Posted by Lao Tzu on August 1, 2008, at 4:58:01
Hi. I am bipolar, mostly with depression and mood problems, not the type with a lot of manic episodes. I think I've had only 1 real bad manic episode in my life so far. The supplements I have found that help me with bipolar are the following:
B6--100mg at any one time
B12--500-750mcg per day.
B3 (Niacin)--500mg at a time. 250mg in addition to vitamin E, B6, and melatonin for sleep problems.
Niacinamide (a form of B3)--I've found that this may be more tolerable and less side effects than regular Niacin (B3). It also may help more with anxiety than regular Niacin (B3).
Vitamin C--has been helpful at times for depression
Magnesium--helpful for high anxiety states and for depression
Calcium--helpful when depression is accompanied by a lot of anxiety.
Zinc--helpful for anxiety and depression, but I have found that it works well when taken with B12. Can have a depressogenic effect if too much is taken, but can also help with depression if a low dosage is taken. I take 15mg a day, and that helps, along with B12, magnesium, and B6.
Fish oils---very helpful for mood imbalances, but I would recommend starting off at a low dosage (1 or 2 capsules) and increasing this according to what you can tolerate.
Borage seed oil---very helpful for depression when accompanied by fish oils. I wouldn't recommend just taking borage seed oil without supplementing with fish oil as well.
Vitamin E---have found that this vitamin helps with better sleep when accompanied by B3 (Niacin), B6, and melatonin at bedtime.
Melatonin---I started off taking 3mg before bedtime, but I eventually discovered after two months that melatonin alone doesn't solve my sleep problems. When I added vitamin E (200-400IU), B6, and Niacin to my bedtime regimen, I noticed I only had to take 1/4 of a 3mg melatonin tablet to do the trick.
Must note that I have seasonal variations in my depression, which means that I have more anxiety and more energy in the winter months, and less anxiety and less energy in the summer months. Therefore, you may need different supplements according to the season. For example, in winter when I have more anxiety, I take the following supplements:Winter
combination of B12, B6, B3, zinc, magnesium, calcium (if you need it). Fish oil may be good too.
Summercombination of Borage oil, fish oil, vitamin B1 (Thiamine), Vitamin C, and niacinamide (start off at low dosage for help with mood imbalances). Dosing with borage oil and fish oil is a little tricky. May take a few weeks to work out correct dosage of each. They seem to work good together as long as you don't overdo it with either one. I recommend trying 500mg fish capsules rather than 1,000mg fish capsules. That way you can adjust your dosage of fish oil more easily with the borage oil. You want a nice balance of fish oil to borage oil. May take a few weeks to work this out until your body adjusts to the oils. The brands of fish oil I recommend are Fisol or Eskimo-3. They both come in 500mg capsules. I recommend Source Naturals Mega-GLA Borage seed oil.
poster:Lao Tzu
thread:843435
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/alter/20080612/msgs/843435.html