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Revision as of 17:15, 18 February 2009 editOrangemarlin (talk | contribs)30,771 edits No longer POV. Perfectly neutral.← Previous edit Revision as of 17:17, 18 February 2009 edit undoOrangemarlin (talk | contribs)30,771 edits Removed citation that actually said that nutrition does not have an effect.Next edit →
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Frequently used in ] and ], megavitamin therapists also may employ nutrients{{Fact|date=May 2008}} such as ], ], ], ], natural ], ] ] ] or short chain ]. Frequently used in ] and ], megavitamin therapists also may employ nutrients{{Fact|date=May 2008}} such as ], ], ], ], natural ], ] ] ] or short chain ].


Nutrients may be useful in preventing and treating some illnesses,<ref name = ACS>{{cite web | url = http://www.cancer.org/docroot/ETO/content/ETO_5_3X_Orthomolecular_Medicine.asp?sitearea=ETO | title = ACS : Orthomolecular Medicine | accessdate = 2008-04-04 | format = | work = | publisher = ] | date = 2007-06-19}}</ref><ref>Lakhan SE, Vieira KF (2008) . Nutr J 7: 2. doi:10.1186/1475-2891-7-2 PMID 18208598</ref> but the conclusions of medical research are that the broad claims of disease treatment by advocates of orthomolecular medicine or megavitamin therapy are unsubstantiated by the available evidence.<ref>Stuart Aaronson ''et al.'' , 2003, ''BC Decker Inc'' ISBN 1–55009–213–8, Section 20, p76</ref><ref name=References1990>{{cite journal | author = Nutrition Committee, Canadian Paediatric Society | year = 1990 | title = Megavitamin and megamineral therapy in childhood | journal = CMAJ | volume = 143 | issue = 10 | pages = 1009–1013 | url = http://www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov/articlerender.fcgi?artid=1452516 | accessdate = 2008-04-04 | pmid = 1699646}}</ref><ref name=ACS/> The ] stated in 1997 that "much of the dietary intervention stressed by alternative healers is prudent and reasonable", but described as a "myth" the idea that "most diseases are caused by faulty diets and can be prevented by nutritional interventions".<ref name=AMA> ''American Medical Association'' June 1997, Accessed 21 March 2008</ref> Critics have described some aspects of orthomolecular medicine as ] or even ].<ref name="autogenerated3">{{cite journal |author=Jarvis WT |title=Food faddism, cultism, and quackery |journal=Annu. Rev. Nutr. |volume=3 |pages=35–52 |year=1983 |pmid=6315036 |doi=10.1146/annurev.nu.03.070183.000343}}</ref><ref name=Jukes1990>{{cite journal | author = Jukes, T.H. | year = 1990 | title = Nutrition Science from Vitamins to Molecular Biology | journal = Annual Review of Nutrition | volume = 10 | issue = 1 | pages = 1–20 | doi = 10.1146/annurev.nu.10.070190.000245}} A short summary is in .</ref><ref name="autogenerated2">{{cite journal | author = Braganza, S.F. | coauthors = Ozuah, P.O. | year = 2005 | title = Fad Therapies | journal = Pediatrics in Review | volume = 26 | issue = 10 | pages = 371–376 | doi = 10.1542/pir.26-10-371 | pmid = 16199591}}</ref> Research on nutrient supplementation in general suggests that some nutritional supplements might be beneficial, and that others might be harmful;<ref>{{cite journal |title=NIH State-of-the-Science Conference Statement on Multivitamin/Mineral Supplements and Chronic Disease Prevention |journal=NIH Consens State Sci Statements |volume=23 |issue=2 |pages=1–30 |year=2006 |pmid=17332802 |url=http://consensus.nih.gov/2006/2006MultivitaminMineralSOS028main.htm}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal |author=Huang HY, Caballero B, Chang S, ''et al'' |title=The efficacy and safety of multivitamin and mineral supplement use to prevent cancer and chronic disease in adults: a systematic review for a National Institutes of Health state-of-the-science conference |journal=Ann. Intern. Med. |volume=145 |issue=5 |pages=372–85 |year=2006 |month=September |pmid=16880453 |url=http://www.annals.org/cgi/pmidlookup?view=reprint&pmid=16880453 |doi=10.1001/archinte.145.2.372}}</ref><ref name="Cochrane2008">{{cite journal |author=Bjelakovic G, Nikolova D, Gluud LL, Simonetti RG, Gluud C |title=Antioxidant supplements for prevention of mortality in healthy participants and patients with various diseases |journal=Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews |issue=2 |pages=CD007176 |year=2008 |doi=10.1002/14651858.CD007176}}</ref> several specific nutritional therapies are associated with an increased likelihood of the condition they are meant to prevent.<ref name="AmJEpidem2009">{{cite journal | authors = Satia JA, Littman A, Slatore CG, Galanko JA, White E | year = 2009 | title = Long-term Use of {beta}-Carotene, Retinol, Lycopene, and Lutein Supplements and Lung Cancer Risk: Results From the VITamins And Lifestyle (VITAL) Study | journal = American Journal of Epidemiology | volume = | issue = | pages = | doi = 10.1093/aje/kwn409 | pmid = }}</ref> A recent study analyzing over 161,000 individuals (post-menopausal women) provided, in the words of the authors, "convincing evidence that multivitamin use has little or no influence on the risk of common cancers, cardiovascular disease, or total mortality in postmenopausal women".<ref name="WHI">{{cite journal |author=Neuhouser ML, Wassertheil-Smoller S, Thomson C, ''et al'' |title=Multivitamin use and risk of cancer and cardiovascular disease in the Women's Health Initiative cohorts |journal=Arch. Intern. Med. |volume=169 |issue=3 |pages=294–304 |year=2009 |month=February |pmid=19204221 |doi=10.1001/archinternmed.2008.540 |url=}}</ref> Nutrients may be useful in preventing and treating some illnesses,<ref name = ACS>{{cite web | url = http://www.cancer.org/docroot/ETO/content/ETO_5_3X_Orthomolecular_Medicine.asp?sitearea=ETO | title = ACS : Orthomolecular Medicine | accessdate = 2008-04-04 | format = | work = | publisher = ] | date = 2007-06-19}}</ref> but the conclusions of medical research are that the broad claims of disease treatment by advocates of orthomolecular medicine or megavitamin therapy are unsubstantiated by the available evidence.<ref>Stuart Aaronson ''et al.'' , 2003, ''BC Decker Inc'' ISBN 1–55009–213–8, Section 20, p76</ref><ref name=References1990>{{cite journal | author = Nutrition Committee, Canadian Paediatric Society | year = 1990 | title = Megavitamin and megamineral therapy in childhood | journal = CMAJ | volume = 143 | issue = 10 | pages = 1009–1013 | url = http://www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov/articlerender.fcgi?artid=1452516 | accessdate = 2008-04-04 | pmid = 1699646}}</ref><ref name=ACS/> The ] stated in 1997 that "much of the dietary intervention stressed by alternative healers is prudent and reasonable", but described as a "myth" the idea that "most diseases are caused by faulty diets and can be prevented by nutritional interventions".<ref name=AMA> ''American Medical Association'' June 1997, Accessed 21 March 2008</ref> Critics have described some aspects of orthomolecular medicine as ] or even ].<ref name="autogenerated3">{{cite journal |author=Jarvis WT |title=Food faddism, cultism, and quackery |journal=Annu. Rev. Nutr. |volume=3 |pages=35–52 |year=1983 |pmid=6315036 |doi=10.1146/annurev.nu.03.070183.000343}}</ref><ref name=Jukes1990>{{cite journal | author = Jukes, T.H. | year = 1990 | title = Nutrition Science from Vitamins to Molecular Biology | journal = Annual Review of Nutrition | volume = 10 | issue = 1 | pages = 1–20 | doi = 10.1146/annurev.nu.10.070190.000245}} A short summary is in .</ref><ref name="autogenerated2">{{cite journal | author = Braganza, S.F. | coauthors = Ozuah, P.O. | year = 2005 | title = Fad Therapies | journal = Pediatrics in Review | volume = 26 | issue = 10 | pages = 371–376 | doi = 10.1542/pir.26-10-371 | pmid = 16199591}}</ref> Research on nutrient supplementation in general suggests that some nutritional supplements might be beneficial, and that others might be harmful;<ref>{{cite journal |title=NIH State-of-the-Science Conference Statement on Multivitamin/Mineral Supplements and Chronic Disease Prevention |journal=NIH Consens State Sci Statements |volume=23 |issue=2 |pages=1–30 |year=2006 |pmid=17332802 |url=http://consensus.nih.gov/2006/2006MultivitaminMineralSOS028main.htm}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal |author=Huang HY, Caballero B, Chang S, ''et al'' |title=The efficacy and safety of multivitamin and mineral supplement use to prevent cancer and chronic disease in adults: a systematic review for a National Institutes of Health state-of-the-science conference |journal=Ann. Intern. Med. |volume=145 |issue=5 |pages=372–85 |year=2006 |month=September |pmid=16880453 |url=http://www.annals.org/cgi/pmidlookup?view=reprint&pmid=16880453 |doi=10.1001/archinte.145.2.372}}</ref><ref name="Cochrane2008">{{cite journal |author=Bjelakovic G, Nikolova D, Gluud LL, Simonetti RG, Gluud C |title=Antioxidant supplements for prevention of mortality in healthy participants and patients with various diseases |journal=Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews |issue=2 |pages=CD007176 |year=2008 |doi=10.1002/14651858.CD007176}}</ref> several specific nutritional therapies are associated with an increased likelihood of the condition they are meant to prevent.<ref name="AmJEpidem2009">{{cite journal | authors = Satia JA, Littman A, Slatore CG, Galanko JA, White E | year = 2009 | title = Long-term Use of {beta}-Carotene, Retinol, Lycopene, and Lutein Supplements and Lung Cancer Risk: Results From the VITamins And Lifestyle (VITAL) Study | journal = American Journal of Epidemiology | volume = | issue = | pages = | doi = 10.1093/aje/kwn409 | pmid = }}</ref> A recent study analyzing over 161,000 individuals (post-menopausal women) provided, in the words of the authors, "convincing evidence that multivitamin use has little or no influence on the risk of common cancers, cardiovascular disease, or total mortality in postmenopausal women".<ref name="WHI">{{cite journal |author=Neuhouser ML, Wassertheil-Smoller S, Thomson C, ''et al'' |title=Multivitamin use and risk of cancer and cardiovascular disease in the Women's Health Initiative cohorts |journal=Arch. Intern. Med. |volume=169 |issue=3 |pages=294–304 |year=2009 |month=February |pmid=19204221 |doi=10.1001/archinternmed.2008.540 |url=}}</ref>


==History== ==History==

Revision as of 17:17, 18 February 2009

Megavitamin therapy is the use of large amounts of vitamins, often many times greater than the recommended dietary allowance (RDA) in the attempt to prevent or treat many types of diseases.

Frequently used in complementary and alternative medicine and orthomolecular medicine, megavitamin therapists also may employ nutrients such as dietary minerals, enzymes, amino acids, essential fatty acids, natural antioxidants, fermentable dietary fiber or short chain fatty acids.

Nutrients may be useful in preventing and treating some illnesses, but the conclusions of medical research are that the broad claims of disease treatment by advocates of orthomolecular medicine or megavitamin therapy are unsubstantiated by the available evidence. The American Medical Association stated in 1997 that "much of the dietary intervention stressed by alternative healers is prudent and reasonable", but described as a "myth" the idea that "most diseases are caused by faulty diets and can be prevented by nutritional interventions". Critics have described some aspects of orthomolecular medicine as food faddism or even quackery. Research on nutrient supplementation in general suggests that some nutritional supplements might be beneficial, and that others might be harmful; several specific nutritional therapies are associated with an increased likelihood of the condition they are meant to prevent. A recent study analyzing over 161,000 individuals (post-menopausal women) provided, in the words of the authors, "convincing evidence that multivitamin use has little or no influence on the risk of common cancers, cardiovascular disease, or total mortality in postmenopausal women".

History

In the 1930s and 1940s, some scientific and clinical evidence suggested that there might be beneficial uses of vitamins C, E and B-3 in large doses. Beginning in the 1930s, the Shutes in Canada developed a megadose vitamin E therapy for cardiovascular and circulatory complaints, naming it the "Shute protocol". Tentative experiments in the 1930s with larger doses of vitamin C were superseded by Fred R. Klenner's development of megadose intravenous vitamin C treatments in the 1940s. William Kaufman, MD, PhD, published articles in the 1940s that detailed his treatment of arthritis with frequent, high doses of niacinamide.

In 1954, Professor R. Altschul and Abram Hoffer, MD, PhD, applied large doses of the immediate release form of niacin (Vitamin B-3) to treat hypercholesterolemia (high cholesterol). The 1956 publication of Roger J. Williams Biochemical Individuality introduced concepts for individualized megavitamins and nutrients. In the 1960s, biochemist Irwin Stone, author of The Healing Factor, observed that vitamin C's utility in the megadose treatments of human disease parallels the amounts of vitamin C physiologically produced in most animals and postulated humans' evolutionary loss of this capability. Megavitamin therapies were also publicly advocated by Linus Pauling in the late 1960s.

Several orthomolecular megavitamin protocols have been publicized. While formal medical recognition of niacin therapy for hypercholesterolemia followed confirmation by William Parsons of the Mayo Clinic (1956) and the Canner study (1986), the success of several popular books since the 1980s has made the public more aware of niacin's role in combination with other medications, for dyslipidemias (abnormal lipid levels in the blood). Pauling's advocacy of megadoses of vitamin C for colds, beginning in the 1960s, and later for cancer, made millions aware of the concept of megavitamin treatment in disease. Pauling's vitamin C recommendations are lower than some modern recommendations.

Other treatments include orthomolecular oral dosing schedules for an early treatment of colds, and for bowel tolerance for more established colds.

Usage of therapy

An American cottage industry in the late 20th century, the evolving megavitamin therapy are integrated with orthomolecular and naturopathic medicine. Although megavitamin therapy still largely remains outside of the structure of evidence-based medicine, they are increasingly used by patients, with or without the approval of their treating physicians. In the 21st century, proposed megavitamin therapies with vitamin C are being evaluated for their possible use in cancer, but clinical results have shown no effect on treating or reducing the risk of cancer.

Criticism

The efficacy of various megavitamin therapies has been contradicted by results of numerous clinical trials. For example, a thorough review of clinical trials in the treatment of colds with small and large doses of Vitamin C have established that there is no evidence for its efficacy.

Toxic effects of high doses of Vitamin A,, Vitamin D, and Vitamin B12 are well established. The United States Department of Agriculture establishes a maximum intake level for most vitamins, at which no adverse effects should occur including many infrequent or minor effects. These are part of the Tolerable upper intake level (UL) recommendations.

See also

Footnotes

  1. ^ "ACS : Orthomolecular Medicine". American Cancer Society. 2007-06-19. Retrieved 2008-04-04.
  2. Stuart Aaronson et al. "Cancer Medicine", 2003, BC Decker Inc ISBN 1–55009–213–8, Section 20, p76
  3. Nutrition Committee, Canadian Paediatric Society (1990). "Megavitamin and megamineral therapy in childhood". CMAJ. 143 (10): 1009–1013. PMID 1699646. Retrieved 2008-04-04.
  4. Report 12 of the Council on Scientific Affairs: Alternative medicine American Medical Association June 1997, Accessed 21 March 2008
  5. Jarvis WT (1983). "Food faddism, cultism, and quackery". Annu. Rev. Nutr. 3: 35–52. doi:10.1146/annurev.nu.03.070183.000343. PMID 6315036.
  6. Jukes, T.H. (1990). "Nutrition Science from Vitamins to Molecular Biology". Annual Review of Nutrition. 10 (1): 1–20. doi:10.1146/annurev.nu.10.070190.000245. A short summary is in the journal's preface.
  7. Braganza, S.F. (2005). "Fad Therapies". Pediatrics in Review. 26 (10): 371–376. doi:10.1542/pir.26-10-371. PMID 16199591. {{cite journal}}: Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help)
  8. "NIH State-of-the-Science Conference Statement on Multivitamin/Mineral Supplements and Chronic Disease Prevention". NIH Consens State Sci Statements. 23 (2): 1–30. 2006. PMID 17332802.
  9. Huang HY, Caballero B, Chang S; et al. (2006). "The efficacy and safety of multivitamin and mineral supplement use to prevent cancer and chronic disease in adults: a systematic review for a National Institutes of Health state-of-the-science conference". Ann. Intern. Med. 145 (5): 372–85. doi:10.1001/archinte.145.2.372. PMID 16880453. {{cite journal}}: Explicit use of et al. in: |author= (help); Unknown parameter |month= ignored (help)CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  10. Bjelakovic G, Nikolova D, Gluud LL, Simonetti RG, Gluud C (2008). "Antioxidant supplements for prevention of mortality in healthy participants and patients with various diseases". Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews (2): CD007176. doi:10.1002/14651858.CD007176.{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  11. "Long-term Use of {beta}-Carotene, Retinol, Lycopene, and Lutein Supplements and Lung Cancer Risk: Results From the VITamins And Lifestyle (VITAL) Study". American Journal of Epidemiology. 2009. doi:10.1093/aje/kwn409. {{cite journal}}: Unknown parameter |authors= ignored (help)
  12. ^ Neuhouser ML, Wassertheil-Smoller S, Thomson C; et al. (2009). "Multivitamin use and risk of cancer and cardiovascular disease in the Women's Health Initiative cohorts". Arch. Intern. Med. 169 (3): 294–304. doi:10.1001/archinternmed.2008.540. PMID 19204221. {{cite journal}}: Explicit use of et al. in: |author= (help); Unknown parameter |month= ignored (help)CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  13. VOGELSANG A, SHUTE E, SHUTE W (1948). "Some medical uses of vitamin E". Med World (New York). 161 (2): 83–9. PMID 18911314. {{cite journal}}: Unknown parameter |month= ignored (help)CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  14. Jungeblut, CW (1937). "VITAMIN C THERAPY AND PROPHYLAXIS IN EXPERIMENTAL POLIOMYELITIS". The Journal of Experimental Medicine. 65: 127–146.
  15. KLENNER FR (1949). "The treatment of poliomyelitis and other virus diseases with vitamin C". South Med Surg. 111 (7): 209–14. PMID 18147027. {{cite journal}}: Unknown parameter |month= ignored (help)
  16. KAUFMAN W (1953). "Niacinamide therapy for joint mobility; therapeutic reversal of a common clinical manifestation of the normal aging process". Conn State Med J. 17 (7): 584–9. PMID 13060032. {{cite journal}}: Unknown parameter |month= ignored (help)
  17. ALTSCHUL R, HOFFER A (1960). "The effect of nicotinic acid on hypercholesterolaemia". Can Med Assoc J. 82: 783–5. PMC 1938010. PMID 13792994. {{cite journal}}: Unknown parameter |month= ignored (help)
  18. Williams, Roger Lawrence (1998). Biochemical Individuality. New York: McGraw-Hill. ISBN 0-87983-893-0.
  19. Stone, Irwin (1982). The healing factor: "vitamin C" against disease. New York: Perigee Books. ISBN 0-399-50764-7.
  20. "Cancer Survival - Cancer Help". Retrieved 2009-02-18.
  21. Sanford M, Curran MP (2008). "Niacin extended-release/simvastatin". Drugs. 68 (16): 2373–86. PMID 18973399.
  22. Pauling L (1971). "Vitamin C and common cold". JAMA. 216 (2): 332. PMID 5107925. {{cite journal}}: Unknown parameter |month= ignored (help)
  23. "The Vitamin C Foundation - Cold Cure". Retrieved 2009-02-18.
  24. Cathcart RF (1981). "Vitamin C, titrating to bowel tolerance, anascorbemia, and acute induced scurvy". Med. Hypotheses. 7 (11): 1359–76. PMID 7321921. {{cite journal}}: Unknown parameter |month= ignored (help)
  25. Richardson MA, Sanders T, Palmer JL, Greisinger A, Singletary SE (2000). "Complementary/alternative medicine use in a comprehensive cancer center and the implications for oncology". J. Clin. Oncol. 18 (13): 2505–14. PMID 10893280. {{cite journal}}: Unknown parameter |month= ignored (help)CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  26. ^ Lin J, Cook NR, Albert C; et al. (2009). "Vitamins C and E and beta carotene supplementation and cancer risk: a randomized controlled trial". J. Natl. Cancer Inst. 101 (1): 14–23. doi:10.1093/jnci/djn438. PMID 19116389. {{cite journal}}: Explicit use of et al. in: |author= (help); Unknown parameter |month= ignored (help)CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  27. Johnson LJ, Meacham SL, Kruskall LJ (2003). "The antioxidants--vitamin C,vitamin E, selenium, and carotenoids". J Agromedicine. 9 (1): 65–82. PMID 14563626.{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  28. Douglas RM, Hemilä H, Chalker E, Treacy B (2007). "Vitamin C for preventing and treating the common cold". Cochrane Database Syst Rev (3): CD000980. doi:10.1002/14651858.CD000980.pub3. PMID 17636648.{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  29. ^ Snodgrass SR (1992). "Vitamin neurotoxicity". Mol. Neurobiol. 6 (1): 41–73. PMID 1463588.
  30. Mangiarotti G, Canavese C, Salomone M; et al. (1986). "Hypervitaminosis B12 in maintenance hemodialysis patients receiving massive supplementation of vitamin B12". Int J Artif Organs. 9 (6): 417–20. PMID 3818116. {{cite journal}}: Explicit use of et al. in: |author= (help); Unknown parameter |month= ignored (help)CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)

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