Vitamin Supplements For Improved Mental Health Articles & Resources

Stenman S, Grans L. Symptoms and differential diagnosis of patients fearing mercury toxicity from amalgam fillings. Scand J Work Environ Health 1997; 23 Suppl 3:59-63.

COMMENT: This study relates the presence of mercury as proven by urinary spill of Hg after injection of a chelating agent to the relief of a variety of mental symptoms after mercury amalgam filling removal. My point in highlighting this study is not to ralse the mercury amalgam dental filling controversy, but to merely document the presence of mental symptoms correlated with the presence of mercury, and their relief with abatement of one source of mercury contamination. Dental mercury amalgam fillings, food sources including fish and shellfish, and occupational sources appear to be the three sources which deserve consideration. Toxic heavy metals clearly affect mental function.

Heavy metal contamination from fish

Since 1980, systematic efforts have been made by the WHO Food Contamination Monitoring Program to collect information on dietary intake of various contaminants, including lead, cadmium and mercury. In 1980-88, average adult intakes of lead varied from 1 to 63 [micro]/kg by weight/week, approaching or exceeding the Provisional Tolerate Weekly Intake (PTWI) of 25 [micro]/kg bw in four countries providing data. Major sources in food and drinking water differed from country to country. Average adult intakes of cadmium were, with one exception, below the PTWI of 7 [micro] /kg bw. Highest levels occurred in offal (mean 320 [micro]/kg) and shellfish (200 [micro]/kg). For mercury, average intakes were below the PTWI (300 [micro] person; 200 jig/person or [micro]/kg bw as methylmercury) for adults and for breast-fed infants. Contributions from fish varied from 20 to 85%. Because of inadequate data on food other than fish, intake estimates are biased and sometimes based solely on typical levels in fish.

GalaI-Gorchev H. Dietary intake, levels in food and estimated intake of lead, cadmium, and mercury, Food Addit Contain 1993 Jan-Feb; 1O(1):115-28

COMMENT: Fish, as indicated in this report, are clearly a contributing source of mercury. Some reports have cited dental amalgams as a five-fold greater source of mercury, but the food contamination source varies from country to country, depending on coastal waterway contamination and dietary intake.

Neurobehavioral effects/mercury

Exposure thresholds for health effects associated with elemental mercury exposure were examined by comparing behavioral test scores of 19 exposed (mean urinary Hg = 36 [micro]/I) and 20 unexposed dentists. The exposed mean urinary mercury level of 36 [micro]/I was 7-fold higher than the 5 [micro] Hg/I mean level measured in a national sample of unexposed dentists. Cumulative body burden was measured by evaluating porphyrin concentrations in urine. Urine levels were compared to data taken from Profile of Mood Scales, a symptom and medical questionnaire, and 6 behavioral tests: digit-span, symbol-digit substitution, simple reaction time, the ability to switch between tasks, vocabulary, and the One Hole Test.

Multivariate techniques controlled for age, race, gender and alcohol consumption. Significant urinary Hg dose-effects were found for poor mental concentration, emotional lability somatosensory irritation, and mood scores (p[less than]). Individual tests evaluating cognitive and motor function changed in the expected directions but did not reach significance, although the pooled sum of scores for combinations of tests were significantly associated with urinary Hg, providing evidence of subtle preclinical changes in behavior associated with Hg exposure. Coproporphyrin, one of three urinary porphyrins altered by mercury exposure, was significantly associated with deficits in digit span and simple reaction time.

Echeverria D et al. Behavioral effects of low-level exposure to elemental Hg among dentists. Neurotoxicol Teratal 1995 Mar-Apr; 17(2):161-8

COMMENT: Again, mental function appeared to be significantly correlated with body burdens of mercury. Optimum brain function relates to the neuro in psychoneuroimmunoendocrinology. Suboptimal brain function would appear to be potentially fostered by toxic metals, allergenic responses to food contaminants, or deficient requisite normal brain nutrient constituents. In turn, I believe this would predictably adversely affect the immunoendocrinology in psychoneuroimmunoendocrinology.

B12 deficiency/vegetarianism

As part of the Adventist Ministers' Health Study, the results of surveys in 340 voluntarily participating Seventh-Day Adventist ministers were conducted in the 1990s and compared to the serum vitamin B-12 status. Of this group, 245 were either lactoovovegetarians or vegans who were not taking vitamin B-12 supplements. Their mean vitamin B-12 concentration was 199 pmol/L, 53% of whom had values below the reference range and 73% of whom had values [less than]221 pmol/L, the lower limit recommended by most authorities. Dualisotope Schillings test results in 36 lactoovovegetarians with abnormally low vitamin B-12 concentrations indicated that dietary deficiency was the cause in 70% of cases. Data from the dietary questionnaires supported dietary deficiency as the cause of low serum vitamin B-12 in this population of lactoovovegetarians and vegans, 56(23%) of whom consumed sufficient servings of vitamin B-12-containing foods to obtain the minimum daily maintenance of 1 [micro]g.

Hokin BD, Butler T. Cyanocobalamin (vitamin B-12) status in Seventh-day Adventist ministers in Australia, Am J Clin Nutr 1999 Sep; 70(3 Suppl):576S-578S

COMMENT: This study is included to confirm the often quoted predisposition of vegan patients to have insufficient intake of vitamin B12. This study reaffirms that tendency in Seventh Day Adventist vegetarians. It is also quite commonly known that this potential deficiency can be overcome with the simple addition of vitamin B12 as a nutritional supplement.

Abnormal mental health factors and vitamin B12

Eight patients with abnormalities on the MMPI, a variety of diagnoses and symptoms, and normal serum cobalamin (vitamin B12) levels were given injections of hydroxycobalamin interspersed with injections of sterile water. Those feeling better on B12 injections were tried on further injections to determine the amount of B12 that maximized their sense of well being. Patients who were seriously ill often showed great improvement with B12 but failed to respond to placebo. A few patients had to get up to 9 mg/day to maximize improvement. One patient with brain damage could not work unless he was given 26 mg/day. Some preferred injections at . because it assisted with sleep. MMPI scores were normalized or improved in patients whose B12 levels were high as a result of injections.

Newbold HL. Vitamin B-12: placebo or neglected therapeutic tool? Med Hypotheses 1989 Mar; 28(3):155-64

COMMENT: It is not a far leap from the previous study of vitamin B12 deficiency to this small pilot study demonstrating the essential nature of vitamin B12 in mental and emotional processes. In fact, some of the patients in this study required very large amounts of B12 to rectify abnormal brain function. Again, repeating the dictum from above, normal neural function is an essential part of the normal functioning of the psycho-neural-immune-endocrine axis. Deficiency threatens the intactness of this axis. Vitamin B12 is only one of many nutrients necessary for that normal function. This further underscores the one-ness of normal functioning and lifestyle elements including balanced macro- and micro-nutrient nutrition and awareness of the entry of toxic elements into the human body as well.

Other nutrients in brain function

The serum and RBC levels of magnesium, copper, zinc, calcium, iron in 116 children with diagnosed attention deficit disorder were compared to those in healthy children. DSM IV criteria were used in confirming the diagnosis. Deficiency of magnesium was the most frequent finding. In 50 ADHD children, often seen with disorders typical for developmental age such as enuresis, tics, separation anxiety, stuttering, selective mutism and disruptive behavior, magnesium supplementation for 6 months resulted in significant decreases in hyperactive behavior, while hyperactivity was accelerated in 25 children whose diet was not supplemented with magnesium. The findings indicate that it is necessary to take into consideration possible bioelement deficiency among children with ADHD.

Starobrat-Hermelin B. [The effect of deficiency of selected bioclements on hyperactivity in children with certain specified mental disorders]. Ann Acad Med Stetin 1998; 44:297-314

COMMENT: Here is another example of the importance of nutrients and the participation in the psycho-neural-immune-endocrine axis at the level of brain or neural function. While this study lacked randomization and placebo control, the results seemed quite clear as described in the English abstract of this Polish study. One cannot ignore any of the important aspects of lifestyle in looking toward optimal function of human beings.

Robert Anderson is a retired family physician. In mid-career, his practice took on a more holistic nature as decades passed. He has authored five major books, Stress Power! (1978), Weilness Medicine (1987), The Complete Self-Care Guide to Holistic Medicine (1999) (co-author), The Scientific Basis for Holistic Medicine, (5th edition) available from American Health Press, , and Clinician's Guide to Holistic Medicine (McGraw Hill, 2001). Anderson is serving as the founding president of the American Board of Holistic Medicine, is a part president of the American Holistic Medical Association, former Assistant Clinical Professor of Family Medicine at the Univeraity, of Washington, and currently Adjunct Instructor in Family Medicine at Bastyr University.