Orthomolecular Treatment for Schizophrenia
by Abram Hoffer
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Book Summary Information
Author: Abram HofferEdition: Paperback
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language); English (Published)
Published: 1999-04-11
ISBN: 0879839104
Number of pages: 48
Publisher: McGraw-Hill
Accessories:
- Airborne Effervescent Health Formula, Original Orange, 10 Tablets (Pack of 3)
- RESPeRATE Blood Pressure Lowering Device
Book Reviews of Orthomolecular Treatment for Schizophrenia
Book Review: Hoffer's Successful Therapy for Schizophrenia using Niacin
Summary: 5 Stars
The fundamental bias in both medicine and dietetics rises darkly from the swamp when you even hint of a therapeutic validity for megavitamin doses. Why such resistance to such a useful nutritional tool? Perhaps because niacin therapy is really, really cheap?
Fortunately there are physicians like Dr. Hoffer who still look to the patient, and not the test tube, for their answers. A patient's therapeutic response is the highest of all guiding principles in medicine. If it works, do it.
"Pellagra" is the classic niacin deficiency disease. It was once common in the rural South where the poor had little else to eat except tryptophan-poor foods like milled corn. The symptoms are the "Three D's": diarrhea, dermatitis, and dementia. More specific pellagra symptoms include weakness, anorexia, lassitude, indigestion, skin eruptions, skin scaling, neuritis, nervous system destruction, confusion, apathy, disorientation, and insanity.
Does this sound a bit like schizophrenia?
A few physicians thought so, too. In studying mental illness, tryptophan and niacin deficits, and pellagra, some doctors noticed that psychotics and other mentally ill persons frequently have assorted pellagra-like symptoms in addition to their nervous problems. From about 1900 to the mid 1930's, perhaps up to half of persons in psychiatric hospitals had pellagra. It makes one wonder: could many forms of mental illness actually be caused by a deficiency of niacin?
In the 1950's, an insightful young psychiatrist named Abram Hoffer began clinical trials to find out. He used very high doses of niacin, with very good results. But the success, convenience and relentless advertising of later (c. 1960) "wonder drugs" diminished niacin's popularity. Then, the American Psychiatric Association unscientifically trashed megavitamin therapy in the early 1970's. So now we have growing legions of nutritionally challenged, mentally-malnourished Americans who don't know, or care, that they are... because they are happily (and legally, and profitably) drugged into mood-altered la-la land! It is disquieting to see the Rolling Stones as prophets, yet an arsenal of "Mother's Little Helper" psychotropic pharmaceuticals are used by millions daily, even while doctors and dieticians condemn megavitamin therapeutics.
The many negative side effects and dangers of these drugs are now restoring interest in niacin. Even the new somas du jour, Paxil and Prozac, have serious failings. A quick read in the Physicians' Desk Reference (or PDR, available at any library) will illustrate this.
Niacin toxicity does exist, but is rare. Dr. Hoffer found that even 40,000 mg daily is not toxic but estimated that over 200,000 mg/day is fatal. The most psychotic person you are ever likely to meet could probably not hold more than 10,000 mg/day, and most of us would never exceed 1,000 mg daily. Medical physicians frequently give patients 2,000 to 5,000 milligrams of niacin to lower serum cholesterol. The safety margin is very large. There is not even one death from niacin per year. You cannot say that about any drug, not even aspirin. Check CDC or Poison Control Center statistics, the Merck Manual, and the PDR and see for yourself.
It is a lack of niacin that is the real public health problem. The US Daily Reference Intake is only 14-16 mg, and about half of all Americans will not get even that much from their awful diets. Niacin's special importance is indicated in that the US DRI for niacin is much higher than those for other B-vitamins, and that's just for everyday, healthy people.
Dr. Hoffer gave schizophrenics far, far higher doses, and it worked. I would go so far as to advise reading everything Dr. Hoffer has ever written. (...)
Summary of Orthomolecular Treatment for Schizophrenia
Orthomolecular medicine can be effective in the treatment of schizophrenia, a mental disorder often treated with drugs. Deficiency often plays a major role in the onset of this condition. Thus, nutritional supplementation is integral to Dr. Hoffers approach to schizophrenia. This short, concise guide explains how the disorder is diagnosed, what causes it and how to effectively treat it without drugs.Alternative Medicine Books
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