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Essential fatty acids

What are essential fatty acids for bipolar disorder?

A supplementary, or adjunctive, treatment is administered in conjunction with a patient’s ongoing antipsychotic therapy, in an attempt to treat symptoms or improve functions that are not addressed by the antipsychotic alone. One important group of compounds that have been suggested as an adjunctive therapy are essential fatty acids (EFAs). The two main EFAs are omega-3 and omega-6. They are important compounds for brain function, as they have impact on membrane receptors, ion channels and synapse function, as well as neuronal development.

What is the evidence for essential fatty acids?

Moderate to high quality evidence suggests adjunctive omega-3 is more effective than placebo for depression but not mania symptoms.

November 2021

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Last updated at: 4:39 pm, 29th November 2021
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