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UC studies fish oil as bipolar remedy


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http://news.cincinnati.com/article/2010022...+bipolar+remedy

 

UC studies fish oil as bipolar remedy

 

 

Researchers at the University of Cincinnati want to know if fish oil, long known for boosting heart health, can prevent bipolar disorder in children and teens.

 

Psychiatrist Maria DelBello is recruiting children and teens who have extreme moodiness or depression, as well as children and teens who have a parent with bipolar disorder.

 

Those children and teens are at higher risk for one day developing bipolar disorder, a serious mental illness characterized by severe mood swings, shifts in energy levels and erratic behavior.

 

The disorder affects about 5.7 million adults in the United States. It's found equally in men and women, and is the sixth-leading cause of disability worldwide. About two-thirds of people with bipolar disorder have a close relative with it or with major depression.

 

But clinicians are often frustrated in trying to treat them appropriately, DelBello said.

 

"They often present with symptoms that look like depression or ADHD," she said. "And we think the meds we have available may precipitate mania. There's biological evidence to support that, and we see it clinically all the time."

 

A growing body of research suggests the omega-3 fatty acids in fish oil supplements may protect brain development and prevent the chemical imbalances that lead to serious mental illnesses. Omega-3 fatty acids are also found in cold water fish such as salmon, tuna, mackerel and sardines, as well as walnuts, flax and pumpkin seeds.

 

Earlier this month, Austrian researchers announced findings that fish oil supplements seemed to prevent the onset of full-blown psychosis in teens and young adults at-risk for developing schizophrenia.

 

"It's a pretty remarkable effect," DelBello said.

 

Previously published research has shown that people with depression and schizophrenia have low levels of the omega-3 oil DHA in their brains.

 

DelBello and other researchers believe omega-3 fatty acids stabilize structures in the brain that allow neurochemical signals between cells to operate efficiently. Those signals govern brain function and mood.

 

If the compounds are safe and effective, they'd give clinicians alternatives with fewer side effects than current medications, DelBello said, as well as helping prevent the onset of diseases that are often disabling.

 

DelBello's study is part of ongoing research at UC looking at the impact of omega-3 fatty acids on brain function.

 

Researcher Robert McNamara has done several studies on the compounds.

 

Studies done in lab rats show animals deprived of omega-3 fatty acids exhibit signs of depression and aggressive behavior, he said. Those animals are also found to be deficient in the neurochemicals governing those behaviors.

 

McNamara has a study in the current online edition of the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition showing that the omega-3 fatty acid DHA improved boys' ability to focus during cognitive tasks when compared to placebo.

 

The compounds show great promise, he said.

 

"DHA deficiency is potentially part of the physiology of these disorders," he said. "Replacing it, normalizing it makes a lot more sense than just sort of treating the symptoms."

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me again :D

 

fishoil is remarkable in the many things it can be helpful for!! I know of someone who was able to remain without medications for severe ADHD just by taking good, pure fishoil supplements! and have seen these reports re bipolar help too

 

 

 

I do just need to point out for those who also have a TS diagnosis that for reasons not understood, SOME, not all, people with TS seem to tic more when they take fishoil supplements, even tho they seem able to eat fish without problem

 

my son is one who has elevated tics if he takes fishoil supps. we have numerous more reports of this on the ts/tics forum here

 

flaxseed oil supps, as well as eating healthy amounts of wild alaskan salmon and other omega 3 rich foods seems to be a good substitute for the fishoil capsules for those who show this sensitivity

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Hi Vickie

 

only the fishoil supps (liquids and capsules...my son has tried most versions) so yes, other oils with omega 3 seem to be fine (my son takes flaxseed oil which has high omega 3s) EATING fish also seems to be fine...it just seems to be something about the fishoil alone that sets off tics for some people with TS

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as a follow up to the info that some people with TS seem to show intolerance for fishoil

 

I got this info from someone today

 

In addition, i noted your comment about your son's inability to take fish oil. (He may) possess a genetic mutation to the gene which encodes a transport protein for xenobiotics plus several endogenous substances to be moved across the membrane of hepatocytes into the liver for detoxification. The gene is SLCO1B1. In addition to statins this transport protein is responsible for movement of EPA into the liver for metabolization--as well as bile--which messes up the feedback mechanism for cholesterolgenesis, resulting in higher cholesterol levels for those individuals with this mutation--resulting in treatment with statins.This mutation is present in a large percentage of the population

https://oa.doria.fi/bitstream/handle...pdf?sequence=1

the transport protein is also responsible for movement of a class of anti hypertensives as well as a class of anti diabetic agents. .

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I was actually just reading about this! But as a more broad range topic. I have come to realize that our DD has a problem with general inflammation. She clearly has PANDAS, but since Jan 31, she has already been on steroids twice with an IVIG in between them. Another mom who has an autoimmue disease herself asked me if we had tried an anti-inflammatory diet yet. I was just looking this up this afternoon when I came across the fish oil as part of this diet. I'm very interested in it but also a bit dismayed because I feel like DD is already naturally drawn to these foods anyway.

 

I'm interested to read the rest of the replies. I'm also interested if anyone else has tried an anti inflammatory diet with their children yet?

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I'm also interested if anyone else has tried an anti inflammatory diet with their children yet?

 

Hi

 

my son is on an anti-inflammatory diet for his Crohn's Disease, which is also auto immune

 

In addition to the careful diet, he takes no medications, only specific supplements for his Crohn's, TS and OCD

 

he is doing great on this

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Chemar,

 

Is your son seeing a dietician for this? Or are there sites that you would recommend as particualrly helpful for this diet? I've done some reading but so far, things seem more vague than I would like. Do you have any tips for me? I'm thrilled to hear that this is helping you. As I was reading about it today I was really thinking that this is something that could be really helpful for us.

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Chemar,

 

Is your son seeing a dietician for this? Or are there sites that you would recommend as particualrly helpful for this diet? I've done some reading but so far, things seem more vague than I would like. Do you have any tips for me? I'm thrilled to hear that this is helping you. As I was reading about it today I was really thinking that this is something that could be really helpful for us.

 

Hi

I replied to the PM too, but will also post the info here in case anyone else is interested

 

do remember tho that my son is on his diet/supps for Crohn's, TS/OCD so PANDAS patients may need variations

 

we based a lot of his diet on info from Dr Weil, I have a number of his books and here is also some info on anti-inflamm diet from his website

http://www.drweil.com/drw/u/ART02012/anti-inflammatory-diet

 

as well as on the book The Makers Diet by Jordan Rubin (altho we didnt follow that to the letter...rather just got ideas and recipes, and we dont use the website subscription at all as I find that ridiculously pricey)

 

My son is recently gluten and dairy and corn free, not because he has any food allergies, but because he has personally found this helps decrease inflammation. He is high on omega 3s and tries to keep omega 6 low, as well as choosing foods that are low glycemic index

 

a lot of his diet is based on personal choice, as he has learned the foods that seem to work best for him. remember too he is now 20yo and has been dealing with all this since in elementary school, so we have had a lot of trial and error along the way!

 

The Boswellin/curcumin supplement is an essential part of his diet, as is extra turmeric garlic, ginger and honey

 

I recently updated on his current supplements on my long running thread on the TS forum as to which treatments help him

http://www.latitudes.org/forums/index.php?...ost&p=55099

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yes, my son's theory is that people are ingesting so much corn, its "byproducts" and most importantly, its

"chemically" altered forms :unsure: like high fructose corn syrup HFCS that something has changed in the way humans were meant to eat corn!!!

 

HFCS sets off both severe gut reaction for him re the Crohn's inflammation, but also spikes his tics and OCD

 

Corn often has mold contamination and that is another big trigger for neuro and general health stuff

 

I believe there are sooo many artificial food additives that are messing with people's minds and bodies, and one of our naturopaths feels many ails that people have are related to this form of multiple chemical sensitivity (MCS) because of the overexposure to these things from cradle to grave.

 

we absolutely avoid all food additives like HFCS, also the dreaded food dyes!!, and Splenda/sucralose, aspartame/Nutrasweet, MSG (and all its hidden forms in those ubiquitous "natural" <_< flavorings! ....carrageenan, sodium benzoate and other chemical preservatives, maltodextrin, etc etc etc. Basically if it has a long list of ingedients we are suspicious!

 

Same with chemically enhanced household products,especially those with chlorine, also perfumes, toiletries with lots of additives and dyes, PESTICIDES! etc etc

 

We discovered the hard way just how those things negatively impact my son's (and our general) health

and saw dramatic improvements when we went "pure" in organic foods and as chemical free everything else as possible

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I'm glad to see some of this info re anti-inflammatory diet being put out on this side of the board. PANDAS or not, I do think it can be beneficial to look at some of the things in the American diet that can cause or add to our kids neuro problems. Nightshades could be one, i.e. tomatoes, potatoes, eggplant, peppers....And I totally beleive in the dreaded 'corn' as being a major culprit in our diets, we've discussed that lots over the years. I feel like I have had some success on corn free for a time in alleviating certain tics, altho not absolute, however my son is son thin it is just impossible to restrict any foods from him right now. I wish I could, but he looks almost anorexic at this point. I know some have said that going gluten free actually helps people to gain weight over time once their systems adjust, but since carbs are mostly what my son eats, i don't really know how to pull that off, if he lost any weight, it would be bad. <_<

 

 

-Faith

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Faith, there are so many great rice products available to substitute for the wheat and corn to get those carbs

 

my son by choice is also avoiding white potatoes and nuts, as he feels they upset his crohn's. He tolerates tomatoes well tho, but not green and red peppers and hates eggplant! lol so never eats it

 

so that makes our choices less, but we really have been surprised at how easy it has been to substitute with brown rice products. He uses a little soy to substitute for some of the dairy stuff

 

he does eat a lot of fruit and veggies and salad, all of which his Crohn's and TS symptoms seem to be ok with, even the salicylate ones, but he has found grapes, pineapple and watermelon irritate the Crohn's so avoids those

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I guess I could try using alot of rice with some good toppings. its not really bread tht he eats, he won't eat sandwhiches, and lately can't stand the site of white bread as there is a kid at his lunchtable who squashes it into a ball and it grosses him out! but I don't think the gluten free works unless you go all the way. not sure if I could do it.

 

hates eggplant? ^_^ Welsh people! :)

 

btw, I think fresh pineapple juice is supposed to be anti-inflammatory, I recall actually juicing that a few years back for tht reason for myself, as I was actually looking at inflammation as a possible reason for having difficulty conceiving for a while. hey, I guess it worked! :)

 

Faith

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