Treatments that Have Show Some Benefit in Scientific Testing:
- EPA Omega-3 Fish Oils - Research suggests that people that
have bipolar disorder may benefit by up to a 25% reduction in symptoms
when they take fish oil capsules that are high in the EPA ( ... ) form
of oil. It is important to be careful about the type of fish oil you
are using - because not all fish oils are effective. The researchers
at the University of Scheffield tell us that "What people really
need to be looking at is the amount of EPA in the fish oil they are
buying. Our data from previous studies suggests that DHA is of little
use in the treatment of schizophrenia but EPA is the substance that
yield the best results. Dosage wise it is suggested that about 2 000mg/day
( 2 grams/day) should help."
- Strengths:
- Low cost and Wide availability of EPA fish oil capsules in
North America, Europe and Asia.
- Low Risk - EPA fish oil has been consumed by people for thousands
of years and appear to have little or no side effect or negative
impact on the body
- Weaknesses:
- Not nearly as effective and quick-acting as anti-psychotic
medications - and therefore EPA fish oils should never be used
as a replacement for traditional medications - only as an additional
therapy for schizophrenia.
- Some research has suggested that fish oils may be "pro-oxidative"
and therefore it may be advisable to take some anti-oxidant
vitamins (vitamin E, vitamin C, Alpha Lipoic Acid, etc.) at
the same time as the fish oil).
- Details and Research:
- ECT (Electro-Convulsive Therapy) -
- Strengths:
- Weaknesses:
- Articles and Research:
- Personal Therapy - Personal Therapy is a psychosocial intervention
designed to help patients with bipolar recognize and respond appropriately
to arousing stimuli improves function and reduces relapse. Personal
therapy, as it is called, aims to create a therapeutic umbrella to protect
the patients from undue personal stress.
- Strengths
- Weaknesses
- Articles and Research:
- Anti-Oxidant Vitamins - Researchers have found a positive
correlation between superoxide generation and the negative symptoms
of bipolar disorder and schizophrenia , indicating a possible role for
oxidative stress in the development of the disease (and the potential
for antioxidants to help in decreasing the risk or severity of the disease).
"There are several lines of evidence to support the contribution
of oxygen free radicals in bipolar disorder, including increased lipid
peroxidation, fatty acids, and alterations in blood levels of antioxidant
enzymes," note Pinkhas Sirota (Tel Aviv University, Israel) and
colleagues.
Higher than normal intake of foods known to have a high content of
antioxidants, as well as supplements of high antioxidant vitamins
(Alpha
Lipoic Acid, Vitamin E, Vitamin C) may have some beneficial impact
on the incidence and progression of the disease. Foods high in antioxidants
include blue berries (frozen or fresh), dried plums, spinach and strawberries.
Note - one must be particularly careful in purchasing vitamin supplements
because it is an entirely unregulated industry and many less than
reputable organizations sell products that do not actually contain
the specified doses. We recommend that any source you choose have
a certified
"GMP" (Good Manufacturing Practices) certification and
approval. (Look for the GMP stamp on the label. One reliable provider
we are familiar in the USA and that we've had good experiences with
is the Internet-store www.iherb.com
- and specifically products from the "NOW
Foods" company. We have no affiliation with either of these
organizations. (Please note that there is no good, repeated
research that we are aware of that supports the idea that any
type of vitamin or fatty acid (EFA) will cure bipolar disorder)
Supporting Research (a sample):
- Vitamin E (for Tardive Dyskenesia) -
- Strengths
- Weaknesses
- Articles and Research:
- Sarcosine (N-methylglycine)
In a recent (2004) Harvard Medical School study with consumers who
suffer from schizophrenia it was revealed that patients who received
sarcosine treatment revealed significant improvements in their positive,
negative, cognitive, and general psychiatric symptoms.
- Strengths
- Weaknesses
- Articles and Research:
New Treatments that are Showing some Early Positive Results
- Trancranial Magnetic Stimulation
- Strengths
- Weaknesses
- Articles and Research:
- Therapy
Discredited or Disproven "treatments" for schizophrenia
- Niacin (also called Vitamin XX)
- Weaknesses
- Articles and Research:
- Vitamin C
- Weaknesses
- Articles and Research:
- Vitamin B6
- Weaknesses
- Articles and Research:
- MegaVitamin Therapy
- Weaknesses
- Articles and Research:
Psycho-Social Therapy for Schizophrenia
Recent News on Other Therapies:
1. The training of social skills
2. Cognitive training programs for the remediation of neurocognitive
deficits,
3. Psychoeducative, coping-orientated interventions with patients and
their families
4. Cognitive-behavioural therapy of residual symptoms
ECT - Electro-convulsive Shock-Therapy
Vitamins for Schizophrenia - Not a Cure
EPA Fish Oils (A type of Omega 3 fatty acid)
Description: What they really need to be looking at is the amount of
EPA in the fish oil they are buying. Our data from previous studies
suggests that DHA is of little use in the treatment of bipolar or schizophrenia
but EPA is the substance that yield the best results. Dosage wise it
is suggested that about 2 000mg/day should help. Remember, however,
this is not definitive we still have a long way to go research wise.
Benefit:
Negatives:
Relevant Research:
Vitamin C
Relevant Research:
Niacin and Nicotinic Acid
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