A Beautiful Mind
“It’s unsettling to think of all the people who are suffering from schizophrenia who are not receiving the vitamin supplement that could help them control their deplorable condition.”
That sentence appeared in the e-Alert “Green Eggs and Strange Ham” (1/10/07), and apparently it touched a nerve because I received several e-mails with further questions.
In that e-Alert, HSI Panelist Allan Spreen, M.D., explained how high doses of vitamin B-3 (also known as niacin) have been shown to dramatically relieve many cases of schizophrenia. Dr. Spreen returns today to field a specific question about B-3 and two questions about treating other types of mental disorders with alternative therapies.
Team players
We’ll start with the B-3 question from an HSI member named Harold: “Shouldn’t vitamin Bs be taken as a group? Can we absorb vitamin B-3 completely if taken alone?”
As regular e-Alert readers know, Dr. Spreen looks on vitamin and mineral supplementation as a team effort: All the individual components are important, but they work more efficiently when combined. So Harold is on the right track. Dr. Spreen notes that B vitamins should ALWAYS be taken as a group because they function together. But treating schizophrenia requires a precise emphasis on B-3.
Dr. Spreen: “In the specific case of schizophrenia the idea is that the body’s individual absorption of vitamin B-3 is radically less than all the other B-vitamins. Larger (and possibly HUGE) doses may be needed, relative to the other members of the B family, to get a ‘normal’ ratio of all of them in that particular body.
“Dr. Abram Hoffer of Canada discovered this link when he examined Canadian soldiers who became POW’s in WW 2. These once-very-healthy men came home mentally afflicted with symptoms similar to schizophrenia. Hoffer deduced that the abominable diets in POW camps adversely affected the enzyme systems of the body enough to ruin the absorption of vitamin B-3. When super-high doses of B-3 were given (relative to the other B’s), the mental dysfunction cleared, though it would return when the high doses were discontinued.”
Calming the nerves
A member named Sharon sent this question: “My husband takes Zyprexa, although not for schizophrenia, but for anxiety and OCD (obsessive compulsive disorder). It has been very effective for him, although the side effect of weight gain has been disturbing. He would like to go off it, but we were wondering if you knew of any ‘alternative’ treatments for these disorders, which are quite severe for him when he is not on medicationand by the way, he also takes Prozac.”
Dr. Spreen: “Being on both Prozac and Zyprexa means it’s a pretty heavy situation (or certainly should be). To try alternatives in such a situation needs to be done under the care of an experienced nutritionally-oriented practitioner (and maybe an understanding psychiatrist, too).
“However, there are several things that can be done for anxiety. Kava kava was the fastest and easiest, but it’s been made more difficult to get (it was too effective). In fact, a given dose can go from anti-anxiety to totally asleepamazing stuff. Magnesium can calm nerves, too, but is usually effective in milder cases. Valerian does the same thing, but is somewhat more effective (and more expensive).
“Probably the best that’s available today is L-tryptophan, which is now legal again (it was made illegal apparently to stop it from competing with certain prescription medications). Taken between meals (away from protein), there is a dose that works to ease anxiety, and increasing doses can cover every stage from that to a solid night’s sleep.
“Choices are less in terms of OCD (Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder). However, there is an agent that can be tried for persistent repetitive behavior, and it has scientific research to back it up as helpful. It’s called inositol. This substance is a lesser-known member of the B-complex family (often taken with choline). In this case, inositol alone in a high enough dose can lessen the urges to repeat behaviors that a person may even know is irrational or unnecessary. The dose can be pretty high, but the side effects (and toxicities) are basically nothing.”
Talk to a doctor
Finally, a member named Philip writes: “I read with interest the article in the January 10 HSI e-alert about possible treatment of schizophrenia using vitamin B-3. Is there any similar research on vitamin deficiency or possible treatment for bi-polar disorder? My sister may find this interesting.”
Dr. Spreen: “Unfortunately, there seems to be little connection between vitamin B-3 and bipolar disorder. However, the long-term stand-by of lithium carbonate has a less toxic relative: lithium orotate (and also lithium aspartate). These agents can have similar results to the original carbonate form without the higher amounts needed for clinical effect from the latter. Both were used by the late Hans Neiper, MD, a brilliant German physician who was absolutely cutting edge on the use of specific nutrients for specific effects.”
One final detail: Dr. Spreen notes that whenever addressing a health issue with alternative treatments – especially conditions as serious as bi-polar disorder, OCD, schizophrenia, etc. – a doctor should be consulted, preferably one who is knowledgeable about nutrition and alternative health care.
