Bipolar Disorder & Fish Oil

Bipolar disease is a mental health mood instability disorder that features extremes of mania (high activity states) and depression (low activity states). People with bipolar disorder are generally advised to take medications to moderate their mood swings so that they can function in their daily lives. Also called manic-depression, this condition is often helped by fish oil, a supplement also known as Omega-3.

Causes Of Bipolar Disorder

• The underlying causes of bipolar disorder are not clearly understood but, according to the Mayo Clinic, recent research indicates that, biochemical, genetic and environmental factors may all play a causal role in the illness. Some research suggests that a pre-disposition toward the illness may be genetic and that the pre-disposition may be triggered by a period of high stress, trauma or loss.

Treatments For Bipolar Disorder

• Treatment recommendations for bipolar disorder typically include anti-depressant, mood stabilizer and anti-seizure and occasionally anti-psychotic medications. Psychotherapy treatments often include cognitive behavior therapy, family and group therapy. Often the medications prescribed to treat bipolar or major depression cause significant side effects. These side effects may be bad enough that the individual stops taking the medication or seeks alternatives for mood management. Among the treatment options for mood modification or stabilization is Omega-3 fatty acids, more commonly called fish oil.

Fish Oil Treatments For Mood Disorders

• Omega-3 (fish oil) is well documented to provide cardiovascular benefits, as noted by Marlene P. Freeman et.al. in her 2006 article published in the Journal of Clinical Psychiatry, with only minor concerns such as the level of mercury (and other heavy metals) that might be found in some oily fish and fish products. Studies as far back as 1999 noted the capability of Omega-3 to maintain or improve mood stability. Evidence now supports the use of EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid) and DHA (docosahexaenoic acid) combinations (components of Fish Oil) as an adjunctive treatment in psychiatric mood disorders (such as bipolar).

Recommended Dosages Of Fish Oil

• Support for the use of Omega-3 is growing and the American Heart Association suggests that, "all adults should eat fish at least two times each week, patients with mood, impulse control, psychotic disorders should consume 1-gram of EPA plus DHA per day. A supplement may be useful in patients with mood disorders (1-9 grams per day -- over 3 grams a day should be under the direction and monitoring of a physician)."

Benefits

• The growing evidence that fish oil as a complement to other treatments may improve bipolar disorder outcomes with minimal side effects may offer some relief in the form of alternatives to some less-well tolerated options. It should be noted that fish oil is not recommended as a primary treatment at this time and there is evidence that fish oil may have an efficacy ceiling or dose ceiling. These remain questions to be answered by further studies. In general, select fish oil (from fish or supplements) that come from deep ocean fish, which are less likely to be exposed to shore-based contaminants.