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This statement was approved by the Board of Directors of the Canadian
Psychiatric Association, October 1974.
On the recommendation of its Scientific Council, the Board of Directors of
the Canadian Psychiatric Association has studied and adopted the following
statement representing the views of our association on the current status of
megavitamin and orthomolecular therapies.
It should be understood that physicians have long recognized that
disturbances and deficiencies in relation to vitamins and other components of
diet may cause specific psychiatric disorders.
Orthomolecular therapy includes administration of large doses of nicotinic
acid or niacinamide and several additional vitamins as well as a particular
diet. It is now being advanced by some as a treatment not only for schizophrenia
but also for a variety of disorders of physical health.
Scientific evidence fails to indicate that large doses of nicotinic acid or
niacinamide (the main feature of megavitamin therapy) are of efficacy in the
treatment of schizophrenia. As a review of the topic we recommend the American
Psychiatric Association Task Force Report No. 7 (1973), "Megavitamin and
orthomolecular therapy in psychiatry," which includes reference to the work of
Lehmann and Ban, Canadian investigators who have conducted a series of
controlled research projects on this topic.
Administration of high doses of nicotinic acid and niacinamide and the other
vitamins have recognized toxic side effects. We lack full knowledge of the
possible adverse effects of the other components of orthomolecular therapy,
particularly as they may occur over long-term use.
CONCLUSION
Regarding megavitamin and orthomolecular therapies:
(a) There is no good scientific evidence showing that they are
therapeutically and prophylactically effective in psychiatric disorders.
(b) There is evidence that they are not entirely safe.
The Canadian Psychiatric Association recommends that physicians do not use
these treatments except in controlled clinical investigations.
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