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Manic Depression / Bipolar Disorder
A bipolar condition with cyclic states of mania and depression. In 85% of cases, depression dominates the
personality cycle.
Preventing and Reversing Lithium Toxicity and Side Effects With Essential Fatty Acids
Over a decade ago, a woman visited Tahoma Clinic on the advice of her psychiatrist. She was "severely bipolar," requiring a maximum dose of lithium carbonate to keep her symptoms under control. Despite close monitoring of serum lithium levels to maintain a safe range, she was starting to show many signs of lithium toxicity, including hypertension, tremor, nausea, and proteinuria. She and her psychiatrist had tried other medications, but none provided the control of her bipolar symptoms that lithium did. As she asked: "Is there an alternative to either the psych ward or the medical wing?"
Fortunately, there was, and is. Without changing her lithium dose, she was asked to start on flaxseed oil, one tablespoon (15cc's) three times daily along with 800 IUs of vitamin E (mixed tocopherols). One month later, her blood pressure had normalized, her tremor and nausea were gone, and there was no further protein in the urine. Her bipolar symptoms remained under control. She was advised to cut the flaxseed oil to one tablespoon daily along with 400 IUs of vitamin E. Several years later, her lithium toxicity hasn't returned.
We're grateful to Dr. David Horrobin for this clinical tip. During a years-ago lecture on fatty-acid metabolism, he pointed out in passing that lithium could inhibit a vital step, but that this could be overcome by providing more "precursor" fatty acid to overwhelm that inhibition. This simple procedure works well in vivo as well as in vitro. To
be "on the safe side," a daily amount of flaxseed oil (or other essential fatty acid), along with vitamin E, should be recommended for anyone taking lithium. With low-dose lithium, a teaspoonful or two daily is usually sufficient.
Suggested Nutritional Supplementation
- Lumina - 2 softgels daily.
Lumina is designed to support healthy mental function and relaxation-issues related to proper focus, attention, learning, and memory-through modulating the metabolism of neurotransmitters such as dopamine, gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), and norepinephrine.
- Elo-Plex - 2 tablets 2 times daily with juice on an empty stomach.
Natural mood elevator
Documented benefits in both bi- and unipolar depression.
- Flax Seed Oil - 1 tablespoon 3 times daily
- E-Complex 1:1 - 2 softgels twice daily with meals
E Complex-1:1 is a unique, natural vitamin E supplement that features a 1:1 ratio of alpha- to gamma- tocopherol; this ratio more closely resembles the tocopherol profile found naturally in vitamin E-rich plants.
- Wellness EssentialsTM - 1 packet twice daily.
Base nutrition with essential fatty acids and detox support.
- Lithinase - 2-3 capsules 3 times daily with meals.
Bioavailable form of lithium documented in manic depressive cases.
Caution: Not to be used by patients taking prescription lithium
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