Tehran University of Medical Sciences Iranian Journal of Public Health 2251-6085 47 4 2018 04 23 575 583 Maryam MAZAHERIOUN Dept. of Cellular and Molecular Nutrition, School of Nutritional Sciences and Dietetics, International Campus, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran AND Dept. of Cellular and Molecular Nutrition, School of Nutritional Sciences and Dietetics, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran Ahmad SAEDISOMEOLIA Dept. of Cellular and Molecular Nutrition, School of Nutritional Sciences and Dietetics, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran AND Dept. of Pharmacy, School of Medicine, Western Sydney University, NSW, Australia Mohammad Hassan JAVANBAKHT Dept. of Cellular and Molecular Nutrition, School of Nutritional Sciences and Dietetics, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran Fariba KOOHDANI Dept. of Cellular and Molecular Nutrition, School of Nutritional Sciences and Dietetics, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran Mahnaz ZAREI Dept. of Cellular and Molecular Nutrition, School of Nutritional Sciences and Dietetics, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran Samaneh ANSARI Dept. of Cellular and Molecular Nutrition, School of Nutritional Sciences and Dietetics, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran Fatemeh KHOSHKHOO BAZARGANI Endocrinology and Metabolism Research Center (EMRC), Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran Mahmoud DJALALI Dept. of Cellular and Molecular Nutrition, School of Nutritional Sciences and Dietetics, International Campus, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran AND Dept. of Cellular and Molecular Nutrition, School of Nutritional Sciences and Dietetics, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran 2018 04 23 2018 04 23 Background: Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is commonly associated with depressive symptoms, which affect prognosis and quality of life. We investigated the antidepressant effects of n-3 fatty acids (n-3FAs) monotherapy (without conventional antidepressants) for T2DM patients with mild to moderate depressive symptoms. Methods: A 10-wk, placebo-controlled, double-blind, parallel-group (1:1 ratio) randomized trial of n-3FAs (2700 mg/day EPA: DHA ratio=2) versus placebo in 88 Iranian diabetic patients with mild to moderate depression based on Beck Depression Inventory II (BDI-II-PERSIAN) was conducted. This study started from July 2014 to January 2015 in Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran. The primary event was defined as worsened, non-changed, or inconsiderably improved depression (<5 unit decrease in BDI-II-PERSIAN depression scores after treatment) (ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT02261545). Results: Randomly, 44 T2DM patients were treated with n-3FAs supplements and 44 cases received placebo (three patients discontinued). n-3FAs could significantly protect patients against the aforesaid event and exhibit satisfactory prevention (number needed to treat with 95% confidence interval: 2.52, 1.71-4.74). No serious adverse reactions were reported. Conclusion: n-3FAs supplementation had significant antidepressant effects in T2DM patients with mild to moderate depressive symptoms, not confounded by metabolic factors and disease duration.     https://ijph.tums.ac.ir/index.php/ijph/article/view/13160 https://ijph.tums.ac.ir/index.php/ijph/article/download/13160/5956