British men top Europe’s depression league

The reserved, traditional ‘stiff upper lip’ is to blame for a high rate of depression among British men, according to a new study, published in the British Journal of Psychiatry (May 1, 2008). The study, which was headed by Professor Michael King of the Royal Free and University College Medical School, London, looked at data from general practices in the UK, Spain, Portugal, Slovenia, Estonia and the Netherlands. It found that the rate of major depression and panic syndrome was highest among males in the UK.

Commenting on the study, Professor Cary Cooper, president of the British Association of Counselling and Psychotherapy, blamed Britain’s long working hours for the stress that many British men face today: “Britain’s work culture has gone from nine-to-five to extremely long hours which make for very stressful working conditions. It’s no wonder we’re seeing high rates of psychological problems.

“Men are less able to talk about their problems than women or express their emotions. They have less social support and, as a generalisation, men are less emotionally intelligent than women and have not traditionally been encouraged to share their feelings.”

The study found that men are most likely to suffer depression between the ages of 30 and 50, while panic attacks most frequently occur between 40 and 50.

A study published by Ohio State University (March 2007) suggests that people whose diets contain dramatically more of one kind of polyunsaturated fatty acid than another may be at greater risk for both clinical depression and certain inflammatory diseases.

The report, published online in the journal Psychosomatic Medicine, suggested that we need to balance out our intake of omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids. The current typical American diet contains 20 times more omega-6 than omega-3, a ratio that researchers say should be lowered to 4-to-1, or even 2-to-1.

This is the most recent in a long series of experiments Ohio State University researchers have conducted on the links between psychological stress and immunity. The addition of dietary questions to studies that have previously focused solely on emotional and biochemical markers may yield important new clues about the immune system.

Martha Belury, an associate professor of human nutrition, endocrinology, diabetes & metabolism at Ohio State and co-author of the study, said the design of the study was important.

"We looked at people who were experiencing real depression, not those whose depression arose as a part of some experiment, and we could clearly see a relationship between lower omega-3 fatty acids and certain markers of depression and inflammation."

VegEPA is a patented formulation of completely natural long-chain omega fatty acids. It contains a unique ratio of ultra-pure EPA (the omega-3 eicosapentaenoic acid) and cold-pressed, non-raffinated, virgin evening primrose oil (containing the omega-6 gamma-linolenic acid). As such, VegEPA combines the benefits that both these natural substances bring to the body.

Fatty acids play an important part in the functioning of every living cell in the body. Specifically they may help the body in several ways including: improving the circulatory system, aiding concentration, maintaining a well-balanced state of mind and keeping joints in good condition.

The EPA in VegEPA is derived from fish oil - the only source of long-chain omega-3 fats. This fatty acid forms a vital part of the diet as it enables the body to produce many substances that are necessary for health and wellbeing.

The EPO in VegEPA is derived from the cold pressing of evening primrose seeds. When EPO is unprocessed and unrefined it is a rich source of botanical triterpenes - hormone-like substances, which play an important role in immune function.

"This study has shown that even in people who did not take supplements, maybe just a little bit more omega-3, could help reduce their markers for both stress and depression," Belury said.

"The important message for consumers is that they don't have to take mega-doses of omega-3 to have some impact. It might not take a whole lot to have a significant clinical impact," Belury said.

The researchers are now starting a larger, more comprehensive randomised and controlled trial of omega-3 in adults between the ages of 50 and 80 in hopes of testing the questions raised in this pilot study.

Adults should routinely take 2 to 4 VegEPA capsules each day; preferably taken with food, either in the morning or evening (or both). Within 3 months you should notice a significant difference in the appearance of your skin, hair and nails.

VegEPA costs £11.95 and available by visiting Vegepa.com.