Ive heard a lot about fish oil and magnesium for the treatment of anxiety & depression, has it worked for you?

Question

I have suffered with anxiety and depression for the last three years and have tried anti-depressants, regular exercise and healthy diet without much difference.

I recently became a lot worse and very suicidal. I have decided enoughs enough and am willing to try anything whilst waiting to be seen by a therapist. SO im now taking mulit vitamins, Vitamin b complex, St Johns wort, Fish oil and magnesium. All things which have been reported to help significantly in treating my symptoms.

Does anyone know if any off these could be detrimental to each other or has anyone used fish oils etc to overcome their anxiety and depression?

Answer 1

Yes... I have been taking fish oil ever since I heard about it's use as a natural treatment toward depression... and I have not had a major episode of depression (that wasn't "situational"/in relation to a bad experience, etc.)....

I take up to 4 - 6 (sometimes, when I was first starting with it "8")... I try to get the "Nordic Naturals" brand, as they are one of the only companies that holds their processing of the fish oil to "pharmaceutical grade" (which means it is processed at a higher quality to avoid the fish oil from spoiling or tainting - because if it does and you buy the wrong brand that does not uphold to those standards... then I've heard it could cause liver damage over time - if you consume tainted fish oil that spoils easily)... Also... you want to store them in the fridge (because they are fish oil after all... and for a longer shelf life).

You should take two at a time throughout the day (preferrably with a meal)... and I take them alone... don't use them with anything else and they've worked for me.

I also take green tea which helps to give me energy naturally, without all the jitter from normal caffeine drinks (the caffeine in green tea does not affect you) and it helps to prevent depression because having energy makes you happy... plus, it also has a natural mood elevator that also calms you (which has helped with my manic episodes of bipolar).

Also... if your doctor tells you that the natural stuff doesn't work it's cause he wants to get money for the medication he'll try to sell you. (But do take recommendations seriously... but don't let anyone tell you that the natural, less expensive alternatives don't work).

Good luck

EDIT:

Oh yeah... if you are already on any other medicatin (such as blood thinners) do not use the fish oil in combination with your medication... because fish oils are a natural blood thinner... and should also be avoided in combination with taking regular amounts of aspirin (which is also a blood thinner)... and do not take fish oil if you are diabetic...

You'll have to speak to your general physician to see which meds you can or cannot take them with (if you can then just lower the amount you take to just 2 - 3, but only if your doc approves it).

Answer 2

I have used Vitamin B1 for anxiety.  You probably are safer to use Vitamin B Complex because if you take too much of one B vitamin it can cause a deficiency in another.

I also use a dehydrated Calcium/Magnesium powder that I place in boiling water.  Some brands I have used are CalMag, CalMax, Peter Gilliam's Calm.  They Calm is just Magnesium without the Calcium.  It relaxes me and even cured my Restless Leg Syndrome.  When my body is deficient my RLS creeps back up again.

I am curious if you tried all the healthy stuff without the antidepressants because I know anxiety can be a side effect of most antidepressants.

I have a blog and one woman wrote that her bipolar symptoms cleared up with niacin.  http://psychdrugs.wordpress.com/2008/08/...

Good luck!

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