Taurine as an Anti-Manic Agent: A Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Study

Mass General Brigham

Status and phase: Completed; Phase 2

Conditions: Bipolar Disorder; Bipolar Depression; Mania

Treatments: Drug: taurine

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT00217165

2004P-002669

Details and patient eligibility

About

The purpose of this study is to determine whether the amino acid taurine has effects on mood stability in bipolar disorder.

Full description

Taurine is an amino acid that has some actions similar to mood stabilizers. Taurine is widely sold as a component of over-the-counter mood enhancing agents. However, controlled studies examining the mood effects of taurine are limited. An initial study in this laboratory looked at taurine's mood effects in individuals with bipolar disorder. This follow-up study is designed to further examine taurine's effects on manic symptoms. Subjects in the current follow-up study will add taurine or placebo to their current treatment regimen. Both depressive and manic symptoms will be tracked for three months to determine whether the addition of taurine affects mood symptoms.

Enrollment: 60 patients

Sex: All

Ages: 18 to 68 years old

Volunteers: No Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

bipolar disorder, type I bipolar disorder, type II mania hypomania mixed manic symptoms

Exclusion criteria

significant medical or psychiatric co-morbidity pregnancy or planning pregnancy current substance abuse or dependence

Trial design

Primary purpose: Treatment

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: Triple Blind

---

60 participants in 2 patient groups, including a placebo group

placebo

Placebo Comparator group

Description:

cellulose

Treatment:

Drug: taurine

active drug

Active Comparator group

Description:

taurine

Treatment:

Drug: taurine