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Vitamin D & Omega-3 may have a larger effect on depression than antidepressants

blog.ncase.me · 6,820 words · saved by 1 readers

An accessible deep dive into the science (⏱️ 30 min read)

⏱ This post is over years old. Proceed at own risk. (content note: scientific discussion of depression & suicide) "Too Long; Didn't Read" Summary: Exactly what the title says. Longer Summary: The "effect size" of the best antidepressants on depression, vs placebo, is around 0.4. ( On average ; some people respond much better or much worse.) This is like going from a C to a C+ . In contrast: the effect size of 1500 mg/day of "≥60% EPA" Omega-3 supplements is a bit higher, around 0.6. This is like going from a C to a B– . (With uncertainty; at worst, Omega-3's "only" on par with antidepressants.

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