There were no overall effects from antioxidant vitamins , inositol or dietary minerals on psychiatric symptoms .
There is preliminary evidence that certain vitamin and mineral supplements may reduce psychiatric symptoms in some people with schizophrenia .
BACKGROUND When used as an adjunctive with antipsychotics , certain vitamins and minerals may be effective for improving symptomatic outcomes of schizophrenia , by restoring nutritional deficits , reducing oxidative stress , or modulating neurological pathways .
A randomized placebo-controlled trial of an omega-3 fatty acid and vitamins E+C in schizophrenia
Membrane lipid metabolism and redox regulation may be disturbed in schizophrenia . We examined the clinical effect of adding an omega-3 fatty acid and /or vitamins E+C to antipsychotics . It was hypothesized that lower baseline levels of polyunsaturated fatty acids ( PUFAs ) would predict more benefit from the add-on treatment . The trial had a multicenter , r and omized , double-blind , placebo-controlled 2 × 2 factorial design . Patients aged 18–39 years with schizophrenia or related psychoses were consecutively included at admission to psychiatric departments in Norway . They received active or placebo ethyl-eicosapentaenoate ( EPA ) 2 g day−1 and active or placebo vitamin E 364 mg day−1+vitamin C 1000 mg day−1 ( vitamins ) for 16 weeks . The main outcome measures were Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale ( PANSS ) total and subscales scores , analyzed by linear mixed models . Ninety-nine patients were included . At baseline , erythrocyte PUFA were measured in 97 subjects . Given separately , EPA and vitamins  increased drop-out rates , whereas when combined they did not differ from placebo . In low PUFA patients , EPA alone impaired the course of total PANSS ( Cohen ’s d=0.29 ; P=0.03 ) and psychotic symptoms ( d=0.40 ; P=0.003 ) , especially persecutory delusions ( d=0.48 ; P=0.0004 ) . Vitamins alone impaired the course of psychotic symptoms ( d= 0.37 ; P=0.005 ) , especially persecutory delusions ( d=0.47 ; P=0.0005 ) . Adding vitamins to EPA neutralized the detrimental effect on psychosis ( interaction d=0.31 ; P=0.02 ) . In high PUFA patients , there were no significant effects of trial drugs on PANSS scales . In conclusion , given separately during an acute episode , EPA and vitamins E+C  induce psychotic symptoms in patients with low levels of PUFA . Combined , these agents seem safe
There were no overall effects from antioxidant vitamins , inositol or dietary minerals on psychiatric symptoms .
There is preliminary evidence that certain vitamin and mineral supplements may reduce psychiatric symptoms in some people with schizophrenia .
BACKGROUND When used as an adjunctive with antipsychotics , certain vitamins and minerals may be effective for improving symptomatic outcomes of schizophrenia , by restoring nutritional deficits , reducing oxidative stress , or modulating neurological pathways .