A large review of over 800 patients found that people who took high-dose B-vitamins like B6, B8, and B12 in addition to their medications significantly reduced symptoms of schizophrenia, compared with those who took medicines alone. These supplements seem most helpful when people start them early in their illness.
Many epidemiological studies have highlighted the link between vitamin D deficiency and schizophrenia. In particular, two prominent studies report an association between neonatal vitamin D deficiency and an increased risk of schizophrenia.
Vitamin D supplementation in patients with schizophrenia
One study showed that vitamin D supplementation (50,000 IU vitamin D/week for 12 weeks) improved positive and negative syndrome scale scores and metabolic profiles including reduction in fasting plasma glucose, and cholesterol levels [45].
The main type of talking therapy recommended for the treatment of schizophrenia is cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), which helps you identify and change any negative thoughts or behaviour that is making your life hard. CBT aims to help you: cope with symptoms of psychosis such as delusions or hearing voices.
Studies of individuals with schizophrenia who were given EPA/DHA suggest that these oils reduce the amount of standard medication necessary to treat the disease. In addition, individuals with schizophrenia who take Omega-3s seem to experience fewer symptoms.
Natural Medicines for Schizophrenia
Some natural herbs, like ginseng and ashwagandha, have been found to be beneficial in controlling the symptoms and improving the overall well-being of schizophrenia patients.
While there is no known cure, it is possible to live a meaningful and happy life with schizophrenia. There are many effective treatments, best provided by a team. These include medication, psychotherapy, behavioral therapy, and social services, as well as tools to help you stay in school or keep working.
Therefore it is strongly advisable to reduce, as much as possible, your intake of sugar, refined carbohydrates, caffeine and stimulant drugs and eat a low glycemic load diet.
Estrogens regulate clinical symptoms through their influence on with dopamine pathways, as well as by regulating mitochondrial functioning and the stress response system. Estrogen deficiency is common in schizophrenia and is often related to hyperprolactinemia in both medication-naïve and chronic patients.
Magnesium is increasingly used as a treatment for many clinical health issues. Research supports symptom reduction in several clinical issues including, ADHD, anxiety, depression, OCD, and schizophrenia.
Many people with schizophrenia have trouble with sleep, but getting regular exercise, reducing sugar in your diet, and avoiding caffeine can help. Avoid alcohol and drugs. It can be tempting to try to self-medicate the symptoms of schizophrenia with drugs and alcohol.
Essential Oils That May Help People With Schizophrenia
When it comes to mental health, Chesla generally recommends essential oils that can calm or energize you, or that might help you sleep. For soothing your mind, Chesla's two favorites are lavender and frankincense, either used alone or combined together.
Some studies suggest that glycine, sarcosine, NAC, several Chinese and ayurvedic herbs, ginkgo biloba, estradiol, and vitamin B6 may be effective for psychotic symptoms when added to antipsychotics (glycine not when added to clozapine).
Treatment of schizophrenia without medication is primarily with psychotherapy. Psychotherapy takes place in sessions with a clinical therapist who works with clients to help them manage and navigate reality and distortions in their thoughts.
Extant sudies show that TCM such as Ginkgo biloba L. and Wendan decoction (Singh et al., 2010; Deng and Adams, 2016) has beneficial effects on patients with schizophrenia. Thus, we found that TCM such as Ginkgo biloba L.
Bacopa monniera has been reported to possess antipsychotic, anxiolytic and other medicinal properties. The antipsychotic properties may be related to its normalization of dopamine and serotonergic neurotransmission and reduction of acetylcholinesterase activity.
We show that omega-3 supplementation is involved in mechanisms and has biological actions similar to antipsychotics. However, omega-3 does not present the cumbersome side effects that antipsychotics do.
In particular, docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), a long-chain omega-3 fatty acid, is important for brain and eye development. Additionally, DHA plays a significant role in mental health throughout early childhood and even into adulthood.
Fortunately for those with subthreshold symptoms, studies have also shown that supplementing one's diet with omega-3 fatty acids (a.k.a. fish oil supplements) can reduce the risk of progressing to a full-blown psychotic disorder without any known side effects.