According to a multi-year study by the School of Medicine at Indiana University, Omega 3 fatty acids have health benefits beyond the heart. The researchers discovered that at the molecular level, the acids have therapeutic benefit, which helps out those with psychiatric disorders and alcohol abuse problems.

Dr. Alexander B. Niculescu, who was the lead author of the study, said that the fatty acid DHA, a main ingredient in fish oil, normalized the behavior of bipolar mice. “The mice that were given DHA normalized their behaviour, they are not depressed and when subjected to stress, they do not become maniac”, said Dr. Ninculescu. “When we looked into their brains, using comprehensive gene expression studies, we were surprised to see that genes that are known targets of psychiatric medications were modulated and normalized by DHA”.

One finding that was unexpected from the study was that the mice who took the DHA also had a lower desire for alcohol when it was offered to them. Of the bipolar mice, those who took DHA drank significantly less alcohol than the others.

According to Dr. Niculescu, because they found important biomarkers in their research, they can now move forward and apply their discoveries to more specific, targeted research studies in humans in how well DHA is able to help people with bipolar disorder and alcoholism.