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Abstract

Objective: To evaluate the effect of micronutrients (minerals and vitamins) on adult psychosis when added to conventional medications by using a placebo-controlled randomized design with a 1-month open-label run-in.

Design: Longitudinal comparison study following a randomized, controlled trial that had failed because participants declined to undergo randomization.

Setting/Locations: Rural primary care and psychiatry clinic in northern New England (town of 16,000…

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Abstract

Background: Healthcare costs are skyrocketing, with mental health treatment amongst the most expensive, especially when hospitalization is involved. According to the Mental Health Commission of Canada, one in five Canadians is living with a mental disorder in any given year, at an annual cost of $50 billion. In light of this societal burden, alternative approaches are being evaluated, such…

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Abstract

Objective: Determine retrospectively if individualized, integrative treatment strategies applied while withdrawing pharmaceuticals were beneficial and safe among a TRBD clinic population.

Method: A chart review was performed for six adult patients, treated in a private psychiatric practice. Data were collected regarding psychiatric diagnosis, hospitalizations, medications, side effects, substance abuse, and applied treatments.

Results: Using individualized, integrative psychiatric treatment methods, the majority…

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Abstract Introduction: Emotional dyscontrol following traumatic brain injury (TBI) impairs social relationships and employability. Micronutrients (minerals, vitamins) stabilize emotional lability in psychiatric patients, and various individual nutrients have been used to treat experimental brain injury in laboratory animals in the acute phase. However, the current case report appears to be the first documentation of micronutrients resulting in normalization of…

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Abstract After devastating flooding in southern Alberta in June2013, we attempted to replicate a New Zealand randomised trial that showed that micronutrient (minerals, vitamins) consumption after the earthquakes of 2010–11 resulted in improved mental health. Residents of southern Alberta were invited to participate in a study on the potential benefit of nutrient supplements following a natural disaster. Fifty-six adults…

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Abstract Introduction: In clinical studies of adults and children, broad-spectrum micronutrients (minerals and vitamins) have proven beneficial for improving mood regulation and attention. We report here pilot work whose primary objective was to evaluate the feasibility of studying micronutrient treatment in school-aged children with emotional and behavioral problems. Issues examined included feasibility of participant recruitment from a culturally diverse…

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Abstract Objective: Despite widespread use, there is little data investigating the long-term impact of micronutrients on psychiatric disorders. This study investigated the naturalistic outcome 1-year post-baseline of a randomized controlled trials (RCT) that compared micronutrients with placebo in 80 adults with ADHD. Method: All participants were contacted and clinician-rated questionnaires completed. Result: A total of 72 (90%) of the…

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Abstract Objective: The purpose of this study was to investigate the clinical effect and safety of a broad spectrum, 36 ingredient micronutrient (vitamins and minerals) in treating children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Methods: This open-label, on-off-on-off (reversal design) study followed 14 participants (8–12 years of age) with ADHD, diagnosed using standardized instruments, for 6 months with no dropouts. Following…

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Abstract This study examined the effects of micronutrients on children with clinically elevated stress and anxiety 23–36 months after experiencing a natural disaster (a major earthquake). A single-case multiple-baseline design allocated 14 children (7 males, 7 females; aged 8–11 years; 10 with formal anxiety-disorder diagnoses) randomly to 1, 2 or 3 week baselines. Participants then took eight capsules/day of…

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Abstract Background: The role of nutrition in the treatment of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is gaining international attention; however, treatments have generally focused only on diet restriction or supplementing with one nutrient at a time. Aim: To investigate the efficacy and safety of a broad-based micronutrient formula consisting mainly of vitamins and minerals, without omega fatty acids, in the…

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