Bipolar disorder

Bipolar disorder (previously known as manic depression) has increased dramatically in its rate of incidence over the past century, by as much as 100%. It is, however, rare in fish-eating societies such as Japan, Korea, Malaysia and Taiwan. One may also plot a decline in fish consumption in the average Western diet over that same 100-year period. After a survey of the evidence from multiple countries relating the occurrence of bipolar disorders to seafood consumption, the authors concluded that the data show a robust correlation between greater seafood consumption and lower prevalence of bipolar disorders.

In a study carried out at the Harvard Medical School, 30 patients suffering from bipolar disorder were split into two groups and one group was given EPA and DHA in daily fish oil supplement and the other was given a placebo. Twelve of the 14 patients in the fish-oil group completed the four-month study without major episodes of mania or depression, compared with only six of the 16 in the placebo group. Nine members of the placebo group experienced a worsening of their condition; none of the fish oil group did.