Conference reveals micronutrients as mental health treatment

[Masamune]

http://www.behavioral.net/ME2/dirmod.asp?sid=&nm=&type=news&mod=News&mid=B20DF0482CF84DBA94F725711F709DD7&tier=3&nid=2E678107FF5C40969D2AA33A7F1E82D1

(11/9/2009)
Press Release

San Francisco, CA — Is nutrition a feasible cure for mental health? The 1st Annual Micronutrients for Mental Health Conference, held in San Francisco at Hotel Monaco December 4th and 5th, 2009, will specifically explore this shifting paradigm.

According to researcher Dr. Bonnie Kaplan, PhD, "If substantiated in controlled trials, the normalization of the mentally ill via nutrient supplementation would be the most significant breakthrough in the field of mental illness since the beginning of time."

Peer-reviewed authors and experts from Harvard, Mt. Sinai Hospital, The University of California, and The Oakland Research Institute will discuss the vital role of vitamins, minerals, amino acids, and essential fatty acids in mental health as well as various protocols of nutrients currently being used to maximize mental health far beyond what they had previously seen using only medication.

These researchers have discovered a powerful compound of nutrients that have effectively treated symptoms of bipolar disorder and depression with a success rate exceeding that of medication at 80 percent. They have also proven effective treating OCD and schizophrenia.

First created in Canada, the unprecedented efficacy of the micronutrient compounds caught the attention of Harvard psychiatrist Charles Popper who brought the treatment to hundreds of patients. Today, thousands of documented Canadians and Americans are well on their path to freedom of mental illnesses.

Currently micronutrients for the treatment of mental health are also being formally studied at the University of Calgary and the University of California. Several peer-reviewed articles have already been published to date.

 

[Lauranimal]

This is terrific info...

"...Several peer-reviewed articles have already been published to date."

Would love to read those.

 

[Arctodus]

Here is one site http://www.truehope.com/default.aspx

 

[Masamune]

This is terrific info...

"...Several peer-reviewed articles have already been published to date."

Would love to read those.

Here are some studies about EMPowerplus, the supplement advertised on truehope.com: _http://www.truehope.com/truehope_bipolar_disorder_research_empowerplus_1.aspx

Successful treatment of OCD with a micronutrient supplement following partial response to Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT): A case study
Journal of Anxiety Disorders 2009
read summary

Database analysis of adults with bipolar disorder consuming a micronutrient formula
Clinical Medicine: Psychiatry, 2009,4:3-16;
read summary

Improved mood and behavior during treatment with a mineral-vitamin micronutrient treatment: an open-label case series of children
Journal of Child and Adolescent Psychopharmacology. Spring 2004; 14(1):115-22.
read summary

Nutritional Approach to Bipolar Disorder
Journal of Clinical Psychiatry.; (2003) 64, 338.
read summary

Treatment of Mood Lability and Explosive Rage with Minerals and Vitamins: Two case Studies in Children
Journal of Child and Adolescent Psychopharmacology. 2002 Fall;12(3):205-19
read summary

Effective mood stabilization with a chelated mineral micronutrient treatment: an open-label trial in bipolar disorder.
Journal of Clinical Psychiatry. 2001 Dec;62(12):936-44
read summary

Do Vitamins or Minerals (Apart From Lithium) Have Mood-Stabilizing Effects?
Journal of Clinical Psychiatry. 2001 Dec; 62, 933-935.
read summary

 

[Lauranimal]

Thank you!!!

 

[Vulcan59]

Hi Masamune,

I had a look at their product list and almost all of them contain magnesium stearate!! For some reason the link does not seem to work properly so I'll reproduce it here. It's taken from post #73, page 5 of the Magnesium Miracle thread.

Beware of Additives in Supplements
Stearates – Hydrogenated Fats Used in the Production of Most Supplements– Decrease Absorption and May Be Toxic
and Immunosuppressive

by Ron Schmid, ND, ©2003

(page 1 of 1) Articles Home

Magnesium stearate, stearic acid and calcium stearate, made by hydrogenating cottonseed or palm oil, are used throughout the supplements industry as lubricants. They are added to the raw materials in supplements so that production machinery will run at maximum speeds. These fatty substances coat every particle of the nutrients, so the particles will flow rapidly. This ensures that production schedules will meet profit targets.

Cottonseed oil has the highest content of pesticide residues of all commercial oils; cotton crops are heavily sprayed. In the hydrogenation process, the oil is subjected to high heat and pressure in the presence of a metal catalyst for several hours, creating a hydrogenated saturated fat. Hydrogenated vegetable fats contain altered molecules derived from fatty acids that may be toxic. The metal catalyst used in the hydrogenation process may also contaminate the stearates produced (see Erasmus, Fats and Oils).

While toxicity is one problem, decreased absorption is another. In a study published in the journal Pharmaceutical Technology, the percent dissolution for capsules after 20 minutes in solution went from 90% without stearates to 25% with stearates (article available from us upon request). This delays the absorption of nutrients. Individuals with impaired digestion may have particular difficulty absorbing nutrients coated with stearates.

Another problem with stearates: concentrated doses of stearic acid suppress the action of T-cells, a key component of the immune system. The article “Molecular basis for the immunosuppressive action of stearic acid on T cells” appeared in the journal Immumology in 1990.

*
Companies that manufacture and transport magnesium stearate must file a Material Safety Data Sheet with the Environmental Protection Agency because concentrated magnesium stearate is classified as a hazardous substance.
* Its uses are listed as “ammunition, dusting powder, paint and varnish drier, binder, and emulsifier.” The section “Human Health Data” states that “Inhalation may irritate the respiratory tract” and “Acute ingestion may cause gastroenteritis.”
* Under the heading “Regulatory Information,” the paper states, “This product is hazardous under the criteria of the Federal OSHA Hazard Communication Standard.” This information may be viewed at the web site www.hummelcroton.com/msds/mgstear_m.html
* Supplements manufacturers pass off magnesium stearate as a benign form of magnesium. Magnesium stearate is the magnesium salt of stearic acid, which is also used in supplements for the same purposes. The argument is made that small amounts of these substances do no harm. But do you really want them in your supplements every day? Remember, the sole purpose of using these substances is to make the machines go faster. Supplements can be made without them-it just takes more time, care, and attention to detail.

How Much Hydrogenated Lubricant Oils Are You Getting With Your Supplements?
Up to 5% of the average 1000 mg capsule or tablet is magnesium stearate. That’s 50 milligrams. Suppose you take 8 capsules or tablets a day. That’s 250 a month – or 12,500 mg of this hydrogenated oil, nearly half an ounce. That works out to about 6 ounces of hydrogenated oils a year, from just 8 pills a day. Many people take more supplements, and ingest pounds of this toxic oil we try to avoid in our diets – while directly inhibiting the utilization of the nutrients they’re supplementing!

 

[Masamune]

Hi Masamune,

I had a look at their product list and almost all of them contain magnesium stearate!! For some reason the link does not seem to work properly so I'll reproduce it here. It's taken from post #73, page 5 of the Magnesium Miracle thread.

Thanks for the info Vulcan59. Yeah I don't personally recommend their product I just learned about it when I went to the site that Arctodus posted. The product also contains L-phenylalanine which can be dangerous to those with phenylketonuria.

I just find it interesting that these types of products are being researched as an alternative to pharmaceuticals and have been achieving good results.

 

[tree]

I have a client who struggled terribly with bi-polar disorder who is now completely off her meds and stable for over 6 months with this product and homeopathy combined. It really seems to be a great source of help for those with mental illness. I plan to address the company on the magnesium stearate issue. It seems that this product has been developed experimentally over many years, so perhaps this could be another step forward to a better product. Its better than lithium. :O

Tree

 

[Arctodus]

Thank you Vulcan59 and Masamune for the heads up on sneaked toxins.