Scientists from Penn State found that a specific diet could help people with bipolar disorder manage their mood swings better.
Bipolar disorder is a mental health condition that affects a person’s mood, energy, activity level, and ability to function.
It is characterized by episodes of extreme mood swings that can range from very low (depressive) to very high (manic or hypomanic).
During a depressive episode, a person may feel sad, hopeless, and lose interest in things they used to enjoy.
During a manic or hypomanic episode, a person may feel overly happy, irritable, and have high levels of energy and activity.
These episodes can last for days or weeks, and the frequency and severity can vary from person to person.
Bipolar disorder is a lifelong condition that requires ongoing management, often through a combination of medication and therapy.
No two people with bipolar disorder experience it the same way.
Researchers designed a diet to change the levels of certain nutrients found in many foods that people with bipolar disorder consume.
The diet was designed to change the type and amount of fatty acids consumed by the participants while continuing to take their prescribed mood-stabilizing medications.
They tested 82 people with bipolar disorder who went through a 12-week intensive diet intervention. The researchers found that the diet helped improve mood variability in patients with bipolar disorder.
The diet decreased omega-6 fatty acid consumption by limiting certain foods like red meat, eggs, and certain oils, and increased omega-3 fatty acid consumption by adding flax seed and fatty fish like tuna and salmon.
The carefully constructed nutrition plan shows promise for regulating mood between manic and depressive episodes.
Although the researchers found no significant differences in the mean ratings of mood symptoms, the dietary intervention effect on target polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) strongly differed by the group over time.
They concluded that dietary intervention in addition to usual care may help improve mood symptoms in people with bipolar disorder.
The study is published in Bipolar Disorders, and Erika Saunders is one of the authors of the study.
If you care about nutrition, please read studies about how dairy foods may influence depression risk, and B vitamins could help prevent depression and anxiety.
For more information about mental health, please see recent studies that ultra-processed foods may make you feel depressed, and extra-virgin olive oil could reduce depression symptoms.
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