Orthomolecular medicine is about the effects of healthy nutrition and the compensation of deficiencies. It goes back to the American Nobel Prize winner Linus Pauling. Today, it is regarded as an alternative medicine and complementary medical procedure that supplements and accompanies conventional medical therapies.
Below you will find further information and specialists in orthomolecular medicine.
Orthomolecular medicine is an alternative medical method that aims to help patients establish and maintain good health.
It focuses on prevention and therapy with micronutrients. The body needs these substances to function normally. The aim is to keep the concentration and ratio in the optimum range.
The micronutrients include
Orthomolecular medicine therefore deals in detail with healthy nutrition and the compensation of deficiencies.
The micronutrient contributes to the normal functioning of the immune system and to the maintenance of muscle function and bones @ Mediaparts /AdobeStock
Orthomolecular medicine is used for
The composition of the usual diet and the nutrients it contains is often not optimal. This results in deficiencies or imbalances.
This is often due to a lack of time to prepare meals or because people often eat out. Although the person feels healthy, they are unbalanced, less productive and quickly become tired. The treatment aims to raise the level of therelevant micronutrients to optimal levels with the right nutritional supplement.
Treatments are suitable
A vegan diet can lead to a deficiency of some micronutrients, especially vitamin B12 @ minoandriani /AdobeStockOrthomolecular check-up for diets and special diets
Some vitamins and minerals are hardly found in plant-based foods. These include vitamins B12 and B2 and vitamin D.
Another reason is that the body has difficulty utilizing the minerals zinc and iron from plant sources.
If you eat a vegetarian diet, you can get B2 and D from eggs and dairy products. Mushrooms and nuts also contain significant amounts. However, an optimal supply is more difficult for vegans than for people on a mixed diet. For them, an annual check of the values is recommended.
It is true that the skin produces and stores vitamin D when exposed to sunlight from around April to October. However, this is usually not sufficient.
The supply of vitamin B12 is critical for vegans. It is involved in many metabolic processes and is foundin animal foods, algae and some fungi. A purely plant-based diet therefore almost inevitably results in a deficiency.
If you follow a reduction diet to lose weight, you consume fewer nutrients than your body needs to use up its fat reserves. However, the requirement for micronutrients remains at least the same.
Substitution in certain phases of life
In old age, the body's own vitamin D production decreases and deficiency situations become more likely.
People who do intensive sports training have an increased nutrient requirement and lose minerals such as magnesium with sweat.
Folic acid deficiency is a risk factor for malformations in the unborn child. Women should take folic acid supplements before pregnancy, as there is often an inadequate supply.
Treatment of acute and chronic diseases
In many diseases, the need for micronutrients is increased and food intake is restricted. Certain medications can hinder the absorption, utilization and storage of micronutrients.
Examples are
Supplementation with suitable preparations can significantly improve symptoms, alleviate the side effects of conventional medical therapies and promote recovery.
Typical diagnoses for the use of orthomolecular medicine:
In osteoporosis, therapy with bisphosphonates prevents bone resorption. Orthomolecular treatment with calcium as a bone-building material and vitamin D contributes to bone formation.
The body needsvitamin D to absorb and utilize calcium. It may also be necessary to administer fluoride. If the measured status is suboptimal, the practitioner will also advise supplementing other substances that are important for bone metabolism.
The most important substances include
Omega-3fattyacids are important for the heart, brain and eyesight. They are found in fish and high-quality vegetable oils @ NorLife /AdobeStockThe orthomolecular treatment of tumor diseases that accompanies therapy aims to compensate for deficiencies that occur as a result of chemotherapy or radiotherapy. Vitamins D and C play an important role.
There is evidence that high doses of vitamin C have a positive effect on the response to therapy and survival time. It is important that the infusion is given at a sufficient interval from the chemotherapy.
During the initial consultation, the doctor or alternative practitioner will ask about your living conditions and dietary habits. They will then determine which individual values you should have determined with a blood test. The blood sample is taken in the morning on an empty stomach.
The treatment follows the principle of "measure - treat - control". After analyzing the laboratory values, the therapist decides whether it makes sense to improve certain micronutrients through nutrient therapies.
They will discuss a needs-based substitution therapy with you. The substances are administered orally as tablets or as an infusion. A follow-up check is carried out after some time. The therapy is then adjusted if necessary. Orthomolecular medical therapies are always individually tailored to the person receiving treatment.
Depending on the therapy concept, treatment is carried out with a low quantity of active ingredients (food supplements). In the case of a diet, the composition is tailored to the person concerned (balanced diet). In some cases, very high doses are also used. The practitioner must therefore be aware of interactions with other medications.
The intake of minerals and vitamins in orthomolecular treatment is usually higher than recommended by nutritional advice. However, no side effects are to be expected.
In the case of serious illnesses such as cancer, orthomolecular treatment is not suitable as an alternative but as a complementary (additional) therapy.
