Time-restricted Eating as an Adjunctive Intervention for Bipolar Disorder

What this Trial Is About

Researchers are evaluating how sticking to a time-restricted eating (TRE) plan affects daily biological rhythms, mood symptoms, and quality of life in adults with bipolar disorder who are already receiving medication treatment. The study aims to understand how changes in the body's internal clock, measured by gene activity, relate to improvements in mania and depression symptoms, even when considering changes in glucose tolerance and inflammation. This research focuses on people with bipolar disorder who experience sleep or circadian rhythm difficulties. Participants will follow a TRE plan where they limit their eating to a 10-hour window each day for eight weeks, alongside their usual medication. Initially, they will receive an introduction to TRE and then get brief online education several times per week, with optional weekly coaching. If their baseline eating window is longer than 14 hours, they will first reduce it to 12 hours in week one, then to 10 hours in week two. Participants choose their 10-hour eating period based on their usual sleep, family, and social schedules. During the eating window, there are no restrictions on food type or amount, and participants are encouraged to maintain their usual calorie intake. During the study, participants will complete daily records of eating, sleep, and mood for two weeks before starting TRE. They will have assessments of mania, depression, and quality of life at the start, midpoint, end of the 8-week TRE period, and again 3 months later. Researchers will monitor symptom changes, daily emotional fluctuations, and adherence to the eating schedule. The total study participation includes baseline tracking, 8 weeks of TRE, and follow-up assessments up to 16 weeks after starting.

Healthy Lifestyles in Bipolar Disorder: Bay Area Study