What is orthomolecular nutrition?

Orthomolecular nutrition, also known as “megavitamin therapy”, is an alternative therapy based on the idea of taking very high doses of vitamins to tackle disease. The idea on which orthomolecular nutrition is based is that the nutrients provided by food and assimilated during digestion enter into the chemical composition of the body’s cells and intervene in chemical reactions, developing a primordial role in maintaining optimal health.

In this sense, orthomolecular nutrition considers that the treatment of many diseases involves varying the concentration of certain nutrients at the cellular level. If each cell of the body receives the optimal nutrients to function, the internal environment will be able to control certain diseases.

It is considered by the scientific community as a pseudoscience, since there is no evidence that high doses of vitamins prevent or fight illness, and all trials conducted so far have been found to contain serious flaws.

When might orthomolecular nutrition be used?

Proponents of orthomolecular nutrition claim that getting the right balance of nutrients can reduce your body’s chances of developing a wide range of diseases, including arthritis, depression, headaches, skin problems, autism, hypertension and diabetes. They also claim that your body is best able to fight off disease by achieving a certain balance of molecules at the cellular level. Orthomolecular nutrition is therefore intended as both a preventative and curative therapy.

What does it consist of?

Orthomolecular nutrition involves ingesting high doses substances that are normally present in the body. As well as vitamins, this can include minerals, trace elements, amino acids, essential fatty acids and phytochemicals.

Care after the intervention

No specific care is necessary after orthomolecular nutrition but it must be kept in mind that it is based on very high doses of certain vitamins which can cause hypervitaminosis. Hypervitaminosis can cause serious problems, depending on the vitamin you have too much of. For example, an excess of vitamin A can result in:

• vomiting
• increased pressure in the brain
• swelling in the bones
• jaundice
• respiratory infections
• hair loss

An excess of vitamin D can cause bone pain, vomiting, and kidney problems.

If you are considering orthomolecular nutrition, it is very important that you see a specialist in nutrition and dietetics who can advise you on the possible risks.