In the second half of the 20th century, there was an interest in treating schizophrenia and depression with vitamins rather than psychiatric drugs. The idea fell out of favor for many years, but recently, some doctors are reviving the idea of a link between nutrition and mental health, and are urging that nutritional strategies be given a second look.
Megavitamin Therapy in Schizophrenia
Many studies of megavitamin therapy for schizophrenia have produced negative results. One of these studies, published in the February 1999 issue of the "Australian and New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry," is noteworthy because it was well-designed and lasted for five months. Nineteen schizophrenic patients were randomly assigned to either a group that received megavitamins and instructions to avoid allergenic foods, or a group that received 25 mg of vitamin C and instructions to include allergenic foods in their diets. At the end of the study period, patients in the treatment group did not report any improvement in symptoms; neither was there any observable change in their behaviors.
Alpha-Lipoic Acid and Niacinamide in Schizophrenia
In December 2010, however, an article appeared in "Medical Hypotheses" arguing that the role of alpha lipoic acid and niacinamide in schizophrenia should be reassessed. According to the author, S. E. Seyboldt, oxidative stress and dysfunction of the mitochondria, which are parts of the cell responsible for energy production, have been linked to the development of this disorder. Both alpha lipoic acid and niacinamide act in ways that protect the mitochondria, either by preserving the integrity of mitochondrial membranes or increasing levels of a protective substance called glutathione.
Vitamin B-6 and Depression
Vitamin B-6 is one of the vitamins most frequently taken for depression, possibly because it is involved in the synthesis of serotonin. A review of the literature on this vitamin and depression, published in the October 2005 issue of "Family Practice," showed that, taken as a whole, there was no significant effect of vitamin B-6 supplementation on depression. However, pre-menopausal women were the exception. Often, they did show improvement when given this substance, suggesting that vitamin B-6 supplementation may be an effective strategy for women suffering from hormonally based depression.
Vitamin D, Schizophrenia and Depression
A number of studies have addressed the link between vitamin D levels and psychiatric disorders, including schizophrenia and depression. A September 2010 study published in the "Archives of General Psychiatry" found that Danish infants who had either abnormally low or abnormally high blood levels of vitamin D at birth were more likely to develop schizophrenia than infants with moderate amounts of the nutrient.
A 2004 study published in "Schizophrenia Research" found that vitamin D supplementation during the first year after birth did reduce the risk of developing schizophrenia. What remains to be proved is whether vitamin D supplementation later in life improves the outcome in people diagnosed with schizophrenia.
Vitamin D deficiencies have also been implicated in depression and bipolar disorder. Depressed people often have substantially lower levels of vitamin D than non-depressed people. However, according to an April 2011 article in "Acta Psychiatrica Scandanavica," it is not clear from the available research whether these low levels are the cause or a consequence of depression. While, in the view of this study's authors, there is insufficient evidence to recommend vitamin D supplementation as a routine treatment for depression, it may be warranted for patients who have low levels of this vitamin or whose dietary patterns or residence in northern climates might predispose them to deficiency.
The evidence, however, is against massive doses of vitamin D, since taking too much is also linked to schizophrenia. Rather, research suggests that the proper strategy is to take an optimal dose, not a megadose.
References
- "Archives of General Psychiatry"; Neonatal Vitamin D Status and Risk of Schizophrenia: a Population-Based Case-control Study; J.J.McGrath,et al.; September 2010
- "Australian and New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry"; Megavitamin and Dietary Treatment in Schizophrenia: a Randomized, Controlled Trial; K. Vaughan, et al.; February 1999
- "Schizophrenia Research"'; Vitamin D Supplementation During the First Year of Life and Risk of Schizophrenia: a Finnish Birth Cohort Study; J. McGrath, et al.; April 2004
- "Acta Psychiatrica Scandanavica"; 'D' for Depression: Any Role for Vitamin D? Food for Thought II; G. Parker, et al. April 12, 2011
- "Medical Hypotheses"; It It Time to Reassess Alpha Lipoic Acid and Niacinamide Therapy in Schizophrenia?" S.E. Seyboldt; December 2010
- "Family Practice"'The Role for Vitamin B-6 as Treatment for Depression: A Systematic Review; A.L. Williams, et al.; October 2005
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