DIET AND FITNESS:
Bipolar Disorder --Top 10 Foods
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May 5, 2010, Last Updated April 13, 2011
By Editorial Staff of CollectiveWizdom and Rory
McClenaghan, Contributing Columnist
Bipolar disorder affects people of every age, every race,
every country, every walk of life. From Vincent Van Gogh to
Ernest Hemingway, Winston Churchill, Marilyn Monroe -- the
list of bipolar sufferers is a long and distinguished one. On
April 13, 2011, the actress Catherine Zeta-Jones confirmed
that she too suffers from bipolar disorder. But the fame and
success of these individuals masked the private pain of
depression and wild mood swings.
And bipolar disorder is not just a problem for the rich and
famous. According to Mental Health America, over 2 million
Americans suffer from bipolar disorder.
Bipolar disorder (also known as manic depression) covers
anyone who has suffered at least one episode of serious
depression or mania. Sufferers' moods swing from giddy
highs to terrible lows, with periods of normalcy in between.
It not only complicates the lives of sufferers but those of
their friends and family too. It is a very serious condition,
which should be treated through standard medical channels.
But there are changes you can make to your diet to alleviate
the suffering and mood swings caused by the illness. Is
there an ideal diet for bipolar disorder? What foods help to
decrease the mood swings of bipolar disorder?
The link between certain nutritional deficiencies and bipolar
diorder is strong. Notably, Vitamin B12 deficiency has been
strongly linked to bipolar disorder. We have pulled together
a comprehensive list of the Top 10 foods and vitamins that
research has shown can be helpful in treating bipolar
disorder:
1. High-protein low-carbs – Research has shown that a diet
high in protein and low in carbs --a ketogenic diet --can help
bipolar sufferers stabilize their moods (El-Mallakh, 2001, The
ketogenic diet may have mood-stabilizing properties). A
ketogenic diet is a low carbohydrate diet, similar to the
Atkins Diet. You should work with a dietician to come up
with a daily plan, but the standard diet includes a lot of dairy
and meat, for fat and protein, and very low levels of
carbohydrates.
2. Avoid weight gain – Obesity is strongly linked with manic
depression. Research by Susan Simmons-Alling and Sandra
Talley in 2008 found that 35% of bipolar sufferers were
obese. Whether this is as a result of the medication they are
on or just triggered by their depressive state of mind, no-
one is certain. What is certain is that obesity is not healthy.
So bipolar sufferers must pay particular attention to eating a
healthy diet with plenty of fruit and vegetables.
3. Lithium – A treatment for many mental disorders,
including bipolar disorder, lithium salts are well-known to be
an effective mood-stabilizer. It was recommended by the
Food and Drug Administration as a treatment for depression
in 1970 and in 2003 a study published in the Journal of
Clinical Psychiatry showed it can reduce the risk of suicide
(Lithium Treatment and Suicide Risk in Major Affective
Disorders: Update and New Findings). Lithium is usually
administered by doctors as a supplement, but you can top up
your levels with lithium-rich foods like dairy products,
seaweed and lemon.
4. Salt – If you are taking lithium, it is very important to keep
a consistent level of salt in your body. Sodium stabilizes
lithium levels, so if the level of salt in your body goes up and
down it will make the lithium less effective. Work with your
physician or a dietician to come up with a plan.
5. Oily fish – A study in 1999 (Omega 3 Fatty Acids in Bipolar
Disorder) showed that foods rich in Omega 3 fatty acids, like
oily fish, can act as mood-stabilizers for bipolar sufferers.
Salmon and cod are both rich in Omega 3.
6. Low tyramine foods – Many sufferers are prescribed MAO
inhibitors to treat their depression. When these combine
with tyramine in the body they can cause diarrhea and
headaches. People on these drugs should avoid consuming
too much wine and cheese, both of which are high in
tyramine.
7. Leafy green vegetables – These contain folic acid which is
used to make serotonin. Studies like the one conducted by
Rosenbaum JF, Fava M, Faulk WE, et al, in 1999 (The
antidepressant potential of oral S-adenosyl-l-methionine),
have shown that there is a link between folic acid deficiency
and depression.
8. Vitamin B12-rich foods – Like folic acid, Vitamin B12
deficiency has been found to be linked to depression (Myths
about vitamin B12 deficiency, Fine EJ, Soria ED, 1991).
Vitamin B12 is believed to alleviate symptoms of manic
depression by suppressing the activity of glutamate and
gaba synthesis, similar to the way the drugs lithium and
valporate work. Dairy, meat and fish are all good sources of
Vitamin B12 and many supplements are available.
9. Vitamin C Foods. Broccoli, citrus fruit and strawberries –
All of these are great sources of Vitamin C. While it does not
fight depression directly, Vitamin C helps the body reduce
vanadium levels. Studies like the one published in Psychol
Med in 1981 (Vanadium: a possible aetiological factor in
manic depressive illness) have shown that diets high in
Vitamin C and low in vanadium alleviate the symptoms of
bipolar disorder.
10. Routine – Although not a food, routine is one of the
most important things for a bipolar sufferer and this counts
for food as well. A study in 2006 found disruption in routine
to be a significant factor in the recurrence of bipolar disorder
(The Importance of Routine for Preventing Recurrence in
Bipolar Disorder). With that in mind, sufferers should stick to
a regime of three meals a day, at the same times, using the
foods outlined above.
You're just getting started. Learn more about the
relationship between your diet and your risk for other
diseases and conditions: Top 10 Foods That Fight Depression
/ Ideal Diet to Battle Schizophrenia / How Much Is Too
Much Salt? /Sugar-The Disease Connection / Are Diet Sodas
Bad for Your Health? / Ideal Breakfast for Diabetics / Ideal
Breakfast for Arthritis /Healing Foods Links / Foods That
Shrink Your Waist / Foods That Lower Cholesterol/ VLDL-
The Other Cholesterol/ Foods That Reduce Blood Pressure
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