For depression:

I use the Vitacost brand of 5-htp 200 mg capsules and take 2 of those of day. I pay about $28 for a bottle of 120 that lasts between 45 and 60 days. If I'm not sleeping or overly stressed out, I take up to 4 a day. I've never had any problem with 5-htp although it does bother a lot of peoples' stomachs.

I take 1,000 mg a day of Vitacost's DLPA. I pay $20 for a bottle of 300 500 mg capsulesso that last approximately 5 months. DLPA is stimulating to the brain but you don't really feel it other than it can interfere with sleep so I don't take extra unless I become severely depressed about something going on in my life, and then I plan it so I take the extra when I get up in the morning. I do that maybe 5 times a year. This is the one supplement that really make life worth living as it puts dopamine and norepinephrine in the brain. It raises your blood pressure about 10 points which it's done to mine, but it's not an issue as I have lowish blood pressure as it is.

For hypomania:

I take 1,000 mg of Vitacost's GABA. I pay around $15 for a bottle of 200 500 mg capsules so it lasts me around 3 months. If I'm overly stressed out I take extra. I've taken up to 5,000 mg at a time in years past with no noticeable side-effects. GABA is one of the primary amino acids used to control stress and anxiety.

I also take NCI Advanced Research lithium orotate 120 mg, but it's really 4.5 mg of elemental lithium which is how it's viewed from what my naturopath told me. It comes in a bottle of 200 that I just paid $15.66 for last week. I normally take 4 tablets a day giving me 18 mg of elemental lithium orotate. From my research, I've read that you can take up to 40 mg of elemental lithium a day which is what I aim for if I find myself wound up or if I can't sleep. I've never had an side-effects from it, and from what I've read, lithium is wonderful for helping to stave off dementia and memory issues.

One other thing I just started taking is nascent iodine, and am amazed at how the SAD I normally suffer from hasn't hit this year. The only explanation is the iodine as I'm sure it's helping my thyroid function better. In fact, my hair is getting thicker, and where it's white in front is darkening up. I'm thrilled to death as I have subclinical hypothyroidism that doctors are afraid to treat as my blood work is fine, but I still have symptoms. I pay around $30 for a bottle lasts me a month which I didn't include in the previous total as I don't view as a bipolar med.

Here's a video on nascent iodine by Dr. Edward Group of the Global Healing Center.