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Consuming a healthy, balanced diet rich in fruits and vegetables can be beneficial for those who are undergoing treatment for bipolar disorder, suggests a new study.
Bipolar disorder – previously called "manic depression" – is characterized by episodes of depression and abnormally high mood, with periods between the two extremes.
"We found that people with a better diet, a diet with anti-inflammatory properties, or a lower BMI, responded better to added nutraceutical treatment than those who reported a low-quality diet, or a diet with foods that promote inflammation or are overweight, "said lead researcher, Melanie Ashton, of Deakin University in Australia.
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The fact that there are two sets of opposing symptoms means that it is difficult to find an effective treatment, suggests the study presented at the ECNP conference in Barcelona.
Although current drugs are useful, they help better target the symptoms of mania ("active" phase), leaving a lack of effective treatment for people suffering from depressive episodes, he added.
For the study, the team included 133 participants taking either a combination of nutraceuticals (compounds derived from foods such as vitamins or minerals that treat or prevent a disease or disorder), including the anti-inflammatory amino acid n -acetylcysteine (NAC), or NAC alone or a placebo (a dummy pill) for 16 weeks.
The team measured the body mass index (BMI) at the beginning of the study, then measured depression and the person's ability to function in everyday life.
Participants completed a questionnaire on what they usually ate during the year, and the researchers calculated a food quality score that included a healthy diet with many fruits and vegetables, while lower quality diets included more saturated fats, refined carbohydrates and alcohol.
"If we can confirm these findings, this is good news for people with bipolar disorder, because there is an urgent need for better treatments for the depressive phase of bipolar disorder," Ashton said. .
| Edited by: Naqshib Nisar
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