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Depression after childbirth can be significantly reduced by omega-3 fatty acids, a small University of Arizona pilot study has found.

The nutrient — found mainly in oily, cold-water fish, also some nuts and seeds — has long been associated with brain health and development.

That is why UA researchers have launched a series of studies to find out if omega-3s can affect the common medical disorder known as postpartum depression — the onset of a major depressive episode experienced by 10 to 15 percent of women within a month after giving birth.

In the first of these studies, 16 women diagnosed with postpartum depression took various daily dosages of omega-3 fatty acids — in the form of fish-oil supplements — for eight weeks.

During the trial, all of the women "improved substantially," with overall depression scores dropping by 50 percent, said Dr. Marlene Freeman, director of the UA Women's Mental Health Program, who headed the study.

"That was statistically significant. The improvements observed among all treatment groups suggest omega-3 fatty acids may have efficacy as a treatment for postpartum depression," she said.

"These findings are especially compelling, considering that omega-3 fatty acids offer health benefits to the mother and also to her infant if she is breastfeeding."

In fact, it is the crucial role these fatty acids play in the brain growth of the developing fetus and newborn that depletes the nutrient in pregnant and breastfeeding women, leaving some vulnerable to depression.

Replacing the nutrient is a good option, especially for women who decline to take anti-depressant drugs while pregnant or breastfeeding, Freeman said.

During the eight-week trial, the women were randomly assigned to take one of three doses of EPAX omega-3 fish oil capsules — 0.5, 1.4, or 2.8 grams per day. Improvement was noted on all three dosages, and the fish oil was well tolerated, the study found.

Omega-3 fatty acids are essential, unsaturated fats found in fish such as salmon, tuna, herring and sardines, and in walnuts, flax seeds and hemp seeds, and oils extracted from them.

Eating these fish has been linked to slowing age-related mental decline, and lowered risk of Alzheimer's disease and stroke in several studies.

A small, nonscientific Tucson study has found that recovering crystal methamphetamine addicts regain mental clarity after taking high doses of omega-3 supplements for several months.

The UA study was limited by the small number of women in it, and by the lack of a placebo group to compare with the omega-3 groups, Freeman said.

But because of the promising results, a larger study is getting under way to verify this effect of omega-3s, and new participants — women suffering postpartum depression — are needed, she said.