Can orthomolecular psychiatry treat schizophrenia?

Schizophrenia: Bleuler, in his classic text on schizophrenia, spoke about the "group" of schizophrenias. It is a diverse disease and there is no one specific symptom complex, nor to the best of my knowledge , nor is there one underlying pathology. So which schizophrenia are we treating. Again, careful diagnosis is necessary.

No strong evidence: Orthomolecular psychiatry covers a lot of ground, as does the term schizophrenia. Especially in the 1970s and 80s, there was considerable interest in possible treatment of schizophrenia with high-dose vitamin treatment. There still are groups studying or touting such treatments, but controlled studies largely suggest that antipsychotic medications have much more robust effects.

Orthomolecular Psy.: It claims that the causes of psychotic disorders are food allergies, low sugar , low thyroid, heavy metal toxicity, pyroluria (improper hemoglobin synthesis), histadelia (high histamine & basophils in blood), & histapenia (high copper with low histamine). So far, use of megavitamins & nutrients to correct such claimed deficits have not proven successful in treating schizophrenia.

APA said no: Yrs ago apa said hoffers ideas didn't work but there is some recent interest in the topic--i'd stick with mainstream approaches as current meds & therapies r effective in most cases.

80% Recovery: Orthomolecular treatment is defined as providing the brain and the body with the best possible biochemical environment, especially with those substances normally found in the body such as vitamins, minerals, amino acids and other essential molecules. In the treatment of schizophrenia, the American Schizophrenia Association Committee on Therapy reported 80% recoveries based on a follow up of 1,500 patients. Other physicians report a recovery rate of more than 75% and considerably higher in children. The orthomolecular treatment has been found to be highly effective in treating many other disorders including depression, behaviour and learning problems in children, alcoholism and problems associated with aging.

Yes: This method of treatment has bee found to be effective in some cases. The scientific literature in this field is not as rich as traditional psychiatry.