Excellent thread. I have been researching on this for years, as I am a addicted to problem solving.
Yes. My wife improves when she takes Omega-3, BCAAs and other specific vitamin/minerals she needs. Also when she avoids sugar and fast carbohydrates and when she makes regular physical exercises (such as gym).
Omega-3 is the #1 supplement for mood. And you don't need 3-4 months to start seeing the effects. May improve in a couple of days. Everyone not supplementing is deficient on it, unless you eat lots of
raw deep sea salmon.
However, one might need to take
Omega-6 too. ( * ) Pushing further an existing imbalance between Omega-3 and 6 will have negative effects on mental health, as observed by Dr William Walsh. Hence I believe it is safer to take both together (or do the blood exam if you can). Borage Oil has greater concentration but it adds Omega-9, which is unwanted, so Primrose Oil is a better long term choice.
( * ) Our diet is rich in LA (Linolenic Acid), the first Omega-6 fatty acid from which our body can derive the remaining forms. However, some people can't convert it to the next step, GLA (Gamma Linolenic Acid), due to deficiencies in D6D enzyme, especially in the case of untreated
Pyroluria.
My wife had severe Pyroluria in past, which could be easily notable from her fruity breath. My sister and daughter have also been diagnosed with Pyroluria. Anyone over intense stress may develop it, even those without genetic predisposition. Hence I believe it is very common in people with BPD. Basic treatment is Zinc and B6. Extended treatment includes Omega-6 and Biotin (B7), plus fibers and other stuff for gut healing.
Amino Acids are important too, especially BCAAs:
"BCAAs may also play important roles in brain function. BCAAs may influence brain protein synthesis and production of energy and may influence synthesis of different neurotransmitters, that is, serotonin, dopamine, norepinephrine, and so forth, directly or indirectly."source:
https://www.hindawi.com/journals/amb/2014/364976/And some specific amino acids act directly as neurotransmitters:
"There are inhibitory amino acids (IAA) or excitatory amino acids (EAA). Some EAA are L-Glutamate, L-Aspartate, L-Cysteine, and L-Homocysteine. These neurotransmitter systems will activate post-synaptic cells. Some IAA include GABA, Glycine, β-Alanine, and Taurine."source:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amino_acid_neurotransmitterProbiotics? Very promising, but it may be hard or impossible to promote the growth of all of the good bacteria you need. First, not all of them can be delivered in capsule form. Second, they won't survive in an inadequate environment, such as a gut covered with lime disease or dominated by a "stronger" bad bacteria. Fecal transplant research is very significant, but this is obviously not the answer for general public. I believe the viable option is to perform an effective gut cleanse, then use diversified probiotics and consume foods that promote good bacteria. How to clean your gut is the big question. I'll list below some alternatives I found, but can't recommend any of them, nor have tried any of them:
- Taking specific juices, in large quantities
- Some remedies that target specific parasites
- Diets with garlic and other stuff that kills most bacteria (I think this is dangerous)
- Fasting for 7 or more days
- Taking ionized water with PH of 11.5. This will require an expensive water ionizer/filter which uses titanium blades (research for Kengen Water).
- Taking steady doses of Chlorine Dioxide, orally or through enemas (anal). This is the key component of MMS, obtained by destination. I need to add that FDA has banned it's use for medical purposes.
Minerals and vitamins are also important. Sub optimal levels are detrimental, but excess is even worse than deficiency, so be careful. I do not recommend general multi-vitamin supplements for anyone suffering from mental illness, mostly because they contain minerals that may accumulate, such as Copper and Iron.
Safest supplements are
Magnesium, the relaxation mineral, and
vitamin C. In both cases, they must be taken gradually because our body monitors the blood levels and rejects them if taken too fast (through gut flushing). Without magnesium, my wife is unable to relax, and has lots of muscle tension problems. And Vitamin C in large doses does help her to reduce conflict seeking behavior and be less of a drama queen. It is used in large doses to recover from drug addiction too.
Mineral balance is more important than vitamins. Hair tests can easily reveal mineral deficiencies or excess.
Most common mineral issue is
copper excess, especially in woman, and it is treated with Zinc, B6 and Vitamin C. It is essential to have a good Copper/Zinc balance in our brain.
Most people with bipolar disorder have deficiency on
Lithium mineral, and in BPD it might be common too. Lithium carbonate used in hospitals will become toxic if sustained, due to the "Carbonate" component. However Lithium Orotate is the safest form and available over the counter. It's not clear how it works on our brain but it's known to reduce inflammation too. Some doctors advocate for the daily usage of 5 mg of Lithium Orotate for everyone, and more for those with severe mental illness (up to 20 mg per day). However some countries do not allow it to be sold over the counter. Lithium is present in water from some natural sources, in lower concentrations such as 0.05 mg per liter, but minerals dissolved in water are much better absorbed as this is the "ionic" form. Some studies found that those places with Lithium in natural water supplies have significantly lower rates of criminality.
Thyroid issues are also very common in BPD. My wife had tyroid issues during pregnancy and did not recover with medication, but did recover with the a Thyroid complex supplement including a few vitamins/minerals required for Thyroid health. Now she also takes Iodine in the form of Lugol. This is a very strong form that must be taken with Selenium and should have medical supervision but Lugol can be bought without medical prescription.
Any supplement of which you are deficient can make your healthier (if it is taken in a form that you can absorb well) and greater health does usually have a positive effect on moods. Just make sure you need it first.
And don't take my word for it. Do your own research.
