Bipolar disorder is a mental illness that involves extreme mood swings. In the depressive state, you may lose interest in doing things that you previously enjoyed and feel hopeless and sad. While symptoms and their cycles vary between individuals, according to the Mayo Clinic, depression can cause the most problems for some people, while others find the manic episodes most disturbing. Bipolar disorder depression is a lifelong disease that can be managed through medication, psychotherapy and diet.
Taurine
Taurine is an amino acid that reduces electrical brain activity and has been used successfully to treat seizures. The chemical often is found to be missing in the brains of people who undergo seizures and has been reported as helping people with bipolar disorder. If you have bipolar disorder, the amino acid supplements may be particularly useful if you experience rapidly cycling mood disruptions, according to Psych Central. If your doctor agrees to try a pharmaceutical grade of L-taurine, you should be sure to follow her dosage recommendations because you could experience unusual brain activity by taking too much.
SAMe
An amino acid supplement that works to curb depression in many people with bipolar disorder is called S-adenosyl-L-methionine. More commonly referred to in its shortened version, SAMe, the Mayo Clinic reports that the supplement may be useful for altering brain functions that control depression. Research is ongoing, although use of SAMe can cause you to undergo additional manic episodes. As with all supplements or herbal remedies, you should talk to your doctor before taking any over-the-counter remedies to treat your illness.
GABA
Gaba-amino butyric acid, GABA for short, is a compound that acts like an amino acid by integrating with neurotransmitter functions. It is vital to stick with your doctor's recommendations when taking GABA because side effects can inhibit its usefulness and may interfere with other medicine you're taking. GABA supplements seem to be most effective for treating nervous tension and anxiety often associated with manic depression. The amino acid-like compound also may help if you suffer from insomnia as a result of your illness.
Other Amino Acids
Other amino acids used to treat bipolar disorder with mixed results include methionine, one of the active ingredients in SAMe that is particularly useful to depressive states and phenylalanine, that boosts dopamine production. Tyrosine is an amino acid that is important in the early stages of dopamine and norepinephrine production, chemical neurotransmitters that control moods. Tyrosine also supports healthy thyroid function, according to Psych Central.
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