Schizophrenia is a mental health condition that can disrupt thinking, perception, and emotions. Schizophrenia can cause symptoms like hallucinations, reduction in concentration, and affect motivation.
Symptoms are often defined as cognitive, positive, and negative. Cognitive symptoms would affect your thinking and remembering skills. Positive symptoms are new or more frequent experiences, like hearing voices or delusional thoughts. Negative symptoms mean something decreasing, like decreasing energy or withdrawal from social events.
If you receive a schizophrenia diagnosis, you should not replace your medical treatment plan with vitamins and supplements. However, they may help ease some symptoms when used alongside medical treatment.
Consider discussing using vitamins and supplements with a doctor or healthcare professional to ensure they are safe to take alongside your treatment plan.
Vitamins for schizophrenia
Vitamins and supplements may help people with schizophrenia improve and manage their symptoms.
A 2018 systematic review states that people with schizophrenia who were taking certain supplements along with their regular medical treatment saw an improvement in their symptoms.
Supplements may include:
- glycine and sarcosine
- N-acetylcysteine (NAC)
- Ginkgo biloba
- probiotics
- taurine
- omega-3 fatty acid
- sulforaphane
Probiotics
The interaction between probiotics and schizophrenia symptoms is highly complex, and experts do not fully understand it yet. Research is ongoing on the topic.
Scientists think probiotics may play a role in producing or regulating several other biomarkers linked to schizophrenia symptoms. These include:
- n-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA), responsible for memory formation
- brain-derived neurotrophic factor, which is also responsible for memory and learning
- lactose and pro-inflammatory cytokines that the brain releases to regulate inflammation
According to a 2019 study, probiotics may help people with schizophrenia improve gastrointestinal (GI) tract symptoms, including constipation.
The same study states that the gut microbiome produces several important chemical messengers that carry messages between nerve cells and other cells (neurotransmitters). These neurotransmitters may play an important role in managing certain mental health conditions, including schizophrenia.
These may include:
- dopamine
- norepinephrine
- gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA)
- serotonin
According to a 2017 study, probiotic supplements can improve the psychiatric symptoms of people with schizophrenia.
Taurine
Taurine helps generate, develop, and protect brain cells (neurons). If you have schizophrenia, you may have low taurine levels. It also activates the neurotransmitter GABA and inhibits NMDA.
A 2016 study found that people with a first episode of psychosis taking 4 grams (g) of taurine per day for 12 weeks, alongside antipsychotics, reported an improvement in their psychotic symptoms, depressive symptoms, and overall functioning. However, they had no improvement in cognition.
N-acetyl cysteine (NAC)
NAC is involved in the production of an antioxidant called glutathione. This antioxidant helps various processes in the body, including making chemicals and proteins. Glutathione helps regulate glutamate, a neurotransmitter that is often dysregulated in people with schizophrenia.
A 2021 study also found that low glutathione levels have a link with brain inflammation and the beginning of several neurodegenerative conditions.
A 2022 paper states that people with these conditions experienced an improvement in their negative symptoms and cognitive abilities after taking NAC for 24 weeks. The same study also states that people with this condition didn’t experience any NAC benefits before the 8-week mark. For this reason, it is important to regularly take NAC for several months.
Glycine and sarcosine
Glycine is an amino acid that may help reduce the negative symptoms of schizophrenia when combined with antipsychotics.
According to a 2018 review involving seven glycine studies, glycine improved negative symptoms in all except one. It improved cognition in four of the studies and improved positive symptoms in one.
However, glycine is ineffective when combined with clozapine, and in some instances, positive symptoms worsen.
Sarcosine may help reduce all symptoms of schizophrenia by improving the effect of antipsychotics. However, sarcosine does not work when taken with clozapine or when used as a monotherapy without taking other medications.
Sarcosine stops glycine from being reabsorbed into the brain, allowing glycine to stimulate other brain cells. This may improve memory in people with schizophrenia.
Omega-3 fatty acids
Omega-3 fatty acids are anti-inflammatory acids that may help improve cognition in people with schizophrenia.
These acids protect from oxidative stress in the brain and reduce inflammation, which can both contribute to schizophrenia.
Ginkgo biloba
Ginkgo biloba may help reduce symptoms of schizophrenia, like hallucinations and hyperactivity, and unwanted side effects of antipsychotics, like tardive dyskinesia. This is when your body makes sudden movements that you are unable to manage. However, negative symptoms did not improve.
Consider speaking with a doctor to discuss whether ginkgo biloba and other types of herbs are suitable for your specific needs, as side effects may occur.
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Get free cardSulforaphane (SFN)
Broccoli is rich in SFN, a compound that has potent anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties.
Sulforaphane supports the production of glutathione in your body, a substance that helps regulate glutamate and may improve schizophrenia symptoms.
Prescription drugs for schizophrenia
The prescription medications that doctors may recommend to treat people with schizophrenia may include:
- olanzapine (Zyprexa)
- quetiapine (Seroquel)
- risperidone (Perseris, Risperdal)
These medications are antipsychotics, and some of them are antagonists, which means they work by blocking the effect of dopamine and other chemicals on the brain.
Some others, like aripiprazole (Abilify), are known as partial antagonists, and they work by partially stimulating dopamine receptors rather than blocking the dopamine from binding to them.
Antipsychotic medications can help improve schizophrenia symptoms, including anxiety and aggression, within a few hours after taking them. They can also help other symptoms of schizophrenia, such as hallucinations or delusional thoughts, but it may be a few weeks before they take effect.
Many antipsychotic medications are available. A doctor or healthcare professional can discuss your options with you before prescribing. Some medications, like clozapine (Versacloz, Clozaril), are typically reserved for treatment-resistant cases.
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Sticking to a medical plan
It is important to stick with your medical plan, even if you do not experience symptoms or if you start to feel better. This is because regularly taking your medications can help prevent returning schizophrenia symptoms.
Always speak to a doctor or healthcare professional before making any changes to your treatment plan if have any concerns or questions or if you experience any side effects.
Summary
Schizophrenia is a mental health condition. Vitamins and supplements may help enhance the effect of antipsychotic medications and improve symptoms. Vitamins and supplements may also help manage the side effects of antipsychotics.
If you receive a schizophrenia diagnosis, you should always stick with your treatment plan to reduce the risk of symptoms returning and speak to a doctor or healthcare professional before making any changes or starting to take a new supplement.
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