Customer Reviews

The Omega-3 Connection: The Groundbreaking Antidepression Diet and Brain Program

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I first became interested in omega-3 when I read Andrew Stoll`s article in Archives of General Psychiatry in May 99.I tried it on a patient with bipolar disorder who had intractable OCD-she worried about Aids all day long.In just a few days her OCD improved dramatically,she stopped smoking,slept well and became quite relaxed.I then read everything I could find on the subject and found Donald Rudin an interesting writer.I was delighted to see Dr Stoll had written this book and have read it a few times.I have enjoyed it more than most novels and it has been very helpful to many of my patients.I have found omega-3 useful too for several other indications,including agoraphobia,alcoholism,drug abuse,sexual abuse,schizophrenia,anxiety,depression,insomnia and withdrawal from benzodiazepines.It has opened a whole new world for me in the treatment of mental illness.Because I have been interviewed on Irish radio many people here take omega-3 and find it takes the edge off the stress of everyday living.

Here just enough to whet your appetite.

The introduction tells several success stories and He says that many studies
show it is advantages to help with heart disease, arthritis and depression
type problems.

Chapter One; Seeking a new treatment for Bi-polar disorder
(manic-depressive) that would be similar to the known substances but without
their problems hundreds of papers came up with a molecule of Omega 3 or fish
Oil! Furthermore that Omega 3 is important to brain function and that
several Hospitals are investigating its effects.

Chapter Two; Discusses fat and oil. Significantly that Japanese with the
low rates of heart disease live in fishing villages, but the Japanese living
in farming villages suffer higher rates. And of course the Eskimos have
little heart disease. Stoll writes that the ratio of Omega 6 to Omega 3 is
1:1 in primitive cultures; But maybe 20:1 or 40 :1 in America. In other
words We eat too much 6 and not enough 3.

Chapter Three: Anthropology claims that of the varieties of two million
year old homonid ancestors those that ate meat and fish developed greater
brain power and tools. A diet rich in fish helped the brain develop and
during the last hundred years the brain has become smaller! I wonder where
the idea that fish is brain food came from?

Chapter Four: Omega 6 feeds Cancer, Omega 3 slows it down. Omega 3
consumption helps people lose weight.

Chapter Five: Both Baby and Mother suffer from a lack of Omega 3.

Chapter Six. Those suffering from depression have low levels of Omega 3.

Chapter Seven: A clinical trial shows significant improvement in patients
taking fish oil.

Chapter Eight. Under stress Students taking fish oil were less aggressive
than those on Soy oil.

Chapter Nine; Children and rats both suffering from Attention deficiency
disorder are found to have low levels of Omega 3.

Chapter Ten: Tests in England and India show Omega 3 helps some
schizophrenic individuals and if used with vitamins results may be better.

Chapter Eleven: Mice and Rats have better memory on Omega 3.

Chapter Twelve: There have been twenty studies of St. John's Wort done in
Germany. It should be used under Medical supervision.

Chapter Thirteen: What to eat. More fruits, vegetables and fish. Farm
raised fish from Europe have more Omega 3 than those raised in America.

Chapter Fourteen: Fish oil comes in various strengths of Omega 3, some may
be deficient. Flaxseed, purslane, walnut and perilla among others contain a
type of Omega 3, maybe not as good as fish. It is essential to take
anti-oxidants (Vitamins).
Grapes contain reservatol, Coenzyme Q10 is found in spinach, peanuts and
sardines.

Chapter Fifteen: Recipes followed by tables of useful herbs and sources and
references.

Well written book. With far more data than outlined here.
Recommended by this writer.

Lorenzo

I was initially skeptical of Omega-3 claims as just more hype for the food supplement industry. However I read in a reputable textbook ""Biochemical and Physiological Aspects of Human Nutrition" by Martha H Stephanie that Omega3 fatty acids are now considered "essential fatty acids" and she explained why. Also the 17th edition of the Merck Manual briefly indicates that the EPA and DHA found in fish oils are essential fatty acids and recommends a ratio of 10:1 for omega 6 to omega 3 fatty acids in the diet.

Omega 3 fatty acids are essential building blocks for the retina in the eye, nerve tissue, the brain and control details of the proper nutritional balance of cells in the body Since omega 6 is the primary fat in corn, soy, and safflower oils, the typical American diet contains a ratio of 10, 20 or 40 to 1 for omega 6 to omega 3. If you don't have enough omega 3 or if the ratio is too high in omega 6 there can be profound health consequences.

I bought "The Omega-3 Connection" as an authoritative source (Dr Stoll is at the Harvard Medical School" to settle my doubts. After reading this book it I think it may be the most important health book of this year( maybe this century) and is MUST reading for anyone concerned for the health of their children. I sent a copy to each of my daughters so my grandchildren can benefit from this new information.

In September of 1998, NIH sponsored the first international workshop on this subject: "Omega-3 Essential Fatty Acids and Psychiatric Disorders." Here, Andrew Stoll presented the results of his now famous study in bipolar disorder. In the introduction of this meeting, I suggested that these recent reports of dietary supplementation with essential fatty acids in chronic and severe mental disorders constituted the most important finding in psychiatry in 40 years. In the two years that have passed since then, I am even more convinced of their significance. I have seen lifelong manic-depressive individuals become "well" with this treatment ­ to the point of enabling them to discontinue prescription medications. I would never have believed this possible. Once the basic scientists begin investigations into the neurobiological basis of these phenomena, true progress in the prevention and treatment of mental and neurological disorders will have begun. This book tells the exciting story of the development of this newest frontier in psychiatry and points out the other major health benefits that can result from bringing these essential oils back into our food chain. This book should be on everyone's shelf.

I fell into a deep depression about seven monthes ago. I've been to doctors and psychiatrists only to be put on different medications for anxiety and depression. I didn't understand why I was in a depression as my life is going very well.
The doctors didn't offer any good reasons why this happens. I asked my doctor if this could be because I'm entering menopause. (I have other symptoms of this.) He said I was too young.
After doing alot of research on the Internet, I found out that I was going through perimenopause and depression can be one of the symptoms.
I researched again and finally found this book. It is truly amazing! My depression lifted in about a week. I can think clearly and I sleep better than I have in years!
Not only that, Dr. Stoll mentions that even young children can use Omega-3 safely. This is an added bonus as I have a 9 year-old who has had trouble going to sleep for years and very high-strung and nervous. I found a children's supplement of Omega-3 for him and he now falls to sleep easily and sleeps like a baby. He also tells me he feels more relaxed. (By the way, I took him to so called "specialists" and all they wanted to do was put him on drugs!)
I still feel alittle weepy around my menstrual period, but I don't have severe depression anymore.
This book is a Blessing!

I read Andrew Stoll's The Omega-3 Connection about three months ago along with Donald O. Rudin's Omega-3 Oils: A Practical Guide. Stoll's book makes a strong case for the mood enhancing qualities of omega-3 oils, particularly fish oils. Dr. Stoll details convincing evidence that omega-3 oils can be helpful in treating depression, bipolar disorder, postpartum depression, ADHD, everyday stress, and even schizophrenia. Always searching for "natural" ways to treat my own anxiety and depression, I felt extremely hopeful after reading this book and ordered Stoll's OmegaBrite fish oil capsule product. After two months at 2.5 grams of OmegaBrite per day, I still have not noticed a significant difference in my mood. There are times when I think omega-3s have a mild antidepressant effect, but the feeling is so mild that I am not sure if I am imagining this or it is actually happening. I am still willing to believe that omega-3s (and Stoll's OmegaBrite product) are important in the treatment of mood disorders. However, they have not worked for me at this point so the jury is still out.

As a biologist, I found The Omega 3 Connection particularly interesting as it presents a new understanding of diet, evolution and health. Linking the change in our diet through the industrial revolution, the loss of Omega 3's and how this affects our basic biochemistry provided a refreshing take based on new science.Intense regarding the loss of Omega 3,causing imbalance with Omega 6 and the effect on the brain, mood and heart. The evolution chapter was fantastic. The chapter on pregnancy and US infant formula not having Omega 3 despite all the evidence was disturbing. One wonders about the increase in depression and violence and the consequence of the decrease in Omega 3 in children today. This information combined with the chapters on mood and Omega 3 was compelling. The information on EPA was new and provided a beautiful description of complex biology at its best. It is unsettling how the industrial revolution can profoundly change our diet, mind, mood and health so surreptitiously and how medicine could miss the picture for so long. The link between mood and Omega 3 is fascinating and Stoll lists many biologic mechanisms of action possibly responsible for the link. Good nutritional insurance for the brain. Medicine often focuses on disease, without recognition of the nutritional cause. Pharmaceuticals can make huge profits off of lipid reducing drugs and this makes the headlines yet Stoll points out that by increasing Omega 3 we can reduce our risk by 30% the risk of an MI or fatal arrythmia. I recommend it for anyone wanting to take control of their health, mood and their mind. The book tells a story we all need to know.

This is an excellent book on the omega-3s, which are health providing substances found in fish oil. Stoll is clearly an authority on the subject and does an excellent job of explaining what is known so far about the omega-3s and what some of the remaining questions are. Excellent information is provided on how to supplement your diet with more fish oil through food intake or supplements. Some ideas in the book are a bit speculative, however, and perhaps the entire case of there being some sort of epidemic omega-3 shortage that is causing a good deal of depression is overstated and premature. Nonetheless, there does seem to be some correlation between low rates of depression and cultures with high dietary intake of omega-3s. I wonder if ancient man ate much fish oil, as this is an evolutionary question that might tell us something about whether we're really missing out on this supposedly essential substance today. Either way, this is an excellent book for learning more about omega-3s. Avery Z. Conner, author of "Fevers of the Mind".

The fact that the book's title has the phrase "anti-depression" in it is a bit misleading, as I think EVERYONE can benefit from this book. I think Dr. Stoll mentions many other conditions as much as depression, and he makes some very important points that pregnant women should know as well.

If even half of Dr. Stoll's research is true in the real world, this may be the biggest medical advance in a very long time. His clinical studies show a huge potential for Omega 3's to improve of health of all people. If you've read anything by Dr. Andrew Weil, add this book to your collection. Dr. Weil also believes in the power of Omega 3's. Dr. Stoll elaborates on it.

I also believe that this book is extremely important for anyone who currently takes Omega 3 supplements. Dr. Stoll covers the dangers associated with toxicity (due to what people have done to our oceans), and how to get around that danger and get your healthy Omega 3's!

A must read for anyone suffering from depression or bipolar disorder. I myself, have been diagnosed with bipolar disorder over two years ago. I began taking omega-3 supplements about 4 months ago and have seen a dramatic improvement already. My most recent manic episode was much more tolerable and I have yet to experience any depression since I started taking the supplements. This offers me much hope for a freedom from the rapid cycling that I have experienced over the past two years.