Bipolar disorder (BD) is a mental health disorder. It causes severe swings in mood, energy, and function. People who swing between happy and full of energy to a low mood with a poor temper. It can affect school, work, and personal relations.
Treatment can help to gain better control of symptoms. A combination of medicine and therapy can help. Alternative therapies can’t take the place of traditional medicine. However, some may use them along with standard treatments.
Natural Therapies
Likely Effective
- N-Acetylcysteine (NAC) —likely to ease symptoms and improve function B2, B6, B9, B10
- Omega-3 Fatty Acids —may reduce depression (but not mania) in those with BD B1, B4, B5, B9, B11, B12
May Be Effective
- Pregnenolone —may ease symptoms of depression when used with standard treatment B3, B8
Editorial process and description of evidence categories can be found at EBSCO NAT Editorial Process.
Editorial process and description of evidence categories can be found at EBSCO NAT Editorial Process.
Herbs and Supplements to Use Only With Caution
Talk to your doctor about any supplements or therapy you would like to use. Many can interact with antidepressant medicine. Some herbs and supplements that should be noted include:
- Ginseng may worsen symptoms of mania. A1-A2
- Inositol (vitamin B8) may worsen symptoms of mania. B7
- S-Adenosyl-L-Methionine (SAMe) may worsen symptoms of mania. B7
- St. John's Wort may worsen symptoms of mania and interact with certain medicine, such as SSRIs. A1
Revision Information
- Reviewer: EBSCO NAT Review Board
- Review Date: 03/2019 -
- Update Date: 03/27/2019 -