Orthomolecular Medicine Meeting Toronto 2007 by Jeffrey Dach
Jeffrey Dach
We just returned from attending the Orthomolecular Medicine Meeting,
and I wanted to share with you a few highlights from this historic
meeting. (1)
In addition to the scientific meeting, we attended the black-tie
tribute dinner honoring the 90 year old Abram Hoffer, MD, the original
founder of the orthomolecular medical society and a prolific writer
and researcher. (2) (3)
We were lucky to be seated at a family table with Garry Vickar, M.D.
Hoffer's nephew. Garry Vickar is an orthomolecular psychiatrist from
St. Louis, and proudly informed us the family had endowed the Hoffer-
Vickar chair of orthomolecular psychiatry at Ben Gurion University.
(4)
What is Orthomolecular Medicine? (5)
You probably never heard of this word, "orthomolecular". It was coined
by Linus Pauling 50 years ago and means substances in the human body
like vitamins, minerals, and hormones used to treat disease. It sounds
a lot like natural medicine, holistic medicine, and integrative,
complementary medicine, doesn't it? All of these definitions are
blurred together, and we are really talking about the use of non-toxic
natural substances, instead of patented drugs which can be toxic and
produce adverse side effects. Abram Hoffer, Linus Pauling and Humphrey
Osmond founded the orthomolecular medical society in the 1950's, and
Hoffer is still active as editor-in-chief of its journal. (6)
Gala Dinner Honoring Abram Hoffer MD
The award dinner was a touching and moving tribute to a great pioneer
and scientist. Dr. Hoffer graciously allowed us to introduce ourselves
and speak with him briefly, and I can report to you that he is
charming, pleasant, and has the intellect of much younger person. He
was the final speaker at the podium, and spoke for about 10 minutes
recapping the highlights of his career and thanking everyone involved
in the dinner.
The actress Margot Kidder was the master of ceremonies at the dinner.
Remember, she played Lois Lane in the superman movies. Kidder was
successfully treated by Hoffer after having her own personal problems
in 1996. She is now a grateful recovered Hoffer patient, and also a
political activist for orthomolecular medicine as the first line of
treatment of mental illness. (7)
Hoffer is well known for his research investigating the use of high
dose niacin, vitamin B3, as a treatment for schizophrenia. Hoffer
noticed the association of pellagra, niacin deficiency, with dementia,
and speculated some people needed higher niacin (B3) intakes to avoid
mental illness. Hoffer found niacin (B3) to be quite effective and
treated 4,000 schizophrenics with three grams of B3 per day with a 90%
success rate. His original paper was published in Lancet in 1962,
entitled, Massive Niacin Treatment in Schizophrenia. Review of a nine-
year study. by OSMOND H, and HOFFER A. (8)
A new study of niacin (B3) for schizophrenia is underway at Ben Gurion
University, entitled, Treatment of Acute Schizophrenia With Niacin
Vitamin Therapy. This study is currently recruiting patients at
Beersheva Mental Health Center. The director is RH Belmaker, MD, who
is also the Hoffer-Vickar chair in orthomolecular psychiatry. (9)
Over his long career, Abram Hoffer has touched the lives of many
Canadians, and many of the people at the meeting were there because
Hoffer had treated family members with dramatic results. Dr. Hoffer's
autobiography, "Adventures in Psychiatry: The Scientific Memoirs of
Dr. Abram Hoffer", is a must read. We were all given gift copies of
the book, personally autographed by Dr. Hoffer. (10)
More Hoffer links: (11) (12) (13) (14) (30)-(45)
First Day of Meeting, I.V. Vitamin C Treatment for Cancer
The scientific meeting started the next day bright and early. And the
first day was devoted to Vitamin C as a treatment for cancer, and all
the big names were there.
Steve Lawson ,from the Linus Pauling Institute gave a short history of
the original Cameron-Pauling Clinical Trials of Vitamin C treatment
for cancer, which showed that cancer patients who received vitamin C
lived 4 times longer than those who didn't. One hundred terminal
cancer patients were given 10 grams of vitamin C daily (2.5 grams four
times per day) and followed until they succumbed to their cancer. They
lived 4.2 times longer (210 days), compared to 1,000 "matched
controls" who averaged only 50 days till death from cancer. (15) (16)
(17)
In spite of these encouraging results by Linus Pauling, Vitamin C
research was halted early on because of subsequent negative studies at
the Mayo Clinic. Some say the Mayo Clinic studies were intentionally
designed to fail and discredit vitamin C. The Mayo Clinic docs changed
the Pauling protocol and failed to demonstrate the beneficial
findings. (18)
However, after all these years, interest in vitamin C as an adjunctive
cancer treatment appears to be reviving. One of those responsible for
this renewed interest in Vitamin C as a treatment for cancer is Jeane
Drisko, MD , Professor of Orthomolecular Medicine at University of
Kansas who discussed her ongoing clinical trial investigating
intravenous vitamin C as a treatment for ovarian, uterine and cervical
cancer at the University of Kansas. (19)
John Hoffer, MD (Abram's son) from the Jewish General Hospital of
Montreal reported 3 well-documented cases of advanced cancers,
confirmed by pathology biopsy, where patients had unexpectedly long
survival times after treatment with intravenous vitamin C. (20)
Mark Levine, MD, Section Chief for Vitamin C Research at the NIH,
presented his work showing intravenous Vitamin C kills cancer cells
and infectious agents by producing Hydrogen Peroxide in the
extracellular space. (21) (22) (23) Dr. Levine also wrote, Re-
evaluation of Ascorbate in Cancer Treatment: Emerging Evidence, Open
Minds and Serendipity by Mark Levine MD. (24). He also studied vitamin
C Pharmacokinetics. (25).
Steve Hickey, PhD. author of Ascorbate, the Science of Vitamin C also
spoke at the meeting. (26).
Second Day of Meeting Bio-Identical Hormones for Women:
The second day of the meeting was devoted to Women's Bio-Identical
Hormone Replacement, Phyllis Bronson, PHD discussed the biochemistry
of estradiol and progesterone and their effects on mood, depression
and brain function. She explained how hormonal imbalance causes PMS
which can be treated with supplemental progesterone rather than SSRI
anti-depressants.
Dr. Bronson discussed I3C and DIM for the beneficial effect on
estrogen metabolism, and as nutritional supplements for breast cancer
prevention. Indole 3 Carbinol (I-3-C) (46) and Di-Indole Methane (DIM)
(47) and Iodine are the basic breast cancer prevention program that we
use in our office. We have discussed the role of Iodine as a cancer
preventive nutrient in a previous newsletter (48) .
Dr. Bronson was followed by Kenton Bruice MD (49), a practicing OB/
Gyne doc who routinely prescribes bio-identical hormones. He
summarized the medical literature showing safety of bio-identical
hormone replacement. Dr. Kenton Bruice cited the French Cohort study
which showed no increased risk of breast cancer from bio-identical
hormones. (The RR = 1.005, which is identical to the control group.)
(27). He also discussed the medical literature on heart disease risk,
and showed that women using bio-identical hormones (estradiol and
progesterone) have decreased heart disease risk.
Mark Starr, M.D. (50) presented his talk on Type Two Hypothyroidism
and has a new edition of his book available. His information was
covered in my previous newsletter (51). It was a pleasure meeting him
again, and I was glad he remembered me from the last meeting. One
change he mentioned in his routine: he is now giving iodine
supplementation along with natural thyroid and having better results.
Third Day of Meeting
Orthomolecular Treatment for Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD)
James Greenblatt MD (52) from Waldon Behavioral Care (53) gave a very
good talk discussing orthomolecular treatment of Obsessive Compulsive
Disorder (OCD). What is OCD? This is a fairly common mental disorder
which affects kids and adults who have obsessive thoughts such as
phobias, or fears (such as fear of contamination), and in order to
deal with these thoughts they have repeating behaviors called
compulsions such as handwashing, counting, hoarding, etc. Kids who are
interrupted from their compulsive activities can become violent. The
standard treatment is SSRI antidepressants, which may work initially,
however, they come with a price of well known side effects.
Dr. Greenblatt has had dramatic success in OCD patients using non-
toxic supplements such as 5-HTP, and Inositol (18 grams per day). (28)
(29). 5-HTP is an amino acid precursor to serotonin, and Inositol is a
non-toxic sugar like molecule.
Dr. Greenblatt discussed the use of lab testing for the opiate
peptides, Gliadorphin and Casomorphin, which can be done on urine
samples sent to the Great Plains Laboratory (54) run by William Shaw
(54). Apparently the cause for OCD, depression, bulimia, panic
disorders etc. has been found to be these Gliadorphin and Casomorphin
peptides which mimic neurotransmitters in the brain. Fortunately,
these unwanted peptides can be degraded by digestive enzymes, and
Greenblatt uses a digenstive enzyme product called Serenaid with much
success.
Dr. Greenblatt presented cases showing dramatic clinical improvement
in kids with OCD with the use of othomolecular medicine, 5HTP,
Inositol, digestive enzymes and probiotics. These children recovered
dramatically from their OCD symptoms of hoarding, repeating
activities, handwashing, phobias and social withdrawal etc. This is
orthomolecular medicine at its best.
Regards,
Jeffrey Dach, M.D. http://www.drdach.com/
4700 Sheridan, Suite T.
Hollywood Florida, 33021
954 983 1443
Don't forget to sign up for my newsletter at : http://www.drdach.com/
Reference :
(1) http://www.orthomed.org/NMT/nmt.html
(2) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abram_Hoffer
(3) http://www.orthomed.org/tribute.pdf
(4) http://iffohs.med.ad.bgu.ac.il/people/PDetails.asp?StaffID=11129
(5) http://lpi.oregonstate.edu/f-w99/orthomolecular.html
(6) http://www.orthomed.org/NMT/nmt.html
(7) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Margot_Kidder
(8) Lancet. 1962 Feb 10;1:316-9. Massive niacin treatment in
schizophrenia. Review of a nine-year study.OSMOND H, HOFFER A.
(9) Treatment of Acute Schizophrenia With Vitamin Therapy, This study
is currently recruiting patients. Verified by Beersheva Mental Health
Center December 2005
http://clinicaltrials.gov/ct/show/NCT00140166;jsessionid=CC8103A221364A096728C7BE7C6788FD?order=46
(10) Adventures in Psychiatry: The Scientific Memoirs of Dr. Abram
Hoffer by Dr. Abram Hoffer Kos Publishing Inc.,
http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0ISW/is_275/ai_n16675820
(11) Vitamin B-3 and Schizophrenia: Discovery, Recovery, Controversy
by Abram Hoffer, MD Quarry Press, Kingston, Ontario Canada (1998)
ISBN 1-55082-079-6 Review by Andrew Saul, PhD
http://www.doctoryourself.com/review_hoffer_B3.html
(12) Orthomolecular Medicine Online http://www.orthomed.org/
(13) Hoffer's Home Page -Orthomolecular Treatment of Cancer.
http://www.islandnet.com/~hoffer/
(14) Abram Hoffer MD, PhD Interviewed by Peter Barry Chowka On
Orthomolecular Medicine http://members.aol.com/pbchowka/hoffer.html
(15) PNAS | October 1, 1976 | vol. 73 | no. 10 | 3685-3689
Supplemental Ascorbate in the Supportive Treatment of Cancer:
Prolongation of Survival Times in Terminal Human Cancer
Ewan Cameron and Linus Pauling
(16) PNAS | September 1, 1978 | vol. 75 | no. 9 | 4538-4542
Supplemental Ascorbate in the Supportive Treatment of Cancer:
Reevaluation of Prolongation of Survival Times in Terminal Human
Cancer Ewan Cameron and Linus Pauling
(17) Chemico-Biological Interactions Volume 9, Issue 4, October 1974,
Pages 285-315 The orthomolecular treatment of cancer II. Clinical
trial of high-dose ascorbic acid supplements in advanced human
cancer*1 Ewan Camerona and Allan Campbellb
(18) N Engl J Med. 1979 Sep 27;301(13):687-90. Failure of high-dose
vitamin C (ascorbic acid) therapy to benefit patients with advanced
cancer. A controlled trial. Creagan ET, Moertel CG, O'Fallon JR,
Schutt AJ, O'Connell MJ, Rubin J, Frytak S.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=384241&dopt=Abstract
(19) Safety of Antioxidants During GYN Cancer Care, This study is
currently recruiting patients. Verified by University of Kansas
December 2006
http://clinicaltrials.gov/ct/show/NCT00284427?order=10
(20) CMAJ. 2006 March 28; 174(7): 937-942. doi: 10.1503/cmaj.050346.
Intravenously administered vitamin C as cancer therapy: three cases.
Sebastian J. Padayatty, Hugh D. Riordan, Stephen M. Hewitt, Arie Katz,
L. John Hoffer, and Mark Levine
(21) ?
(22) Vitamin C Pharmacokinetics: Implications for Oral and Intravenous
Use
Sebastian J. Padayatty, MRCP, PhD; He Sun, PhD, CBS; Yaohui Wang, MD;
Hugh D. Riordan, MD; Stephen M. Hewitt, MD, PhD; Arie Katz, MD; Robert
A. Wesley, PhD; and Mark Levine, MD Annals of Internal Medicine 6
April 2004 | Volume 140 Issue 7 | Pages 533-537
http://www.annals.org/cgi/content/abstract/140/7/533
(23) http://www.annals.org/cgi/reprint/140/7/533.pdf
(24) Journal of the American College of Nutrition, Vol. 19, No. 4,
423-425 (2000)
Reevaluation of Ascorbate in Cancer Treatment: Emerging Evidence, Open
Minds and Serendipity Sebastian J Padayatty, MRCP, PhD and Mark
Levine, MD, FACN
http://www.jacn.org/cgi/content/full/19/4/423
(26) Ascorbate: The Science of Vitamin C (Paperback) by Steve Hickey
(Author), Hilary Roberts (Author)
http://www.amazon.com/Ascorbate-Science-Vitamin-Steve-Hickey/dp/1411607244/ref=cm_pdp_profile_reg_itm_pic/002-0056050-0431226?ie=UTF8&coliid=I3JY9WS64HOV2P&colid=J2KB663EBN1H
(27) Climacteric. 2002 Dec;5(4):332-40. Combined hormone replacement
therapy and risk of breast cancer in a French cohort study of 3175
women. de Lignieres B, de Vathaire F, Fournier S, Urbinelli R,
Allaert F, Le MG, Kuttenn F. Service d'Endocrinologie et Medecine de
la Reproduction, Hopital Necker, Paris, France.
(28) Am J Psychiatry 1996; 153:1219-1221 . Inositol treatment of
obsessive-compulsive disorder
M Fux, J Levine, A Aviv and RH Belmaker Ministry of Health Mental
Health Center, Faculty of Health Sciences, Ben Gurion University of
the Negev, Beersheva, Israel.
http://ajp.psychiatryonline.org/cgi/content/abstract/153/9/1219
(29) Inositol and OCD By Frederick Penzel, Ph.D.
http://www.homestead.com/westsuffolkpsych/Inositol_and_OCD.html
(34) The Discovery of Kryptopyrrole and its Importance in Diagnosis of
Biochemical Imbalances in Schizophrenia and in Criminal Behavior by
Abram Hoffer, M.D., Ph.D.
http://www.doctoryourself.com/hoffer_krypto.html
(35) Abram Hoffer's Home Page -The Schizophrenias
http://www.islandnet.com/~hoffer/hofferhp.htm
(37) On the Orthomolecular Environment of the Mind: Orthomolecular
Theory by Linus Pauling, Ph.D. Journal Of Orthomolecular Medicine Vol.
7, No. 1, 1995
http://orthomolecular.org/library/articles/orthotheory.shtml
(38) Nature. 1964 Oct 17;204:220-1. SCHIZOPHRENIA AS A GENETIC
MORPHISM. HUXLEY J, MAYR E, OSMOND H, HOFFER A.
(39) What really Causes Schizophrenia H Foster
http://www.hdfoster.com/Foster_Schizophrenia.pdf
(40) Orthomolecular Treatment for Schizophrenia: Megavitamins, By
Abram Hoffer
http://books.google.com/books?id=wT4HUH3Vgg8C&pg=RA1-PA18&lpg=RA1-PA18&dq=schizophrenia+as+a+genetic+morphism+hoffer&source=web&ots=0sVYMKy9lb&sig=cmEzeieOU51bmoDiT3eQeTemDEc
(41) Schizophrenia & Orthomolecular Treatment Townsend Letter for
Doctors and Patients, April, 2001 by Jule Klotter
http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0ISW/is_2001_April/ai_72297151/pg_1
(42) History of the International Orthomolecular Medical Society
http://www.isom.eu/history.php
(43) Biological Treatment of Autism by William Shaw, Great Plains
Laboratory
http://www.greatplainslaboratory.com/autisminterview.html
(44) Vitamin B-3 and Schizophrenia: Discovery, Recovery, Controversy
by Abram Hoffer, MD. Quarry Press, Kingston, Ontario Canada (1998)
ISBN 1-55082-079-6
http://www.doctoryourself.com/review_hoffer_B3.html
(45) More Abram Hoffer Links:
http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&sa=X&oi=spell&resnum=0&ct=result&cd=1&q=abram+hoffer+orthomolecular+&spell=1
(46) The Cruciferous Choice: DIM or 13C? Phytonutrient Supplements for
Cancer Prevention and Health Promotion - diindolyl-methane, indole-3-
carbinol Townsend Letter for Doctors and Patients, August, 2001 by
Michael A. Zeligs
http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0ISW/is_2001_August/ai_78177206
(47) DIM
http://www.scnm.edu/news/article_904.phps.com/p/articles/mi_m0ISW/is_2001_August/ai_78177206
(48) Iodine and Breast Cancer Prevention by Jeffrey Dach MD
http://www.mynewsletterbuilder.com/tools/view_newsletter.php?newsletter_id=1409596839
(49) http://www.kentonbruicemd.com/
(50) http://www.type2hypothyroidism.com/
(51)
http://www.mynewsletterbuilder.com/tools/view_newsletter.php?newsletter_id=1409597633
(52) http://www.naturaladd.com/about/index.html
(53) http://www.waldenbehavioralcare.com/about_walden_leadership.asp
end
(54) William Shaw, Great Plains Laboratory
http://www.greatplainslaboratory.com/autisminterview.html
regards from jeffrey dach md
drdach drdach drdach drdach drach drdach drach
drdach drdach drdach drdach drach drdach drach
drdach drdach drdach drdach drach drdach drach
drdach drdach drdach drdach drachdr dach drach
jeffreydach jeffreydach jeffreydach jeffreydach
jeffrey dach jeffrey dach jeffrey dach jeffrey dach
jeffrey dach jeffrey dach jeffrey dach jeffrey dach
jeffrey dach jeffrey dach jeffrey dach jeffrey dach
jeffrey dach jeffrey dach jeffrey dach jeffrey dach
jeffrey dach jeffrey dach jeffrey dach jeffrey dach
jeffrey dach jeffrey dach jeffrey dach jeffrey dach
drdach drdach drdach drdach drach drdach drach
drdach drdach drdach drdach drach drdach drach
drdach drdach drdach drdach drach drdach drach
drdach drdach drdach drdach drachdr dach drach
jeffreydach jeffreydach jeffreydach jeffreydach
jeffrey dach jeffrey dach jeffrey dach jeffrey dach
jeffrey dach jeffrey dach jeffrey dach jeffrey dach
jeffrey dach jeffrey dach jeffrey dach jeffrey dach
jeffrey dach jeffrey dach jeffrey dach jeffrey dach
jeffrey dach jeffrey dach jeffrey dach jeffrey dach
jeffrey dach jeffrey dach jeffrey dach jeffrey dach
drdach drdach drdach drdach drach drdach drach
drdach drdach drdach drdach drach drdach drach
drdach drdach drdach drdach drach drdach drach
drdach drdach drdach drdach drachdr dach drach
jeffreydach jeffreydach jeffreydach jeffreydach
jeffrey dach jeffrey dach jeffrey dach jeffrey dach
jeffrey dach jeffrey dach jeffrey dach jeffrey dach
jeffrey dach jeffrey dach jeffrey dach jeffrey dach
jeffrey dach jeffrey dach jeffrey dach jeffrey dach
jeffrey dach jeffrey dach jeffrey dach jeffrey dach
jeffrey dach jeffrey dach jeffrey dach jeffrey dach