Friday, June 3, 2011

Bipolar Disorder is treated by Fish Oil

Bipolar disorder is a category of mood disorders that characterized by the presence of one or more episodes of abnormally raised energy levels, mood, and cognition with or without one or more episodes of depression. The person, who is suffering from this disorder, may experience mood swing from one extreme to another. Many medicines and treatment are available to get rid from bipolar disorder but fish oil is best and easy option. Until now, fish oil is used to treat depression but now researchers think that bipolar disorder is also treated by fish oil, which can be obtained by eating fish or taking supplements.

Bipolar Disorder is treated by Fish Oil



About bipolar disorder

Bipolar disorder can take place at any age among the men and women but often it founds in the 18-24 years of people. Bipolar disorder is also known as manic–depressive disorder, manic depression and bipolar affective disorder. Mood changes in bipolar disorder are different from ordinary mood swings as it interferes the persons’ ability to work. Sufferer feels manic, hypomania or depressive episodes which may be for days, weeks or months. Sometimes person may experience the mixed episodes of manic and depressive.

Generally, a depressive episode comes first in which person experience devastating feelings of hopelessness and sometimes it leads to thoughts of suicide. During a manic episode, sufferer may spend lots of money on the things which he/she can’t afford, feels very happy, talk speedily etc. The exact cause of this disorder can not be found but frequently genetic factor plays important role to develop this condition.

Person, who is suffering from this situation, may feel irritability, tiredness, physical and mental slowness, loss of energy, can’t experience the pleasure, feeling of sad or hopeless, changes in weight, problems related to the concentration and memory, sleep problem etc.

How bipolar is treated by fish oil?

Now, the new study and researches show that bipolar disorder is treated by fish oil. Sufferer can consume fish or fish oil supplement as they are rich source of omega-3 fatty acids which manage the mood swings. To promote the brain function of depressed person, his/her brain should be properly nourished with oxygen and glucose. Fish oil has ability to increase the flow of oxygen.

EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid) and DHA (docosahexaenoic acid) are main ingredients in omega 3 fish oil. These ingredients are more helpful to prevent many diseases including bipolar disorder. Add oily fish in your diet to increase the fish oil amounts. Fish oil capsules are available in the market but always purchase it from reputable companies. Consult your doctor before you take supplements.

Researchers have conducted the study on mice by giving them the fatty acid DHA which can be obtained from fish oil. Mice have stopped the manic as well as depressive behavior. According to some sources, fish oil may improve symptoms of depression as well as increase the time period between the two episodes of bipolar disorder. However, it has no effect on manic symptoms of manic phase of this disorder.

One study suggests that patients with major depression may experience better result from Omega-3 supplements. One research recommends that fish oil may improve symptoms of bipolar disorder in some cases but it has some side effects including nosebleeds, nausea and heartburn. People should consume fish oil only 3 grams or less in a day as more than that quantity may keep blood from clotting and person may suffer from bleeding.

Side effects of fish oil

No doubt that fish oil helps to treat bipolar disorder but it has some side effects. So be aware about it before going to add fish oil in your diet. It is your choice whether you take some risk of side effect to treat bipolar disorder by consuming the fish oil or not.

  • When you take fish oil, initially you may feel diarrhea for short period.
  • Nose bleeding is also reported in some cases.
  • If you are consuming other blood thinners along with fish oil then blood thinning effect will aggregate. But do not stop to take it, if you have any heart disease as it is more effective for heart.
  • You may feel abdominal discomfort but it will disappear after some days.
  • First consult your doctor if you are pregnant, have any type of health issues or allergy of fish.
  • The common effect is fishy aftertaste. Gastrointestinal side effect is also found. It can be reduced by taking the fish with meal.
  • Reduction in blood pressure is also reported side effect while taking the fish oil. However, the impact of blood pressure depends on the dose taken.
  • 5 to 10% increment can be found in low-density lipoprotein levels due to consumption of fish oil. It depends on the dose that has been taken by the sufferer.

2 comments:

Yeah I have heard and read many times that Vitamin D sources, actually the fish oil can help in reducing the psychic problems. I have also seen some patients who had got benefit from this.
-sinus flush

Make sure you get enough calcium with the fish oil. The omega-3 fats in fish oil raise the level of calcium available to your neurons and calcium lessens their excitability.

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