Effects of Nutritional Supplements in Children with Bipolar Disorder
by Mary F. Zesiewicz, MD
The following is a synopsis of a research study completed with 20 children diagnosed with Bipolar Disorder, examining the benefits of glyconutritional supplements:
Bipolar Disorder is diagnosed with increasing frequency in children and adolescents. Approximately 20% of all Bipolar patients experience their first episode during adolescence. Challenges in diagnosis include dif
ferentiation from ADD and other child behavioral disorders. The intensity and severity of mood swings and unprovoked behavioral outbursts create undue suffering for both the children and thier families. Treatment includes both medications and therapy. Mood stabilizers and a newer class of medication, atypical antipsychotics, are used with increasing frequency. While meds are more of a last resort clinically, the option becomes higher priority when a youngster's outbursts become a risk to hurt self or others, even accidentally.
Caution with medication is always indicated, due to risk of side effects and the lack of research on many of these medications in children.
The study examined the potential benefits of glyconutritional supplements for a period of 5 months.
The results of this study were promising. Of 15 children who completed the study, 14 exhibited considerable improvement after 20 weeks on glyconutritional supplements. One child exhibited mild improvement on glyconutritional supplements.
Children who experienced side effects from the medications for Bipolar Disorder displayed considerable improvement in their tolerability to medication.
Examples included: near elimination in sedation from Risperdal and elimination of migraines while on Seroquel and Trileptal. One youngster who had been very fatigued from his medication regimen, which included Trileptal, Lexapro, Ambien, Abilify and Seroquel, experienced elimination of daytime fatigue by week 12.
It was also clear to the researchers and study volunteers that the children looked happier, healthier, calmer and more stable as the study progressed.
At the onset of this study, all parents expressed interest in the potential benefits of the supplements, particularly in offsetting side effects; however, all parents were clear that it had take quite along time for their children to become stable on their medications and they wished not to make changes in their medications prematurely. Many of the children had been hospitalized at least once. All families were highly invested in their childrens' well-being and each felt their child's condition was the single largest stressor in the family, including for the child who suffered from the condition.
Our initial study results speak to the need for larger clinical trials over longer periods of time.
Along with use of psychotropic medications in children, augmentation strategies with natural supplements warrant further consideration, to improve childrens' overall health, augment mood stablizing effects of medications and improve tolerability of medications. Longer term studies may determine if medications could be successfully weaned, at least in part, over a longer period of time.
About the Author
Mary F. Zesiewicz,MD, served as the Chief Clinical Investigator of this study; she serves as the Chief Medical Officer of INTEGRITY HEALTH SOLUTIONS, a 501 C3 not-for-profit corporation dedicated to research, relief and education in the transformation of health care to an integrated model. Please visit: http://www.drmaryz.org