Dec 04 2008
Being Bipolar: Glutathione deficiency and depression symptoms
Did you know that people with bipolar disorder and depression have a glutathione deficiency? Glutathione is an antioxidant that protects cells from toxins. N-acetyl cysteine (NAC) is an over-the-counter supplement that increases brain glutathione. Researchers performed a new study to determine if NAC would provide relief of depression symptoms. The result of this study was published in the September 15, 2008 edition of Biological Psychiatry.
The results of this study were impressive. NAC is indeed an effective remedy for residual depressive symptoms. This finding may lead to new treatment options for both bipolar disorder and depression.
Read more here:
http://esciencenews.com/articles/2008/09/02/new.study.finds.add.therapy.improves.depressive.symptoms.bipolar.disorder
It is always encouraging news when scientists are able to learn more about any mental illness, but identifying more effective ways to treat a disorder gives hope to those who have been resistant to treatment. Since it has been suggested that antipsychotic drugs also speed up the loss of brain tissue, it would be wonderful to find a new drug with less side effects and less long term effects on the brain itself.
Small findings like this bring us one step closer to finding the cause of these illnesses, creating an effective treatment or possibly even a cure.
Please note: Before you decide to begin taking any supplement, you should always consult your doctor to ensure that it will not interact with any of your current medications.
