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Bipolar Disorder/drug and natural supplements interactions

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Expert: - 6/27/2007


Question
I am currently on 300mg of Lamictal and 300mg of Seroquel for bipolar
disorder. I have been hearing a lot about L-Tyrosine and 5-HTP as effective
supplements for bipolar and I was wondering if there are any adverse
interactions between the supplments and the meds I am currently taking. I don't
want to go off my meds, I'm just wondering if supplements in addition would be
a good idea.

Answer
Katie . . .

IN the 1980s I published on the use of L-tyrosine as a treatment for people with mood disorders. While it initially looked interesting, eventually I abandoned its use as it seemed to be no better than a placebo. 5HTP may actually be useful, but like any drug, and I consider it a drug and not a supplement, it should be taken in consultation with one's psychopharmacologist.

Best regards . . .
Ivan
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Bipolar Disorder

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Ivan Goldberg, M.D.

Expertise

I am a psychiatrist/psychopharmacologist with many years of expereince in treating individuals with depressions, manic-depression (Bipolar Disorder), other mood disorders,. I am especially interested in the psychopharmacologic treatment of individuals with so called "treatment-resistant" syndromes.

Experience

I have been on the staff of the National Institute of Mental Health, Columbia's College of Physicians and Surgeons, and the Columbia-Presbyterian Medical Center. I am currently in full-time private practice in New York City.

A.B. Johns Hopkins University
M.D. N.Y.U. College of Medicine

I am the creator of Depression Central:http://www.psycom.net/depression.central.html

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