Pregnant women told to eat fish |
http://www.sina.com.cn 2003/05/22 11:18 Shanghai Daily |
Pregnant women might be able to lower their risk of becoming depressed before or after giving birth by eating fish, a study suggests. That is because they will get a nutrient called omega-3 fatty acids, which are found in seafood and are also available in fish oil supplements, researchers say. Oily fish such as salmon, tuna, sardines and herring are especially rich in omega-3. These particular fish are not on the list of fish pregnant women should avoid because of high levels of mercury, although some consumer activists believe tuna should be included in the list. In an analysis of 11,721 British women, researchers found that the more omega-3 fatty acids a woman consumed in seafood during the third trimester, the less likely she was to show signs of major depression at that time and up to eight months after the birth. In fact, the rate of depression in the women with the highest intakes was only about half that of women with the lowest intakes, said one of the researchers, psychiatrist Dr Joseph R. Hibbeln. Eating fish two or three times a week was typical of the highest-intake group, Hibbeln said. As for why would omega-3 fatty acids reduce the risk of depression, Hibbeln said they are key building blocks of the brain, and studies show that low levels in the diet are associated with low levels of a brain chemical called serotonin. Low levels of serotonin, in turn, are implicated in depression. |
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