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Reviews of The Vitamin Cure for Alcoholism
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Vitamin Cure for Alcoholism
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(Ronald Hoffman, M.D.)
"Having the foremost advocates of megavitamin therapy, or orthomolecular medicine, tell us how they define and treat alcoholism and other addictions, is quite exciting. Both authors have that great ability to boil down highly technical material into clearly understandable language."
One reader writes:
"One day, not so long ago, I went searching online for a miracle to help me
stop drinking. I have been a closet drinker for 25 years and spent much of every day
thinking about picking up a bottle of wine on the way home and getting
"relaxed." I hid bottles in my studio, my closet and in the basement. When I
felt ashamed of how much I drank, I refilled the bottles to make it look as if I
had only had a glass instead of an entire bottle. If I had a day off, I would
start drinking at 11 in the morning. By the time my husband came home from work,
I would already be on my second bottle of the day. I very rarely remembered
conversations I had had with others from the night before.People just thought I was a bit of a wine snob and even my children
purchased nice wine for me for my birthday. Honestly, I could have cared less
about how it tasted.
"Every morning I hated myself as I nursed my hangover and promised to only
have 1 or 2 glasses that day, but once I started, there was no stopping and my
cravings became impossible to ignore by 6 in the evening.
"Then I saw your article on vitamin therapy, bought the book and decided to
try it, thinking, "Oh well, at least it won't cost much or hurt me if it doesn't
work." But it worked! Oh my God, it worked! It has now been a whole month with
no drinking and no cravings. I am absolutely faithful about taking the vitamins
and supplements. I am even starting to let go of the thought that I might fail
again, because it is different this time. I am not feeling at a loss for the
alcohol. I am not feeling deprived and I am not mourning the fact that I will
never have a drink again. I am hopeful for the first time in years. Thank you
for making something that seemed insurmountable something achievable."
The
Vitamin Cure for Alcoholism: Orthomolecular Treatment of Addictions
by Abram Hoffer, M.D., and Andrew
Saul
2009, Basic Health, 134 pages
Reviewed by Robert
Sealey
The Vitamin Cure for
Alcoholism explains
how patients can stop craving alcohol and restore their health. Two credible
authors wrote this enlightening book. By the time he passed away at age 91˝,
Abram Hoffer, PhD, MD, FRCP(C) had earned an international reputation for
researching and developing orthomolecular psychiatry (as a complementary
dimension of care), teaching other doctors and educating the public.
Thousands of patients recovered. Co-author Andrew Saul, PhD contributed his
fascination with forgotten treatments and his capabilities as an author and
an educator.
Before he became a physician and then a psychiatrist,
Abram Hoffer obtained a PhD in biochemistry. Hoffer’s advanced degree,
research experience and observation skills proved useful during his medical
studies. He learned to respect patients and above all, to do no harm.
Starting in the 1950s and continuing for sixty years, Dr. Hoffer researched
the chemical basis of psychiatry and developed treatments for schizophrenia,
psychosis, anxiety, depression and alcoholism. Hoffer did the first
double-blind placebo-controlled experiments in psychiatry, in the 1950s. He
tested niacin and niacinamide (vitamin B3) for schizophrenia and discovered
that optimum (large) doses of vitamins B3 and C can heal psychosis and
restore normal brain function. Linus Pauling, PhD (Nobel-prize-winning
chemist) read about Hoffer’s vitamin therapy and found it so inspiring
that, in 1968, Pauling invented a new word when he described Hoffer’s
practice of prescribing nutritional supplements as “orthomolecular”
psychiatry.
When his patients had hallucinations, neurotransmitter
imbalances, food sensitivities or addictions, Hoffer knew that episodes of
mental illness can have a number of causes. He treated each patient according
to the practice guidelines of psychiatry. Hoffer noted their mental status
and took medical, mental and family histories, checked for infections and
tested for medical problems (such as thyroid, adrenal, blood sugar and
hormone disorders) before prescribing medications and complementing other
treatments with vitamins, minerals and other nutritional supplements. Dr.
Hoffer noticed that some patients tried to self-medicate with alcohol.
Perhaps patients drank during episodes of schizophrenia or psychosis because
they hoped to control their hallucinations, delusions and perceptual
distortions. Abram Hoffer administered vitamin treatments when patients went
psychotic, over-indulged drinking or took LSD. Over his long and
distinguished career, Dr. Hoffer helped thousands of patients by fine-tuning
their diets and prescribing regimens of nutritional supplements (vitamins,
trace minerals, amino acids, antioxidants, energy and enzyme cofactors) to
normalize each patient’s metabolism and stabilize their brain
chemistry. Orthomolecular treatments proved safe and effective. Many patients
recovered and stopped drinking.
Orthomolecular regimens of vitamins complemented other
treatments but contrasted with the standard methods. Most psychiatrists only
offered talk therapy or treatments with drugs, talks or electric shocks. Why
bother telling drunk, depressed, anxious or psychotic patients that their
brains need optimum nutrition? Don’t sick patients know that alcohol
can deplete nutrients and interfere with brain function? Dr. Hoffer remained
true to the principles of good medicine; he considered the root causes of
symptoms before making a differential diagnosis and recommending treatments.
He knew that certain nutrients are essential for health and wellbeing. Hoffer
researched metabolic, biochemical and nutritional factors involved with
mental illness. He identified alcohol as a liquid sugar, just by looking at
its chemical formula. Hoffer believed that biochemical individuality and
sugar cravings contribute to alcoholism especially if patients have low blood
sugar or problems metabolizing alcohol. As a biochemist, Hoffer reasoned that
niacin (vitamin B3) could restore mental health, even after repeated episodes
of drinking. He researched vitamin therapy for decades, found it safe and effective
and helped thousands of patients recover and live well.
Over many years, Abram Hoffer published his research in
scientific and medical journals. Perplexed and disappointed by the American
Psychiatry Association’s refusal to accept his research, appreciate his
discoveries or conduct their own double-blind placebo-controlled trials,
Abram Hoffer decided to educate the public. Realizing that most physicians do
not test for biochemical disorders, monitor nutrition or prescribe vitamins,
Abram Hoffer wrote a series of books for patients, families and caregivers in
which he introduced biochemistry, summarized research and shared scientific
and medical information about orthomolecular medicine. Andrew Saul has also
written books to remind readers about still-useful treatments developed
decades ago. Whether readers are patients, families, caregivers or health
professionals, Hoffer and Saul present their information clearly and
succinctly. Abram Hoffer’s books include: The Chemical Basis of Clinical Psychiatry, Niacin Therapy in
Psychiatry, How to Live with Schizophrenia, Nutrients to Age without
Senility, Smart Nutrients, Healing Schizophrenia, Adventures in Psychiatry:
The Scientific Memoirs of Dr. Abram Hoffer and Orthomolecular Medicine for Everyone. Decades of editorials and
articles in the Journal of
Orthomolecular Medicine share Hoffer’s views about schizophrenia,
psychosis and alcoholism. (Free access to archives at orthomolecular.org/library/jom/)
Hoffer and Saul credit Roger Williams, PhD with
researching vitamins in the 1940s, observing that lab rats vary in their
tolerance for alcohol, experimenting with vitamins, recommending vitamins for
alcoholism and developing the concept of biochemical individuality.
(Reference: Alcoholism – The
Nutritional Approach by R. Williams, PhD, 1959). In 1968, Hoffer and
Osmond wrote New Hope for Alcoholics
to report their research and explain that their “ideal program for
treating alcoholics” included “insightful experiences from which
[patients] derived understanding about themselves and others”. Hoffer
and Osmond paid careful attention to 1. diagnosis, 2. etiology, 3. assessment
of drinking behaviors, 4. treatment of medical and metabolic aspects, 5.
hopeful prognosis, 6. suicide prevention, 7. hospital access, 8. competent
caregivers and 9. review of patient, family and community rights and duties.
They used niacin therapy to treat many alcoholics. New Hope for Alcoholics shared patient case reports, recovery
stories and heartwarming testimonials written by several of the hundreds of
alcoholic patients who recovered at Guest House,
Updated a remarkable forty years later, in 2009, The Vitamin Cure for Alcoholism, a
concise 134 pages, with references, presents (1) Abram Hoffer’s decades
of research, progress and success using optimum doses of niacin (with other
vitamins, minerals and nutritional supplements) to heal patients with
alcoholism and/or schizophrenia and (2) Andrew Saul’s experiences
learning about vitamin therapy and teaching about forgotten treatments.
Readers can learn that even though Abram Hoffer kept busy treating his own
patients and writing, he encouraged a worldwide network of doctors to
consider restorative orthomolecular regimens. A number of physicians
confirmed that opti-doses of vitamin B3 can heal alcoholic patients. For
example, Dr. R. Smith in
The Vitamin Cure for Alcoholism explains how to protect against and fight alcoholism using nutrition and vitamin supplementation. If you or someone you love has a problem with alcohol or another addiction, don’t wait for your doctor to discuss nutrition, test for metabolic disorders, consider your biochemical individuality or suggest an orthomolecular regimen of vitamins and minerals. You owe it to yourselves to read this fascinating book and learn that restorative treatments for psychosis and alcoholism have been researched, developed and administered successfully to thousands of patients, for more than fifty years!
“Dr. Andrew Saul and the late Dr. Abram Hoffer, have produced yet another absolutely essential book, THE VITAMIN CURE FOR ALCOHOLISM. The title is intriguing, as we have always been told that, even though an alcoholic may stop drinking, he can never actually be cured. The authors beg to differ. We learn that alcoholics suffer from a nutritional deficiency that can easily be treated with vitamin supplements. We learn also, that Bill W., the co-founder of Alcoholics Anonymous, promoted the concept of a nutritional approach to curing alcoholism after being successfully treated by Dr. Hoffer. This is an important book. Integrating a nutritional therapy with the traditional behavioral and psychological approaches (as Bill W. did), has proven to be the key to the cure of alcoholism. If alcoholism is truly a ‘disease,’ then it is essential, the authors state, that we not forget to heal the body with nutrients, in order to bring about a truly holistic cure.” (Richard Bennett, Batavia, NY) Reviewed by Ralph Campbell, M.D.
Readers might feel like they have opened a treasure chest as they read of alcoholism in a new light. The connection of alcoholism to nutritional deficiencies is presented convincingly, and is kicked off by this: “A person called an `alcoholic’ is an individual with a sick body who seeks relief and comfort by consuming alcohol in the same way people seek help from aspirin, or eat too much sugar or are given medication for their discomfort.” Having the foremost advocates of megavitamin therapy, or orthomolecular medicine, that heals minds and bodies, tell us how they define and treat alcoholism and other addictions, is quite exciting. Both authors have that great ability to boil down highly technical material into clearly understandable language.
Dr. Hoffer was a clinician with a firm medical knowledge base with the ability to observe and put two and two together. The co-founder of Alcoholics Anonymous, Bill W., fortunately for him and the entire AA movement, got connected with Dr. Hoffer, accepted niacin megavitamin therapy for treating his alcoholism-related depression and had amazing results. Trials substantiated their findings. Dr. Hoffer early recognized the impact of hypoglycemia (a backlash from a large sugar intake calling too much insulin into play) and how it dovetailed in with nutritional deficiencies. These factors create the foundation for addiction and were made worse by the drinking itself. They considered nutrition factors to augment, not replace, the basics of AA including considering the spiritual side of a troubled client.
Dr. Hoffer’s biochemistry background reminded him of the structural and biochemical similarities between glucose and alcohol, and this led to taking a better look at how sugar affects the psyche. Nutritionally speaking, many alcoholics nearly starve while alcohol displaces food intake. The roles a number of nutrient deficiencies are described in the book, including vitamin C and other B vitamins. But first, attention is properly given to getting back the appetite for eating a whole-foods, healthy diet and avoiding nutritionally deficient foods.
The role of high doses of niacin (B3) in the treatment of alcohol addiction arose from Dr. Hoffer’s knowledge of its use in the treatment of schizophrenia. Several times, I was privileged to hear in person Dr. Hoffer’s presentations of schizophrenia cases, including his explanation of the biochemistry of niacin, or why it did what it did. The case histories and the results were dramatic. At the same time, I was made aware of the put-down of the man and his ideas by conventional psychiatry as I talked to some of my jail patients’ doctors. The book provides a good account of this controversy. Dr. Hoffer never played the “victim” role but continued to simply present honest facts without rancor, making attempts to discredit him seem almost unbelievable. For many physicians, defending their turf takes precedence over espousing truth.
In the appendix, the authors have listed some of Dr. Hoffer’s and other orthomolecular medicine greats’ studies published in the Journal of Orthomolecular Medicine. Indeed, numerous references to published studies are given for every chapter. “Internet Resources” provides web addresses to directly access orthomolecular medicine studies. By checking these references, as well as following up by doing some of the “Suggested Reading” provided, readers will be equipped with self-help. Accurate education enables positing pertinent questions to their personal physicians. With a dash of doctor-patient rapport and respect, this could lead open-minded, caring physicians to investigate nutritional therapy for him/herself. Nowhere is this more essential than in the treatment of alcoholism.
Andrew Saul is also the author of the books FIRE YOUR DOCTOR! How to be Independently Healthy (reader reviews at http://www.doctoryourself.com/review.html
) and DOCTOR YOURSELF: Natural Healing that Works. (reviewed at http://www.doctoryourself.com/saulbooks.html
)
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