Can Natural Remedies Help with Schizophrenia Symptoms?

Schizophrenia is a complex disorder that affects individuals differently.

There is no one-size-fits-all natural antipsychotic. However, a combination of nutritional strategies may help reduce symptoms. But what works for one person may not work for another.

And while there are people who’ve had great success with natural remedies — and may have even significantly reduced their medication — most people will need to continue their antipsychotic medications to maintain a good quality of life.

Several supplements have been shown to help reduce symptoms of schizophrenia. Still, these may affect each person differently. It’s best to talk with your doctor before starting a new supplement.

It’s also important to keep in mind that research on these supplements is often very limited. Having results from only a few studies makes it difficult to draw clear conclusions about the supplements’ effectiveness for easing schizophrenia symptoms.

Taurine

The amino acid taurine may help reduce symptoms of psychosis and improve mental health in people with schizophrenia.

Taurine has a calming effect on the nervous system and may protect the brain from:

• inflammation
• toxins
• protein deficiencies

Scientists have long suggested a connection between taurine and schizophrenia. For instance, some older research suggests that people with schizophrenia may have reduced levels of taurine in the brain, though not all studies come to the same result.

In a 2016 study of 86 people with first-episode psychosis, ages 18 to 25, those who took 4 grams of taurine daily for 12 weeks showed improved symptoms of psychosis. They also showed improvements in depressive symptoms and overall social and occupational functioning.

NAC

N-acetylcysteine (NAC) is a powerful antioxidant that may help improve working memory in people with schizophrenia. Memory difficulties are a core feature of schizophrenia and can cause significant distress and dysfunction.

In the body, NAC is used to help produce glutathione, a powerful antioxidant that positively affects several brain processes dysregulated in schizophrenia, including:

• brain inflammation
• glutamate regulation (glutamate is an excitatory neurotransmitter)
• cell energy production
• apoptosis (cell death)

Three amino acids may also produce glutathione:

• glutamine
• cysteine
• glycine (another supplement that is sometimes used in schizophrenia)

Low glutathione levels have been linked to schizophrenia. Plus, people with schizophrenia have been associated with poorer cognitive function.

Some research suggests that NAC may help improve these effects. For instance, a 2019 review of 7 studies found that 24 weeks of supplementation with NAC significantly improved cognition in people with schizophrenia.

No benefit was seen before 8 weeks. So the findings suggest that it’s important to stick with the supplement for at least a few months.

Overall, NAC had a positive effect on the working memory of people with schizophrenia in this study. However, it didn’t affect positive symptoms like hallucinations and delusions.

Sulforaphane

Sulforaphane (SFN) is a compound in broccoli sprouts. It may have the potential to benefit the brain chemistry of people with schizophrenia.

This compound has powerful anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects. This is important, as research suggests that oxidative stress and inflammation are likely involved in psychiatric illness, including schizophrenia and psychosis.

Sulforaphane also activates a gene that produces an enzyme. This enzyme then causes the neurotransmitter glutamate to make glutathione.

Glutathione is a powerful antioxidant that protects against oxidative stress. Although your body produces it naturally, glutathione levels decrease with stress and age.

Evidence suggests that both glutamate and glutathione may be dysregulated in people with schizophrenia. For instance, one 2017 study found that glutathione levels in the brain were reduced in people with schizophrenia, compared with the control group. Moreover, the “glutamate hypothesis of schizophrenia” has been widely discussed.

In a small pilot study from 2015, people with schizophrenia showed improved cognition when they took 30 mg of SFN extract a day for 8 weeks.

Omega-3 fatty acids

Omega-3 fatty acids, such as fish oil supplements, may improve cognition in people with schizophrenia and, as a result, help with social functioning.

These fatty acids have a protective effect on the brain, as they help reduce inflammation and guard against oxidative stress.

One 2017 study examined the association between omega-3 fatty acids and cognitive function, social function, and psychiatric symptoms in 30 people with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder.

All participants took antipsychotic medications, and six of them were in an inpatient facility.

The findings show that participants with higher blood levels of omega-3 had better cognition. Plus, better cognition was significantly linked to better social functioning.

Research from 2020 also shows that omega-3 supplementation may reduce the severity of both positive and negative symptoms of schizophrenia and help prevent the onset of psychosis in young people with a high risk of developing the condition.

Participants who began the study with low blood levels of omega-3 fatty acids were more responsive to the supplementation.

Vitamin D

Research has long shown an association between vitamin D deficiency and schizophrenia. About two decades ago, it was first proposed that low levels of maternal vitamin D increased schizophrenia risk in offspring.

The prevalence of vitamin D deficiency is quite common even in the general population at 37.6% worldwide. In schizophrenia, it’s even higher at 65% to 70%.

Still, whether vitamin D supplementation works in adults with schizophrenia is unclear.

One 2021 study found that 12 months of vitamin D supplementation in people with schizophrenia was linked to reduced depressive symptoms and anxiety. However, other research showed no difference, so findings are mixed.

CBD

About 16% of people with schizophrenia currently use cannabis. Estimates show that at least half of people with schizophrenia who used cannabis before their first psychotic break continue to use it after it happens.

This suggests that some individuals with schizophrenia may find symptom relief from using cannabis.

Still, research has long established that cannabis and psychosis are closely linked.

One 2020 review looked carefully at whether cannabis can trigger schizophrenia symptoms or protect against them.

Several studies conclude that cannabis, particularly its active ingredient THC (tetrahydrocannabinol), has a worsening effect on schizophrenia symptoms. However, some evidence suggests that CBD (cannabidiol) — another active ingredient in cannabis — may help treat specific schizophrenia symptoms.

Some of the findings show a negative link between schizophrenia and cannabis/THC:

• Frequent cannabis use, especially starting young, doubles the risk of schizophrenia development in the future.
• Daily use increases the risk of psychosis with as much as five times higher risk in people using high potency THC.
• Heavy chronic cannabis use after a diagnosis of schizophrenia can lead to more and earlier relapses with a worsening of symptoms and longer hospital stays, even in people who are stable on antipsychotics.

On the other hand, CBD alone may have a positive effect.

In one trial, people with schizophrenia who took 600 to 800 mg of CBD a day for 4 weeks experienced reduced symptoms of psychosis. The effects were similar to the antipsychotic drug amisulpride but with fewer side effects.

Another 2020 study shows that 1,500 mg of CBD daily for 26 days is beneficial for treatment-resistant schizophrenia. But while CBD may improve certain symptoms, it can increase hallucinations in some people and worsens negative symptoms.

Is CBD legal? The 2018 Farm Bill removed hemp from the legal definition of marijuana in the Controlled Substances Act. This made some hemp-derived CBD products with less than 0.3 percent THC federally legal. However, CBD products containing more than 0.3 percent THC still fall under the legal definition of marijuana, making them federally illegal but legal under some state laws. Be sure to check state laws, especially when traveling. Also, keep in mind that the FDA has not approved nonprescription CBD products, and some products may be inaccurately labeled.

Ketogenic diet

A growing body of research suggests that the ketogenic (keto) diet may help reduce schizophrenia symptoms. This is a high fat, very low carb, moderate protein diet originally developed to help people with epilepsy.

But why would a high fat, low carb diet work for schizophrenia?

Schizophrenia is linked to reduced energy production in the brain. In other words, the brains of people with schizophrenia cannot get enough energy from glucose, a type of sugar and the go-to source of energy for the human body.

When you’re on the keto diet, you severely limit your intake of carbs, which reduces your body’s supply of glucose. Instead, your body begins to produce ketones, which are byproducts of the breakdown of fatty acids. These ketones replace glucose as the primary fuel in the brain. It’s believed that ketones provide much-needed energy to insulin-resistant brain cells.

Some research shows promise in using a keto diet to help manage schizophrenia symptoms. The keto diet has also been shown to reduce inflammation and positively impact neurotransmitters.

Other dietary changes

Regardless of which supplements you do or don’t take, it’s wise to eat a balanced diet that provides your body with vital nutrients like vitamins A, C, and E and all the B vitamins.

Another consideration is eliminating potential food allergies that could manifest as psychiatric symptoms. Common ones include:

• gluten
• dairy
• soy
• eggs

Some research suggests that a gluten-free diet may improve outcomes in many people with schizophrenia.

Finding food sensitivities or allergies can be tricky, however, as symptoms may not manifest until 3 days after you’ve eaten the culprit. It helps to keep a food journal and do a slow elimination diet, ideally under the guidance and supervision of a medical professional, dietitian, or both.

Deep brain stimulation

Deep brain stimulation (DBS) is a neurosurgical technique that uses implanted electrodes and electrical stimulation to treat neurological conditions, such as Parkinson’s disease.

DBS has also been used in treatment-resistant mental disorders, such as obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and bipolar disorder.

Though DBS has been tried a few times in treatment-resistant schizophrenia, there’s a lack of research — mostly due to researchers not knowing where to put the electrodes.

One 2020 trial aimed to solve this problem. A total of 7 participants with treatment-resistant schizophrenia were randomized to receive DBS on either the nucleus accumbens (NAcc) or the subgenual anterior cingulate cortex (ACC).

Of the three participants with NAcc treatment, two showed symptom improvement. Of the four who received subgenual ACC treatment, two showed improvement.

When DBS was discontinued, most of these participants got worse. Two participants also developed persistent side effects, including apathy and mood instability.

The researchers conclude that DBS may have therapeutic effects for people with treatment-resistant schizophrenia. But larger trials are needed to better understand these benefits and whether or not they can be achieved without psychiatric side effects.

If you live with schizophrenia, several promising natural therapies may help reduce your symptoms. Still, it’s important to discuss alternative therapies with your treatment team to ensure they work in conjunction with any medications you may be taking.

But regardless of what alternative methods you opt to try, it’s important to eat a balanced diet, exercise, and take time to do what you love. Taking care of yourself in every area of your life may improve your schizophrenia symptoms and enhance your overall quality of life.