CD – Clinical Nutrition and Mental Health Disorders (2014)
The topics to be covered include bipolar spectrum disorders, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and schizophrenia/psychosis. For each topic (i.e., for each psychiatric disorder), a list of micronutrients will be presented from an evidence-informed perspective. For bipolar spectrum disorders, current published information suggests that robust micronutrient combinations are effective treatments and can sometimes completely replace psychiatric medication. For obsessive-compulsive disorder, treatments such as inositol and N-acetylcysteine (NAC) are demonstrating symptom-reducing efficacy when combined with psychiatric medication. For schizophrenia, an emerging literature base is demonstrating efficacy when single nutrients (e.g., NAC, lysine, arginine, and glycine) and combination nutrients (e.g., B-complex vitamins) are combined with psychiatric drugs. In addition, decades-old and a strong literature base known as the “Orthomolecular Treatment of Schizophrenia” has support in helping schizophrenic patients improve or even recover, but this must be done with skill and a fulsome understanding of how the orthomolecular approach is best applied to each patient. The clinical uses of each micronutrient or micronutrient combination will be delineated, including their contraindications, safety, and therapeutic value. Possible concerns related to medication-micronutrient interactions will be highlighted noting the significance of these interactions and whether they could destabilize patients.