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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 6 of 6. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by g_g_g_unit on June 6, 2010, at 7:17:35
i've been keeping a haphazard journal of my symptoms lately and have noticed brief spurts - lasting 3 days or so - over the past couple of weeks where i have experienced manic-like symptoms: horrible internal agitation, racing thoughts, insomnia, etc.
the only common link i can find is the introduction of fish oil (0.5g); upon discontinuing, i seem to revert back to my normal dysthmic state.
i doubt it's placebo because the switch between states is so dramatic. i thought fish oil was meant to have mood-stabilizing properties?
Posted by janejane on June 6, 2010, at 18:55:46
In reply to can fish oil trigger mania?, posted by g_g_g_unit on June 6, 2010, at 7:17:35
Fish oil seems to make me anxious. I've read of it doing that to others as well. (Acne too!) I want to say I've read it can trigger mania, but I can't remember the source... oh wait, I remember, here it is:
http://www.mcmanweb.com/omega3.html
(Under the Finally section, it says, "Also note there is a risk of mania.")
So are those symptoms indicative of mania even if there aren't any up moods? Because I get them, and I thought I was just plain vanilla unipolar.
Posted by g_g_g_unit on June 6, 2010, at 19:46:12
In reply to Re: can fish oil trigger mania?, posted by janejane on June 6, 2010, at 18:55:46
> So are those symptoms indicative of mania even if there aren't any up moods? Because I get them, and I thought I was just plain vanilla unipolar.well mixed mania involves the co-occurrence of depression with agitation, anxiety, etc. i guess i was just using the term as a short-hand, since we may all be susceptible to overlapping states under the right conditions.
Posted by Lao Tzu on June 9, 2010, at 19:40:42
In reply to Re: can fish oil trigger mania?, posted by g_g_g_unit on June 6, 2010, at 19:46:12
Perhaps fish oil at high doses can either precipitate depression or mania depending on whether you tend to be manic or depressive. For me, high doses of fish oil tend to make my depression worse. I, personally, haven't experienced any mania from fish oil, but I'm also never manic. I tend to be more depressed, the opposite end of the spectrum, low energy, low motivation, etc. For someone who is manic, perhaps the fish oil at high doses brings this out of a person. I'm just speculating because I read that fish oil has helped with bipolar and schizophrenia. Are all the studies just an inflated exaggeration of fish oil's potential to heal? Personally, I know that fish oil taken for a period of time has successfully lowered my triglyceride levels. Personally, a low dose of fish oil does help my mood, but I'm only talking about 1,500mg per day, a very low dose indeed. Anymore than that, I start getting depressed. So can it precipitate mania? It's possible, perhaps in some people. Maybe at high doses. Low doses, say one or two capsules a day, really shouldn't induce mania, but who knows? Do we really understand exactly what fish oil does to our brains? I certainly don't.
Posted by ADDfazed on June 9, 2010, at 20:29:34
In reply to Re: can fish oil trigger mania?, posted by Lao Tzu on June 9, 2010, at 19:40:42
I read on this site to start taking it at smaller doseages and then slowly increase the amounts may help with this. (although I'm not referring to mania exactly but problems in general)
Posted by morganator on June 13, 2010, at 14:46:04
In reply to can fish oil trigger mania?, posted by g_g_g_unit on June 6, 2010, at 7:17:35
What brand where you taking?
You may need to experiment with a high DHA to EPA ratio versus a high EPA to DHA ration.
Dose also matters.
This is the end of the thread.
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