Newswise, October 9, 2016 — Low
concentration of fish oil in the blood and lack of physical activity may
contribute to the high levels of depressed mood among soldiers returning from
combat, according to researchers, including a Texas A&M University
professor and his former doctoral student.
In a study titled “Fatty Acid Blood
Levels, Vitamin D Status, Physical Performance, Activity and Resiliency: A
Novel Potential Screening Tool for Depressed Mood in Active Duty Soldiers,”
researchers worked with 100 soldiers at Fort Hood to identify which factors
affected moods in returning soldiers.
The research was conducted by Major
Nicholas Barringer when he was a Texas A&M doctoral student under the
direction of Health & Kinesiology Professor and Department Head Richard
Kreider, in collaboration with several current and former members of the U.S.
Army, and colleagues at Texas A&M.
“We looked at how physical activity
levels and performance measures were related to mood state and resiliency,”
Kreider says. “What we found was the decrease in physical activity and the
concentration of fish oil and Omega-3s in the blood were all associated with
resiliency and mood.”
Kreider says fish oil contains
Omega-3 fatty acids that help to boost brain function. He says studies also
show that fish oil acts as an anti-inflammatory within the body — helping
athletes and soldiers manage intense training better. Fish oil content is especially
important for soldiers due to the consistent training and physical regiments
performed in and out of combat and risk to traumatic brain injury.
The study originated from research
conducted by Colonel Mike Lewis, M.D. who examined Omega-3 fatty acid levels of
soldiers who committed suicide compared to non-suicide control and found lower
Omega-3 levels in the blood were associated with increased risk of being in the
suicide group.
Barringer says he believes these
findings to be significant toward addressing some of the issues many soldiers
face.
“The mental health of our service
members is a serious concern and it is exciting to consider that appropriate
diet and exercise might have a direct impact on improving resiliency,”
Barringer notes
.
In order to properly measure
soldiers physically, Kreider and Barringer developed a formula they say has the
potential to assist in effectively screening soldiers with potential PTSD ahead
of time. The formula measures a number of factors including: fitness and psychometric
assessments, physical activity, and additional analysis.
“By improving resiliency in service
members, we can potentially decrease the risk of mental health issues,”
Barringer says. “Early identification can potentially decrease the risk of
negative outcomes for our active service members as well as our separated and
retired military veterans.”
“The military is using some of our
exercise, nutrition, and performance-related work and the findings may help
identify soldiers at risk for depression when they return from combat tours,”
Kreider notes. He says that by working to identify such high-risk issues faced
by soldiers, it can set a precedent that will benefit not only military
leadership, but also the general public.
“The public must realize that our
soldiers need support before, during, and after their service,” Kreider
explains. “There needs to be a time for soldiers to transition, become
re-engaged within a community, and stay engaged in that community.”
More information regarding fish oil and other exercise and nutrition-related research can be found at the Exercise & Sport Nutrition Lab’s website.
