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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 7 of 7. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by henryO on December 2, 2002, at 2:49:14
This first link is an exhaustive letter and contains some valuable info:
http://www.bipolarchild.com/newsletters/0501.html
The second link is a bit less concise but intresting:
http://www.positivehealth.com/permit/Articles/Nutrition/sald19.htm
The last link is a commercial site:
This last link is for Omegabrite fish oil capsules, the highest EPA to DHA ratio available in a completely scent free formula. (No fish burps) It promotes a book by Andrew L. Stoll, M.D., Director of the Psycho-pharmacology Research Laboratory at Harvard's McLean Hospital, about the latest fish oil / essential fatty acids research. (conducted by him) I read it. It basicly says that he belives it is the EPA at 1000mgs a day that does the trick. Not cod liver oil, too much vitamin A. He sells the Omega brite. Yes, he admits it looks like a conflict but says he could not get his patients a contaminant free reliable source for EPA so he contracted for one. At least he's open about it.
He says that vegetable sources are not converted internally by the body at sufficent amounts to achive the desired levels. So Flax and Perilla etc. are certainly beneficial to your diet but not sufficent.
Personally, so far, after about a month on fish oil, at doses enough to supply 1gm of EPA per day, I think that I am experiencing positive effects, i.e. elevated mood. But I have not taken it long enough to say with conviction. I'll keep posting about it, but I would have to have at least two years of experience with it to feel that the effect was trustworthy. I am hopeful.
Posted by bluedog on December 2, 2002, at 3:32:39
In reply to Fish oil links that may be appreciated, posted by henryO on December 2, 2002, at 2:49:14
> This last link is for Omegabrite fish oil capsules.....It promotes a book by Andrew L. Stoll, M.D., Director of the Psycho-pharmacology Research Laboratory at Harvard's McLean Hospital, about the latest fish oil / essential fatty acids research. (conducted by him)
Thanks for the links.Can anyone say whether Stolls book is essential reading or has everything in the book already been extensively covered on psychobabble? In other words should I spend my money on purchasing a copy?
thanks
bluedog
Posted by Ed O`Flaherty on December 2, 2002, at 4:13:27
In reply to Re: Fish oil links that may be appreciated, posted by bluedog on December 2, 2002, at 3:32:39
> > This last link is for Omegabrite fish oil capsules.....It promotes a book by Andrew L. Stoll, M.D., Director of the Psycho-pharmacology Research Laboratory at Harvard's McLean Hospital, about the latest fish oil / essential fatty acids research. (conducted by him)
>
>
> Thanks for the links.
>
> Can anyone say whether Stolls book is essential reading or has everything in the book already been extensively covered on psychobabble? In other words should I spend my money on purchasing a copy?
>
> thanks
> bluedog
>
> I would not say that the book is essential reading but I did find it very interesting and I think many people on this board will find it worthwhile buying it.Even one piece of information can make a great deal of difference if you are feeling unwell.Read the reviews on www.amazon.com and decide for yourself.Seeing that many doctors know nothing about fish oil there is a strong case to be made for finding out about it yourself.One psychiatrist told me recently he prescribes it every day while another,who is a professor in a famous university,said he never recommends it and appeared to me to actually know nothing about it.
Posted by bubblegumchewer on December 2, 2002, at 9:30:10
In reply to Fish oil links that may be appreciated, posted by henryO on December 2, 2002, at 2:49:14
I did, and never finished it, so there was no financial loss to me. I may check it out again.
Posted by bluedog on December 3, 2002, at 10:48:04
In reply to You can also get that book at the library, posted by bubblegumchewer on December 2, 2002, at 9:30:10
Posted by catmint on December 3, 2002, at 14:37:35
In reply to Thanks - Ed O'Flaherty and (nm) » bubblegumchewer, posted by bluedog on December 3, 2002, at 10:48:04
A Dose-Ranging Study of the Effects of Ethyl-Eicosapentaenoate in Patients With Ongoing Depression Despite Apparently Adequate Treatment With Standard Drugs
Malcolm Peet, MB, ChB, FRCPsych; David F. Horrobin, DPhil, BM, BCh
Background In depressed patients, low blood levels of eicosapentaenoic acid are seen. We tested the antidepressive effect of ethyl-eicosapentaenoate in these patients.Methods We included 70 patients with persistant depression despite ongoing treatment with an adequate dose of a standard antidepressant. Patients were randomized on a double-blind basis to placebo or ethyl-eicosapentaenoate at dosages of 1, 2, or 4 g/d for 12 weeks in addition to unchanged background medication. Patients underwent assessment using the 17-item Hamilton Depression Rating Scale, the Montgomery-Asberg Depression Rating Scale, and the Beck Depression Inventory.
Results Forty-six (88%) of 52 patients receiving ethyl-eicosapentaenoate and 14 (78%) of 18 patients receiving placebo completed the 12-week study with no serious adverse events. The 1-g/d group showed a significantly better outcome than the placebo group on all 3 rating scales. In the intention-to-treat group, 5 (29%) of 17 patients receiving placebo and 9 (53%) of 17 patients receiving 1 g/d of ethyl-eicosapentaenoate achieved a 50% reduction on the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale score. In the per-protocol group, the corresponding figures were 3 (25%) of 12 patients for placebo and 9 (69%) of 13 patients for the 1-g/d group. The 2-g/d group showed little evidence of efficacy, whereas the 4-g/d group showed nonsignificant trends toward improvement. All of the individual items on all 3 rating scales improved with the 1-g/d dosage of ethyl-eicosapentaenoate vs placebo, with strong beneficial effects on items rating depression, anxiety, sleep, lassitude, libido, and suicidality.
Conclusion Treatment with ethyl-eicosapentaenoate at a dosage of 1 g/d was effective in treating depression in patients who remained depressed despite adequate standard therapy.
Arch Gen Psychiatry. 2002;59:913-919
Posted by HenryO on January 12, 2003, at 4:54:38
In reply to Fish oil links that may be appreciated, posted by henryO on December 2, 2002, at 2:49:14
See my first post in this thread for good Omega3 fish oil info.
It has been over two months now and I am certainly impressed with fish oil, that is Omega3's- that is EPA and DHA (mostly EPA). I feel distinctly undepressed. I have been using Omegabrite. It has the smallest pills, 500mg, and the highest concentration of EPA, so one need only take three a day. I have tried Carlson fish oil, lemon flavored, it has very high Omega3 fatty acid levels, if you can't take pills, but I found drinking oil not to my liking. Omegabrite is far and away the least burpy and or smelly of the four highest Omega3 containing fish oil supplements I was able to find. I have discovered however that I can tolerate the Kirkland brand from Costco. They are 1000mg size, to reach the 1gm of EPA per day dose that Dr.Stoll recommends it takes six. Unlike many people I have no problem swallowing larger pills. The bottle of 300 softgels from Costco is $6.95 You really have to read the fine print on some brands. They say "contains 180mg of EPA" but in the fine print, that refers to the serving size, which turns out to be 2 capsules. So to get 1gm of EPA you have to take twelve 1000mg capsules. You could go through a jar of those brands every 4 days. Some of the fish oil supplements out there are pretty stinking. That's the number one reason for noncompliance, don't settle for smelly fish oil. So from my experience Omegabrite it is. It is screened for mercury and other heavy metals and in the end it is a lot cheaper than most meds. It doesn't smell too fishy and I can get it sent regularly in the mail.
I have NOT ceased to need meds altogether I am currently weighing the merits of Lexapro versus Lamictal. Any ideas? I must say that getting off Prozac has done wonders for my libido and my, uhm, functioning. I still like Concerta very much. I'm keeping the Pindolol and Resperdal close by in reserve because I am always concerned that depression might return at any moment with a vengeance. But it hasn't. So there is my update for what its worth. Thank you
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