Some people have the misperception that mental illness is a completely different animal than “physical” illness, dismissing nutrition and other healthy practices as being helpful for persons suffering from these more “unseen” ailments.

In reality, the brain is a physical part of the body. It just happens to be in charge! It has the job of controlling our words and actions, as well as thousands of other bodily processes that it manages without our awareness.

Even though a healthy diet, healthy lifestyle, and nutritional supplements may not cure a person with bipolar disorder (although there are some who have controlled their symptoms with an all natural approach) anything that helps the body function more efficiently will have a positive affect on a person’s brain, on their mood, and on their ability to cope with life, just as it does in people without mental illness.

Research has demonstrated that sugar, caffeine, and a poor diet have a negative effect on people with bipolar disorder and increases mood swings. It goes on to show that a balanced diet, nutritional supplements – specifically Omega 3, Magnesium, and Vitamin B – along with reduced caffeine and sugar intake, all help minimize the intensity and frequency of mood swings for bipolar sufferers.

One of the researchers, Evanne Constantine said, “Overall it appears highly apparent that erratic eating patterns/diet and nutritional intake are intrinsically linked to bipolar disorder. Yet, its treatment seldom appears to consider the diets of sufferers. There also appears to be some practitioner stigma attached to assessing the impact this has on the condition because of its perceived association with alternative medicine.”

In May of 1999 Andy Stoll from Brigham and Women’s Hospital at Harvard Medical School published a study that compared 9.6 grams per day of omega-3 fatty acids from fish oil with olive oil (as a placebo) and found that, on nearly every measure, bipolar patients did better on the fish oil supplement.  There was such a difference, in fact, that the study was cut short on ethical grounds.

Since then, there have been several more studies with mixed results. The reason for this seems to be the ratios of EPA to DHA. When fish oil was effective, EPA was 60% or more of the total of the two fatty acids. EPA had to be 200 to 2200 mg more than DHA for the supplement to be effective.

Buying supplements can be tricky though. There are huge differences in the concentration of EPA and DHA in different formulations of fish oil on the market (up to a ten fold difference). So you need to read the labels carefully, and not all of the labels mention the quantities of EPA and DHA separately, many lump the two together and give the total number of milligrams of omega-3 fatty acids.

There are also safety concerns.

Dr. Andrew Weil writes, “Despite assurances from manufacturers, some fish oil supplements probably do contain toxins. My colleague Kathleen Johnson, a nutritionist here at the Arizona Center for Integrative Medicine, tells me that she’s not sure if heavy metals as well as pesticides and PCBs are a problem. However, she notes that results from a study published in 1998 indicate that tests of 44 different fish oil supplement brands sold in 15 countries between 1994 and 1995 revealed appreciable quantities of organochlorines including PCBs and pesticide residues.”

He goes on to confirm the health benefits of fish oil, but cautions: “Choose a brand that provides high levels of both EPA and DHA in the least number of capsules and are distilled to remove PCBs and other contaminants.”

The bottom line: never stop a medication routine without discussing with a doctor, eat a healthy diet, and choose supplements from a company with a proven track record of quality control.