Fish oil may be as effective in treating depression as some antidepressants, according to a new analysis of studies out of The Netherlands.

A review of 13 studies involving more than 1,200 people, published in the journal Translational Psychiatry, found a strong link between intake of EPA and DHA omega-3 fatty acids — the kind found in fish and fish oil — and reduction in major depression comparable to effects of antidepressants.

What’s more, the researchers found the benefits were greater in people with higher doses of EPA and those already on antidepressants.

"This new meta-analysis nuances earlier research on the importance of long chain omega-3s in [depression] management", said lead researcher Dr. Roel JT Mocking, with the Program for Mood Disorders, Department of Psychiatry, Academic Medical Center at the University of Amsterdam.

"Omega-3 supplements may be specifically effective in the form of EPA in depressed patients using antidepressants. This could be a next step to personalizing the treatment for depression and other disorders."

According to the World Health Organization, depression affects an estimated 350 million people. According to the National Institutes of Mental Health, nearly 16 million Americans suffer at least one major depressive episode in each year.