | Benefit |
| PMID 31383846 2019 | Meta-analysis | - | - | depression symptoms (EPA-pure) | -0.50 SMD (P=0.003) | Benefit |
Hand-selected PubMed studies, linked to the originals.
Ordered by strength of evidence, then result direction.
01Role of the EPA: DHA dosing ratio in omega-3 supplements on blood fatty acid profiles and inflammation: a systematic review and meta-analysisKhabir Z, et al. · Critical reviews in food science and nutrition · 2026PMID 41568426 ↗02Effect of Saffron Versus Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRIs) in Treatment of Depression and Anxiety: A Meta-analysis of Randomized Controlled TrialsShafiee A, et al. · Nutrition reviews · 2025PMID 38913392 ↗03Efficacy of Pharmacological Interventions in Milder Depression: A Systematic Review and Meta-AnalysisUrata M, et al. · Neuropsychopharmacology reports · 2025PMID 40014460 ↗04Comparative efficacy and tolerability of nutraceuticals for depressive disorder: A systematic review and network meta-analysisCheng YC, et al. · Psychological medicine · 2025PMID 40314175 ↗Be the first to share what you noticed with Omega-3 (EPA/DHA) for depression. How we calculate this.