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- Title
Micronutrient augmentation of conventional medication for the treatment of bipolar disorder.
- Authors
Mehl-Madrona, L.; Mcfarlane, P.
- Abstract
Introduction:Most patients diagnosedwith bipolar disorder remain symptomatic with depression more prominent than mania. Saturation of enzymatic cofactors has been a successful strategy for improving a number of genetic disorders. Wewondered if a high-dose, highpotency micronutrient formula with fish oil could reduce the symptom burden among patients without increasing side effects. Objectives: We aimed to conduct a randomized, double-blinded, controlled trial of micronutrient+fish oil versus placebo vitamins and oil with an aim of enrolling 127 patients with 97 receiving at least 4 months of treatment in a 3-2 design stratified on age. We excluded only those people who were unable to complete questionnaires or come for follow-up. Methods: A 36-ingredient micronutrient supplement was used (Empower Plus; True Hope) with high doses of all 36 ingredients but nevertheless remaining under the recommended maximum daily allowance. A fish oil preparation (Wylie's Finest) was also used in doses that would provide 2100 mg of eicosapentaneoic acid daily. Each company prepared an equivalent placebo for us that resembled the active substances in every way. Subjects received baseline evaluations and were seen monthly for 12 months. An additional open label trial of one year is now underway. Results: We saw statistically significant improvements in a composite z-score of compromised of individual z-scores of overall symptomatology, dose of medications, and side effects among the group receiving micronutrients compared to placebo. Conclusions: Micronutrient augmentation of patients with bipolar can improve symptoms without the need to increase conventional medications and without an increase in side effects.
- Subjects
BIPOLAR disorder; FISH oils; DRUGS; GENETIC disorders; SELF-efficacy; HYPOMANIA
- Publication
European Psychiatry, 2020, Vol 63, pS68
- ISSN
0924-9338
- Publication type
Article