Fish Oil Bipolar Disorder Benefits

Fish oil bipolar benefits are well-known and well-proven. And these positive effects exist because fish oil is rich in the omega 3 fatty acids, DHA and EPA. Thus, if you or someone you know is suffering from bipolar disorder, you may want to give omega 3's a try.

Someone suffering from bipolar disorder goes through alternating phases of feeling "high" or manic and feeling low or depressed. For this reason, this condition is also referred to as manic depression. An affected person could experience these alternating phases for as short as hours to as long as weeks, depending on how serious the condition is. Typically, one extreme would dominate, with the other extreme taking place more briefly.

Any form of depression, if sufficiently severe, can seriously hamper a person's ability to live a normal and happy life. This is no different for bipolar disorder.

The use of fish oil for depression, and specifically for bipolar disorder, has been extensive studied. Indeed, there is much research to prove important fish oil bipolar benefits.

A study which had been conducted at the University of Sheffield had uncovered that omega 3-rich fish oil helped to reduce symptoms of bipolar disorder. Another double-blind study found that persons who suffered from bipolar disorder experienced marked improvement after consuming fish oil supplements for about 4 months.

A study conducted at Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine in Cleveland also stated that fish oil can be useful for the treatment of bipolar disorder. It is said to help stabilize moods, too. A 1999 Harvard study mirrored these findings, having suggested fish oil may be useful for treating manic depression.

More broadly, fish oil health benefits apply to other types of depression, too. It had been revealed that those who ate more fish, which has high amounts of omega 3 fatty acids, were a lot less likely to become depressed, as compared to non-eaters. Persons who were hit by depression were also more likely to have low levels of omega 3's in their bodies.

In addition, omega 3 fatty acids help to stabilize and improve moods. For example, in one month-long double-blind and placebo-controlled trial, it was found that fish oil consumption helped to alleviate depression.

Fish oil bipolar disorder benefits could stem from the fact that omega 3 fatty acids are critical for brain and mental health. Not only do they regulate moods, they are also important for proper brain cell function and for nerve function. They help the brain's re-uptake of serotonin, an important neurotransmitter which regulates moods, too. In fact, it is said that the brain itself is quite significantly made up of omega 3 fats!

With fish oil bipolar or manic depression benefits so well-proven, it would be a decent idea to give this food a go in dealing with this condition. Indeed, to treat any form of depression fish oil or other sources of omega 3 fatty acids may be something you wish to try.