Bipolar Disorder (Holistic)

People diagnosed with depression may have lower blood levels of omega-3 fatty acids. A double-blind trial found that bipolar patients taking 9.6 grams of omega-3 fatty acids from fish oil per day in addition to their medications had significant improvements compared with those taking placebo. Similar benefits were reported in a preliminary trial that used 1.5 to 2 grams per day of pure eicosapentaenoic acid, a component of fish oil.However, in another double-blind trial, 8 grams per day of fish oil taken for 4 months was of no benefit for patients with bipolar disorder.In a preliminary trial, children with bipolar disorder saw benefits from omega-3 fatty acids (1,290 to 4,300 mg per day) from fish oil given for eight weeks. Less.

L-tryptophan is the amino acid used by the body to produce serotonin, a chemical messenger important for proper brain function. Supplementation with L-tryptophan has led to improvement in depression in many studies, but information is limited about its effect on bipolar disorder. Case reports on two bipolar patients treated with lithium or an antidepressant drug described marked improvements when they were given 12 grams daily of L-tryptophan. Two trials using 6 grams of L-tryptophan daily for acute mania in patients with bipolar disorder found little or no improvement, but another double-blind, controlled study using 9.6 grams daily reported better results.

L-tryptophan is converted to 5-HTP (5-hydroxytryptophan) before it becomes serotonin in the body. In a controlled trial, 200 mg daily of supplemental 5-HTP had antidepressant effects in bipolar patients, though it was not as effective as lithium. In a double-blind trial, patients with bipolar disorder had greater improvement with a combination of 5-HTP at 300 mg daily plus an antidepressant drug than with 5-HTP alone. Less.

Both folic acid and vitamin B12 are used in the body to manufacture serotonin and other neurotransmitters. It is well known that deficiency of either nutrient is associated with depression. There is some evidence that patients diagnosed with mania are also more likely to have folate deficiencies than healthy controls. Other studies, however, have found that folic acid deficiency was not more common in bipolar patients taking lithium than in healthy people. Some studies have found that people who take lithium long term, and who also have high blood levels of folic acid, respond better to lithium. Not all studies have confirmed these findings, however. A double-blind study of patients receiving lithium therapy showed that the addition of 200 mcg of folic acid per day resulted in clinical improvement, whereas placebo did not. Less.

Both folic acid and vitamin B12 are used in the body to manufacture serotonin and other neurotransmitters. It is well known that deficiency of either nutrient is associated with depression. There is some evidence that patients diagnosed with mania are also more likely to have folate deficiencies than healthy controls. Other studies, however, have found that folic acid deficiency was not more common in bipolar patients taking lithium than in healthy people. Some studies have found that people who take lithium long term, and who also have high blood levels of folic acid, respond better to lithium. Not all studies have confirmed these findings, however. A double-blind study of patients receiving lithium therapy showed that the addition of 200 mcg of folic acid per day resulted in clinical improvement, whereas placebo did not.

There have been case reports of both mania and depression associated with vitamin B12 deficiency, and these symptoms cleared after treatment with injections of B12. However, B12 deficiency has not been reported in bipolar disorder patients, and no studies have been published investigating the effects of vitamin B12 supplementation in people with bipolar disorder. Less.