OMEGA-3 SHOWS BENEFIT IN CHILDREN WITH BIPOLAR DISORDER
BOSTON, MA, April 4, 2007 – A recently published study by researchers at Harvard’s Massachusetts General Hospital shows that a specially formulated Omega-3 fatty acid supplement showed beneficial results in a study of children with bipolar disorder. The OmegaBrite™ supplement of high EPA Omega-3 fatty acids was tested for effectiveness and safety on 20 boys and girls with bipolar disorder, 6 to 17 years old, over an eight-week period. Thirty five percent of the children experienced a greater than 50% percent reduction in symptoms with no adverse side effects.
Results from this prospective, open study of monotherapy with Omega-3 fatty acids in the over-the-counter product OmegaBrite suggest that manic symptoms can be rapidly reduced in youths with BPD with a safe and well-tolerated nutritional supplement. The study findings indicate importance of further research on Omega-3, mood disorders and children. The Massachusetts General study, funded by a Stanley Foundation grant, was reported in European Neuropsychopharmacology in February 2007.
Sources:
Eur Neuropsychopharmacol. 2007 Jan 25;
“Omega-3 fatty acid monotherapy for pediatric bipolar disorder: A prospective open-label trial".
