Orthomolecular medicine emphasises the use of natural substances found in a healthy diet such as vitamins, minerals, amino acids, and essential fats in the prevention and treatment of diseases. Orthomolecular medicine focuses on the role of proper nutrition in relation to health. Nutrition comes first in medical diagnoses and treatment and drug treatment is used only for specific indications.
Recommended dietary allowances (RDA) of nutrients are seen as inadequate, given the individuality of patients’ genetic disposition and the interaction of the environment. Often supplementation with relatively large doses of vitamins is given and the name megavitamin therapy has become popularly associated with the field.
The substances may be administered by diet, dietary supplementation or intravenously.
Many conventional doctors disregard the concepts of orthomolecular medicine and tell patients that a balanced diet will provide all the nutrition a person needs to be healthy. Critics arguing against vitamin therapy claim that high doses of certain vitamins are toxic and can cause problems.
Proponents point to an almost zero level of deaths caused by overdosing of vitamins compared to the significant numbers from pharmaceuticals.
Dr. Linus Pauling proposed the term Orthomolecular Medicine in 1968 in the journal ‘Science’.
The field orthomolecular psychiatry deals with the use of orthomolecular medicine to treat psychiatric problems.
Some practitioners also use the term optimum nutrition to describe orthomolecular medicine.
Levy, Thomas, MD JD ; (September 2002), Vitamin C, Infectious Diseases, and Toxins , Xlibris Corporation (Paperback). ISBN: 1401069630
International Society for Orthomolecular Medicine References
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