Supplementation to prevent psychosis

Omega-3 supplementation can prevent psychosis

Schizophrenia is a psychotic mental illness most commonly characterized by the loss of affect (emotional response), the withdrawal from the social environment, the emergence of delusions (false beliefs) and hallucinations (sensory perceptions without a stimulus) and cognitive disorders. Clinical symptoms of schizophrenia are severe, persistent, chronic nature profresif and till now not yet fully understood about the pathophysiology of schizophrenia.

The prevalence of schizophrenia recorded as many as 1% of the population worldwide. Schizophrenic patients experienced 10% more risk of suicide compared with normal people. Also increased mortality due to comorbid diseases caused by unhealthy lifestyle, side effects from medications and decrease health care.

Various studies suggest a correlation between the occurrence of the symptoms of schizophrenia with impaired membrane structure and metabolism of nerve cells. Besides that schizophrenia patients showed that essential fatty acid levels low is really important for normal metabolism of nerve cells. A meta-analysis of the 2006 Cochrane review also concluded that the addition of unsaturated fatty acid supplementation with antipsychotic in schizophrenia patients showed positive results when compared with placebo.

The low unsaturated fatty acids can cause oxidative stress that eventually damage the nerve cells. Supplementation of omega-3 fatty acids may improve membrane fluidity and receptor and increased levels in the temporal lobe glutathione so as to prevent nerve cell damage caused by oxidative stress.

A recent study published in the journal Archives of General Psychiatry months researching in February 2010 regarding the grant of omega 3 fatty acids for prevention of the occurrence of schizophrenia in vulnerable patients with schizophrenia occurs. This study design is randomized, double blind, placebo control by involving as many as 81 research samples. Here is a sample study of patients age range 13-25 years who meet the criteria of risk for psychosis. Interventions is the provision of unsaturated fatty acid capsules omega 3 as many as four capsules daily containing a total of 1.2 grams / day administered over 12 weeks. As a control given placebo capsules four times daily for 12 weeks. During the 12 weeks the patient did not receive antipsychotic medications or mood stabilizers. Outcome was assessed rating score of PANSS (Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale) every week for four weeks, weeks into the eight, week 12, month 6 and month 12.

The results obtained are in the final months of the study (month 12) were two of 41 patients (4.9%) in the omega-3 group of psychotic symptoms compared with 11 of 40 patients (27.5%) in the placebo group (p = 0.007). Omega 3 also significantly reduce the positive symptoms (p = 0.01), negative symptoms (p = 0.02) and general symptoms (p = 0.01) and improve cognitive function (p = 0.002) when compared with placebo. Side effects found no significant difference between the two groups.

Conclusions of the research was not saturated fatty acid supplementation of omega 3 can reduce the risk of progression of psychosis and can be used also for the prevention of psychosis in vulnerable patients the occurrence of psychosis.

Conclusion
1. Schizophrenia with a prevalence of 1% in the whole world, is a psychotic mental illness characterized by loss of affect, loss of social interaction, delusions, hallucinations and cognitive impairment.
2. Meta-analysis of studies showing positive effects of unsaturated fatty acid supplementation in patients with schizophrenia.
3. Recent research shows the positive effects of omega-3 supplementation as prevention of schizophrenia in vulnerable patients with schizophrenia occurs.

Source : Omega-3 supplementation can prevent psychosis