• HOME
  • NEWS
  • EXPLORE
    • CAREER
      • Companies
      • Jobs
    • EVENTS
    • iGEM
      • News
      • Team
    • PHOTOS
    • VIDEO
    • WIKI
  • BLOG
  • COMMUNITY
    • FACEBOOK
    • INSTAGRAM
    • TWITTER
Sunday, September 28, 2025
BIOENGINEER.ORG
No Result
View All Result
  • Login
  • HOME
  • NEWS
  • EXPLORE
    • CAREER
      • Companies
      • Jobs
        • Lecturer
        • PhD Studentship
        • Postdoc
        • Research Assistant
    • EVENTS
    • iGEM
      • News
      • Team
    • PHOTOS
    • VIDEO
    • WIKI
  • BLOG
  • COMMUNITY
    • FACEBOOK
    • INSTAGRAM
    • TWITTER
  • HOME
  • NEWS
  • EXPLORE
    • CAREER
      • Companies
      • Jobs
        • Lecturer
        • PhD Studentship
        • Postdoc
        • Research Assistant
    • EVENTS
    • iGEM
      • News
      • Team
    • PHOTOS
    • VIDEO
    • WIKI
  • BLOG
  • COMMUNITY
    • FACEBOOK
    • INSTAGRAM
    • TWITTER
No Result
View All Result
Bioengineer.org
No Result
View All Result
Home NEWS Science News Health

Antioxidants and amino acids could play role in the treatment of psychosis

Bioengineer by Bioengineer
March 22, 2018
in Health
Reading Time: 3 mins read
0
Share on FacebookShare on TwitterShare on LinkedinShare on RedditShare on Telegram

A scientific paper has revealed that some nutrients found in food may help reduce the symptoms of psychotic illness, when used in the early stages of treatment.

The systematic review, led by Dr Firth, honorary Research Fellow at The University of Manchester and Research Fellow at NICM Health Research Institute, Western Sydney University an examined if nutrient supplementation could provide effective 'add on' treatment for young people with psychosis.

The team brought together data from eight independent clinical trials of nutrient supplementation in 457 young people in the early stages of psychotic illness, such as schizophrenia.

The review is published in Early Intervention in Psychiatry.

Researchers found that certain nutrient supplements, used alongside standard treatment, may improve mental health in young people with psychosis more than standard treatment alone.

The study by Firth and colleagues is the first evaluation of nutrient supplementation trials in 'first-episode psychosis' (FEP).

Dr Firth said "Nutrient supplementation in the treatment of mental illness is something which can be surrounded by both cynicism and 'hype'.

"We conducted this review just to see if there is any 'real evidence' if such nutrients can actually help young people with psychosis.

"Certainly, there is early indication that certain nutrients may be beneficial, not to replace standard treatment, but as an 'add-on' treatment for some patients"

One nutrient reviewed was Taurine, an amino-acid found in foods such as shellfish and turkey.

A clinical trial conducted in Melbourne in 121 young patients with psychosis found that 4 grams of Taurine per day reduced psychotic symptoms within just 12 weeks.

Certain antioxidant supplements, such as n-acetyl cysteine and vitamin C, may also be effective – particularly for patients with high levels of 'oxidative stress'.

Studies on omega-3 supplements showed that although these appear to improve brain health in young people with psychosis, the evidence for actually reducing psychotic symptoms is conflicting.

"We have to be careful to replicate the results of these initial studies before jumping to firm conclusions" Dr Firth said.

Now, the team are aiming to do just that: launching a new clinical trial in which all of the potentially beneficial nutrients are combined within a single supplement, and provided to young people with psychosis.

He added: "Individual nutrients appear to have moderate effects on mental health, at best.

"A combined nutrient intervention, explicitly designed from the evidence-base in psychosis, may therefore confer larger and more beneficial effects for young people with this condition.

"We will be testing this in Sydney, Australia in 2018, to learn more about the potential role of nutrition in mental health for the future."

###

NOTES FOR EDITORS

The paper Adjunctive nutrients in first-episode psychosis: a systematic review of efficacy, tolerability, and neurobiological mechanisms is available online, doi: http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/wol1/doi/10.1111/eip.12544/full

Dr Firth is available for comment.

For media enquires contact

Mike Addelman
Media Relations Officer
Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health
University of Manchester
0161 275 2111
07717 881567
[email protected]

Media Contact

[email protected]
[email protected]
0044-771-788-1567
@UoMNews

http://www.manchester.ac.uk

http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/wol1/doi/10.1111/eip.12544/full

Related Journal Article

http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/eip.12544

Share12Tweet7Share2ShareShareShare1

Related Posts

Tetraspanins: Key Players in Organ Fibrosis Therapy

September 28, 2025

Specialized Singing Programs Enhance Symptoms and Quality of Life for Individuals with Lung Disease

September 28, 2025

Factors Behind Nurse Migration: Insights from Iranian Students

September 28, 2025

Engineering Macrophages for Precision Cancer Therapy

September 28, 2025
Please login to join discussion

POPULAR NEWS

  • New Study Reveals the Science Behind Exercise and Weight Loss

    New Study Reveals the Science Behind Exercise and Weight Loss

    84 shares
    Share 34 Tweet 21
  • Physicists Develop Visible Time Crystal for the First Time

    72 shares
    Share 29 Tweet 18
  • Scientists Discover and Synthesize Active Compound in Magic Mushrooms Again

    56 shares
    Share 22 Tweet 14
  • Tailored Gene-Editing Technology Emerges as a Promising Treatment for Fatal Pediatric Diseases

    51 shares
    Share 20 Tweet 13

About

We bring you the latest biotechnology news from best research centers and universities around the world. Check our website.

Follow us

Recent News

Tetraspanins: Key Players in Organ Fibrosis Therapy

Specialized Singing Programs Enhance Symptoms and Quality of Life for Individuals with Lung Disease

At-Home Monitoring Reduces Hospitalization Rates for Children with Asthma by 50%

Subscribe to Blog via Email

Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.

Join 63 other subscribers
  • Contact Us

Bioengineer.org © Copyright 2023 All Rights Reserved.

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password?

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In
No Result
View All Result
  • Homepages
    • Home Page 1
    • Home Page 2
  • News
  • National
  • Business
  • Health
  • Lifestyle
  • Science

Bioengineer.org © Copyright 2023 All Rights Reserved.