Archives

Abstract The September, 2010, 7.1 magnitude earthquake in Christchurch, New Zealand, provided an opportunity to study the after-effects of a major earthquake where death and injury were absent. It created a natural experiment into the protective effects on wellbeing of taking Truehope EMPowerplus, a micronutrient supplement, in a group of 33 adults diagnosed with ADHD who had been assessed…

Read more

Abstract Objective: Little research has investigated how micronutrients (minerals and vitamins) affect cognitive functioning despite preliminary studies showing they may improve psychiatric functioning. Intervention: This pilot study investigated the impact of a 36 ingredient micronutrient formula consisting mainly of vitamins and minerals on neurocognitive functioning in 14 adults with Attention-Deficit/Hype activity Disorder (ADHD) and severe mood dysregulation (SMD). Design:…

Read more

Abstract Background: Theoretically, consumption of complex, multinutrient formulations of vitamins and minerals should be safe, as most preparations contain primarily the nutrients that have been in the human diet for millennia, and at safe levels as defined by the Dietary Reference Intakes. However, the safety profile of commercial formulae may differ from foods because of the amounts and combinations…

Read more

Abstract The role of good nutrition for resilience in the face of stress is a topic of interest, but difficult to study. A 7.1 earthquake took place in the midst of research on a micronutrient treatment for Attention- Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), providing a unique opportunity to examine whether individuals with ADHD taking micronutrients demonstrated more emotional resilience postearthquake than…

Read more

Abstract Background: Eleven previous reports have shown potential benefit of micronutrient treatment for psychiatric symptoms. The current study asked whether children (7-18 years) with pediatric bipolar disorder (PBD) benefited from the same micronutrient formula; the impact of Attention- Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) on their response was also evaluated. Method: Data were available from 120 children whose parents reported a diagnosis…

Read more

Abstract Objective: To investigate the impact of a 36-ingredient micronutrient formula consisting mainly of minerals and vitamins in the treatment of adults with both Attention-deficit/hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and severe mood dysregulation (SMD). Method: 14 medication-free adults (9 men, 5 women; 18-55 years) with ADHD and SMD completed an 8- week open-label trial. Result: A minority reported transitory mild side…

Read more

Abstract Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is often accompanied by self-injurious behavior (SIB), aggression, and tantrums, symptoms that have reportedly improved with micronutrient (vitamins and minerals) treatment. The current study took advantage of naturally occurring differences in parental preferences for treatment approaches. The micronutrient group asked for treatment without pharmaceuticals (n=44, aged 2.28 years at entry ). Their records were…

Read more

Abstract Bipolar disorder with co-occurring attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a challenge to treat. Ten previous reports have shown potential benefit of a micronutrient treatment (consisting mainly of vitamins and minerals) for various psychiatric symptoms, including mood and ADHD. This case study aimed to investigate the longer-term impact of the micronutrients on both psychiatric and neurocognitive functioning in an off-on-off-on…

Read more

Abstract Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) affects 0.5.2% of young people many of whom are resistant to conventional treatments. This case study describes an 18-year-old male with OCD who first underwent cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) for a 1-year period with a modest response (his OCD had shifted from severe to moderate). Within a year, his anxiety had deteriorated back to…

Read more

Abstract Background: Bipolar disorder is a lifelong problem with imperfect available treatments. Recent research has shown potential benefit of nutritional treatment for mood symptoms. The goal of the current study was to determine whether adults with bipolar disorder reported treatment benefit from consuming a micronutrient formula. Method: Self-report data were available from 682 adults who reported a diagnosis of…

Read more