Advanced Nutrient Therapy
By William J. Walsh, PhD, FACN
By William J. Walsh, PhD, FACN
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For the past several decades, treatment of mental illness has focused on imbalanced brain chemistry and the use of drugs to alter the activity of serotonin, dopamine, and other neurotransmitters. Back in 1970, drugs were the only method known to have a powerful impact on molecular processes in the brain. This approach proved to be highly successful and has benefited millions of persons diagnosed with depression, schizophrenia, ADHD, and other mental disorders. However, science has made great advances in the understanding of complex brain processes, and we are approaching an era in which psychiatric medications may no longer be necessary. An under-appreciated fact is that the primary raw materials for the synthesis of many neurotransmitters are nutrients - amino acids, vitamins, minerals, and other natural biochemicals that we obtain from food.
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Advanced nutrient therapy (vitamins, minerals and amino acids) offers an alternative treatment approach, which represents a natural method of correcting imbalances in neurotransmitter activity. The clinical challenge is to determine biochemistry of each patient and to develop an individualized treatment plan aimed at normalizing brain chemistry. This medical modality should be supervised by a licensed clinical practitioner experienced in therapeutic use of vitamins, minerals, amino acids and essential oils. For most patients, the benefits of advanced nutrient therapy result from the following:
A major advantage of advanced nutrient therapy is the absence of the serious side effects associated with psychiatric medications. This therapy uses natural chemicals rather than molecules that are foreign to the brain and induce an abnormal condition. Advanced nutrient therapy can used together with medication and counseling providing great flexibility to the mental health practitioner. As brain science advances, nutrient therapy may gradually replace psychiatric drugs as the treatment of choice for mental illness.
- Normalizing the concentration of nutrients needed for neurotransmitter synthesis
- Epigenetic regulation of neurotransmitter activity
- Reducing free-radical oxidative stress
A major advantage of advanced nutrient therapy is the absence of the serious side effects associated with psychiatric medications. This therapy uses natural chemicals rather than molecules that are foreign to the brain and induce an abnormal condition. Advanced nutrient therapy can used together with medication and counseling providing great flexibility to the mental health practitioner. As brain science advances, nutrient therapy may gradually replace psychiatric drugs as the treatment of choice for mental illness.