Orthomolecular Medicine
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Orthomolecular medicine concentrates on the molecular structure of the body by supplying it with ample amounts of proper nutrients such as vitamins, minerals, and amino acids. It does so within proper balance and in a favorable environment. As in many other alternative medicine modalities, orthomolecular medicine targets a wide range of conditions.
Orthomolecular medicine evolved over time into a discipline under the direction of Linus Pauling, Ph.D., winner of two Nobel prizes, in 1968. It is designed to enable individuals to achieve optimum health and peak performance by utilizing only naturally occurring substances (e.g. vitamins, minerals, enzymes, trace elements, co-enzymes). The proper balance of these substances in the body is the key to reaching physical, mental, and emotional health and stability. Orthomolecular medicine can be used therapeutically to treat diseases such as cancer and AIDS, or preventatively to impede the progress of degenerative disease and aging.
Orthomolecular medicine did not become a full pledged discipline until the late 1960's when Pauling coined the term "orthomolecular". However, the principles behind orthomolecular medicine originated in the 1920's, when vitamins and minerals were first used to treat illnesses. Scientific evidence began to surface over many years, then in the 1950's, Abram Hoffer, M.D., and Humphrey Osmond, M.D., began treating schizophrenics with high doses of vitamin B3 (niacin). They studies revealed that niacin, in combination with other treatments, could double the number of remissions in a single year.
Over time it was revealed that malnutrition brought on by consumption of refined and processed foods such as the ever so popular white bread could initiate disease and psychiatric problems. Suddenly, it became obvious that a person's diet was fundamental in determining the future health and wellness of an individual. Other studies began to show the effects of deprivation or decreased intake of certain types of food in one's diet could bring about certain forms of mental illness etc..
Every individual is a unique biochemical creature and this principle is at the core of orthomolecular medicine. As Roger J. Williams, Ph.D. suggested: every living organism is unique! Furthermore, each individual requires different relative amounts of nutrients for his or her satisfaction and optimum level of health. As a benchmark, the government established a minimum daily requirement (RDA) which does not consider individuals with unique needs. Because of this, RDA values are merely guidelines and not necessarily adequate for everyone. Studies of guinea pigs substantiated the principle that creatures are biochemically different. The studies showed a twentyfold variable in the requirement of vitamin C in the test subjects. Similar studies on animals and humans have indicated the same biochemical differences.
Other principles of orthomolecular medicine include:
- Diagnosing nutritional deficiencies followed by we establishing proper nutrition can result in a cure.
- Pharmaceuticals should be used sparingly.
- Environmental toxins and food poisoning antagonize nutritional deficiencies. These conditions must be eliminated as well.
- Blood testing can be erroneous and an unreliable as a predictor or indicator of nutrients in body tissues.
- Mind/body therapy is employed as an adjunct, where optimism, hope and faith are integral allies for both the patient and physician.
An orthomolecular practitioner will attempt to return nutritional balance and harmony to the body/patient. There are multiple approaches, which the practitioner will pursue simultaneously. First, nutritional supplements will be recommended on a daily basis and in large amounts deemed necessary according to diagnosed deficiencies and symptoms. Second, the patient will be strongly advised that the root cause behind the current medical crisis is a dysfunctional nutritional pattern of behavior. This pattern of behavior encompasses the patient's nutritional lifestyle. In order to bring about a lasting condition of optimum health, nutritional supplements alone are not adequate, the individual must take charge and be willing to initiate a nutritional lifestyle change. Giving up many of his/her favorite food products and to avoid others is essential. Then to initiate a radical change in the types of foods and the manner in which the foods are prepared. The patient will be advised that a nutritional lifestyle change is indeed a lifelong change. Both nutritional lifestyle change and nutritional supplementation must be continued for the rest of the patient's life in order to maintain an optimum level of health. One change without the other may not be sufficient, and episodes of illnesses may return if the patient does not follow the recommendations.
Observers of orthomolecular medicine frequently poke fun at the modality suggesting that it is more of a megavitamin therapy than anything else. Traditional medical doctors proclaimed the dangers of megavitamin intake, indicating that mega doses can induce toxicity in certain vitamins and supplements. However, defenders of orthomolecular levels of supplements point to a major study that shows that over and eight-year period, from 1983 to 1990 the number of pharmaceutical fatalities because of over does was 2556. While during the same period of time the number of fatalities resulting from overdoses of vitamin supplements was zero.
Orthomolecular medicine benefits individuals from children to the elderly, who have the following problems and conditions:
NERVOUS SYSTEM
Depression
- Anxiety disorders
- Beriberi (a deficiency of thiamine (vitamin B) causing neurologic, mental, and cardiovascular problems)
- Schizophrenia (vitamin B (niacin) can treat it)
- Parkinson's Disease (large quantities of vitamin B, either niacin or niacinamide, protect people against the tendency of L-dopa to cause psychosis)
- Memory and cognition problem
- Fear
- Stress
- Atherosclerosis (Coronary angiographic evidence reveals antioxidant
- Intake reduces progression of atherosclerosis)
- Hyperactivity (niacinamide, or niacin, vitamin C, pyridoxine, and Zinc are effective in treatint this condition, especially in children)
- Headache (magnesium aids headache relief)
- Mood disorders (Vitamin supplementation for year improves mood)
- Psychiatric/mental illness (methylfolate enhances recovery from psychiatric illness)
- Pellagra (A severe deficiency of niacin)
- Shingles (Herpes Zoster)
DIGESTIVE SYSTEM
- Colic (injection of potassium activates the intestinal walls,
- Enhancing digestive abilities)
- Gastrointestinal disorders
- Irritable Bowel Syndrome and Bowel intolerance (vitamin C can treat It; flaxseed improves bowel function)
- Constipation
- Cystitis (bladder infections)
- Endometriosis
- Flatulence
- Colitis
- Crown's disease
- Diverticulitis
- Obesity and weight management
RESPIRATORY SYSTEM
- Common cold (vitamin C can treat it; Zinc gluconate lozenges reduce duration of common cold)
- Hay fever (vitamin C can treat it)
- Viral pneumonia (vitamin C can treat it)
- Asthma (vitamin C can treat it)
- Influenza (vitamin C can treat it)
- Allergies
- Angina
SKIN
- Bruises
- Cystic mastitis
- Burns
- Acne (topical nicotinamide and clindamycin gel can treat acne
- Vulgaris)
- Eczema
- Hives (Uritcaria)
- Insect bites
- Furunculosis (vitamin C can treat recurrent fururculosis in patients with impaired neutrophill functions)
- Candidiasis
- Macular degeneration (carotenoids protect against macular degeneration)
- Psoriasis (essential fatty acids, including omega-can lessen the symptoms of this affliction)
VASCULAR SYSTEM
- Raynaud's Disease
- Speed recovery time in hear attack victims; vitamin C improves
- Endothelium-dependent vasodilation)
- Heart disase (essential fatty
- Acids, including omega- and omega-, can decrease risk factors for heart disease)
- Heart arrhythmia (irregular heartbeat) (dosages of magnesium can treat it)
- Chronic anemia
- Hypoglycemia (chromium (a trace mineral) regulates the body's response to sugar and insulin)
- Diabetes (chromium (a trace mineral) regulates the body's response to sugar and insulin)
- Cholesterol imbalance (chromium can aid in lowering cholesterol; flaxseed reduces low density lipoprotein count; niacin lowers LDL as well)
- Hypertension (injections of vitamin C, magnesium
- Sulphate, vitamin B, and zinc sulphate prevent high blood pressure during surgery and postsurgical complications)
- Chronic fatigue syndrome (low carnitite level found in those who suffer from this condition)
- Heavy Metal Toxicity
JOINTS
- Osteoarthritis
- Rheumatoid arthritis (essential fatty acids, including omega- can lessen the symptoms of this affliction)
MUSCLES AND FASCIA
REPRODUCTIVE ORGANS
- Herpes simplex (cold sores)
- Infertility
- Prostate enlargement
- Vaginal diseases (probiotics-microorganism administration prevent these diseases)
- Cervical dysplasia (Folic Acid can treat this pre-cancerous condition of the uterus)
IMMUNE SYSTEM
- AIDS (Strong nutrition and diet is necessary to combat this viral, sexually transmitted autoimmune disease)
- Childhood infectious illness (vitamin A can treat and prevent it)
EMBRYOLOGY
- Neural tube defects in newborns (Folic Acid (a B vitamin) is a recommended preventive measure for pregnant women)
ADDICTIONS
INTER-BODY SYSTEMS
- Cancer (higher levels of betacarotene (a precursor of vitamin A) are associated with lower rates of cancer; selenium supplements reduce risk of cancer with % of patients; vitamin E helps prevent cancer)
Certain individuals tend to confuse orthomolecular medicine with nutritional and/or diet therapy, since all three therapies promote the use of vitamin, enzyme, and mineral supplementation. The primary difference between the three, whcih separates orthomolecular medicine into unique sphere, is that in orthomolecular medicine a nutritional balance is a fundamental principal in obtaining and maintaining optimum health.
A current traditional medical perspective:
It is a sad commentary, that in this day of medical enlightenment, that medical schools across the nation still downplay the importance of nutrition, graduating doctors with little knowledge of the power nutrition plays in treating disease. As a powerful offsetting influence the news media frequently has short episodes covering the important issues of proper nutrition. These episodes are not only on radio; they are on prime time television as well. Dozens of very successful alternative medicine talk shows occupy morning, noon in evening slots on some of the most popular and powerful radio stations in the country. This is an ample demonstration to the traditional medical establishment that consumers and patients all across the country are eager to learn more about how to regain and maintain their health.
Conditions