Omega-3 Fatty Acids Restore Balance on Gut-Brain Axis for Depression
How do omega-3 fatty acids restore gut-brain balance in depression?
Omega-3 fatty acids restore gut-brain axis balance by promoting beneficial gut bacteria, reducing inflammation, and enhancing neural plasticity through multiple interconnected pathways. A comprehensive review published in Nutrients synthesizes evidence showing that EPA and DHA work as network modulators, addressing dysregulation across immune, neural, and metabolic systems that contribute to depression.
Omega-3 fatty acids work by reshaping gut microbiota composition to increase beneficial bacteria like Bifidobacterium and Lactobacillus, strengthening intestinal barrier integrity to reduce inflammation, promoting specialized pro-resolving mediators that actively resolve inflammation, supporting neurogenesis and BDNF production for brain plasticity, and modulating the HPA axis to reduce stress reactivity.