Omega-3 Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids in the Prevention of Relapse in Patients with Stable Bipolar Disorder: A 6-Month Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial.

This study investigated the efficacy of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (n-3 PUFAs) in preventing the relapse of bipolar disorder (BD). Thirty-one stable BD patients were randomized to receive n-3 PUFAs (n=16) or placebo (n=15) daily for 6 months and intergroup differences in the incidence of the recurrence of bipolar depression were assessed. Differences in depression severity, manic symptoms, and routine biochemical parameters were also assessed. Interestingly, n-3 PUFAs demonstrated a favorable preventive effect on bipolar depression recurrence (p=0.005; Log-Rank) and reduced depression severity compared to placebo, and were well-tolerated, suggesting their potential as a safe prophylactic therapy for BD.