Orthomolecular Treatment
(research) suggests to me that if everyone started on a good nutritional program supplemented with optimum doses of vitamins and minerals before age fifty, and remained on it, the incidence of Alzheimer’s disease would drop precipitously.
Ask your health care professional how molecular treatment can be part of your health care.
Molecular (Orthomolecular) Approach to Health
T he molecular approach to health care employs the use of vitamins and nutrients in the form of diet and supplements to support the body with optimal nutrition, encouraging proper functionality and promoting mental and physical health.
The term ‘orthomolecular’, meaning correct molecule, first was used by two-time Nobel Prize winner, and molecular biologist, Linus Pauling, Ph.D., in his 1968 article Orthomolecular Psychiatry in the academic journal Science. Pauling used the term to describe an approach aimed at correcting the molecular environment within the body.
Molecular treatment is defined as the practice of providing a person’s brain and body with the best possible biochemical environment so that they can function at an optimal level.
Emphasis is on the substances used by the body naturally, such as vitamins, minerals, amino acids and other essential molecules. These are administered according to the individual’s needs. In addition to supplements, diet, regulation of blood sugar, food allergies/sensitivities, and thyroid function are considered when developing a molecular treatment plan. Molecular therapy can support the body, including correcting metabolic or nutrient deficiencies that can result from some medications or treatments.
Supplements, diet and other molecular treatments should be customized to suit the needs of the individual.
Finding a practitioner who integrates a molecular approach to treatment can be difficult. Not all health care providers are familiar with molecular treatment or integrate it into their practice. The page Finding a Practitioner can help you to choose the right health profession for your needs.
A physician or other health professional should be consulted when addressing serious medical problems.
Supplementation with vitamin and minerals is quite safe. Health Canada recently adopted a process to regulate the quality of supplements.
A few people may experience some discomfort and side effects when taking certain supplements, but your health professional can monitor this and adjust the treatment you receive. Determining the right dosage and form of supplementation is important. Your health care professional will evaluate your needs and prescribe nutrients and dosages suitable for you.
Information on selecting supplements can be found here.
There is a substantial and ever growing body of research on the effectiveness of molecular (orthomolecular) treatments for a range of mental and physical conditions.
To read more go to Educational Resources and the JOM archive.
