Abstract
The recent upsurge in megavitamin therapy raises questions about the role of vitamin deficiencies and dependencies in mental health. With this in mind, the plasma levels of folic acid, ascorbic acid, pyridoxine, and riboflavin were studied in approximately 125 children admitted to a child psychiatric unit. There were no apparent decreased levels of vitamins in these children in terms of their age, race, or psychiatric diagnosis. It is postulated that vitamin deficiencies per se cannot be proposed as etiological factors in any of the psychiatric deficits represented. Megavitamin therapy, if successful, is not effective due to correction of vitamin deficiencies as opposed to vitamin dependencies and may be due to the metabolic onus and consequent effects of such heavy doses of vitamins.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Alias, A. G. Serum transaminase and alkaline phosphatase in schizophrenia.Biological Psychiatry, 1972,4, 89–92.
Arakawa, T. [Congenital anomalies in folate metabolism.]Kokkaido Igaku Zasshi, 1971,46, 341. (Chemical Abstracts, 1972,77, No. 162654h).
Basu, T. K. Possible toxicological aspects of megadoses of ascorbic acid.Chemico-Siological Interactions, 1977,19, 247–250.
Binette, Y., Perron, L. P., Gravel, G., Hamel, O., Lamarre, G., Legault, R., Morin, L., & Berthiaume, M. Étude de la vitamin C chez les schizophrenes.Union Medicale du Canada, 1965,94, 1272–1275.
Bird, O. D., McGlohon, V. M., & Vaitkus, J. W. Naturally occurring folates in the blood and liver of the rat.Analytical Biochemistry, 1965,12, 18–35.
Carney, M. W. P. Serum folate values in 423 psychiatric patients.British Medical Journal, 1967,2, 512–516.
Chatterjee, I. B., Majumder, A. K., Nandi, B. K., & Subramanian, N. Synthesis and some major functions of vitamin C in animals.Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences, 1974,258, 24–47.
Coleman, M., & Brown, W. M. Apparent reversal of a familial syndrome of seizures and later dementia by administration of vitamin D. In D. V. Siva Sankar (Ed.),Psychopharmacology of childhood. Westbury: PJD Publications, 1976.
DeWolff, F. A., Hillen, F. C., Sprangers, W. J. J. M., Suijkerbuijk-Van Beck, M. M. A., & Noach, E. L. Influence of folic acid on the action of diphenylhydantom.Archives Internationales de Pharmacodynamie et de Thérapie, 1971,194, 316–317.
Difco Manual. Microbiological assay of vitamins. Detroit: Difco Company, 1963.
Driskell, J. A., & Loker, S. F. Behavioral patterns of female rats fed high levels of vitamin B6.Nutrition Reports International, 1976,14, 467–473.
Dzhelieva, Z. H., & Solov'eva, G. A. Interaction of folic acid and ascorbic acids during folic acid deficiency in monkeys.Chemical Abstracts, 1970,72, No. 97899x.
Gertner, J. M., Hodsman, A. B., & Neuberger, J. N. 1-alpha-hydroxycholecalciferol in the treatment of hypocalcimic psychosis.Clinical Endocrinology, 1976,5, 539–544.
Grant, F. W., Cowen, M. A., Ozerengin, M. F., & Bigelow, N. Nutritional requirements in mental illness. I. Ascorbic acid retention in schizophrenia. A reexamination.Biological Psychiatry, 1972,5, 289–294.
Hawkins, D. R., & Pauling, L.Orthomolecular psychiatry. San Francisco: Freeman, 1973.
Henry, R. J.Clinical chemistry—principles and techniques. New York: Harper & Row, 1964.
Herjanic, M., & Moss-Herjanic, B. L. Ascorbic acid test in psychiatric patients.Journal of Schizophrenia, 1967,1, 256–260.
Hunter, R., Jones, M., Jones, T. G., & Mathews, D. M. Serum B12 and folate concentrations in mental patients.British Journal of Psychiatry, 1967,113, 1291–1295.
Imlach, A. Study in Alberta of megavitamin therapy agrees it is unproven and still experimental.Canadian Medical Association Journal, 1977,116, 557. Cf: Megavitamin therapy for childhood psychosis and learning disabilities. Statement of the Committee on Nutrition, American Academy of Pediatrics.Postgraduate Medicine, 1977,61 (April), 230–236.
Kral, V. A., Solyom, L., Enesco, H., & Ledwidge, B. Relation of vitamin B12 and folic acid to memory function.Biological Psychiatry, 1970,2, 19–26.
Marcusen, D. C., & Heninger, R. W. Effect of ascorbic acid on the pituitary-thyroid system in the rat.Journal of Endocrinology, 1976,70, 313–314.
Masek, J., Hruba, F., Novakova, V., Honzak, R., & Kaucka, J. [Vitamin C and vigilance.]Rev. Czech. Med., 1976,22, 209–215. (Chemical Abstracts, 1977,86, No. 115318c).
Miller, J. Z., Nonce, W. E., Norton, J. A., Wolen, R. L., Griffiths, R. S., & Rose, R. J. Therapeutic effect of vitamin C.Journal of the American Medical Association, 1977,237, 248–251.
Patel, H., Dunn, H. G., Tischler, B., & Karaa McBurney, A., with the assistance of Hach, E. Carotenemia in mentally retarded children. I. Incidence and etiology.Canadian Medical Association Journal, 1973,108, 848–852.
Pauling, L. Orthomolecular psychiatry.Science, 1968,160, 265–271.
Peterman, R. A., & Goodhart, R. S. Current status of vitamin therapy in nervous and mental disease.Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 1954,2, 11–21.
Puzynski, S. [Significance of disturbances in the metabolism of copper, ceruloplasmin and ascorbic acid in the pathogenesis of schizophrenia.]Rocz. Akad. Med. Bialymstoku, 1969,14, 99–162. (Chemical Abstracts, 1971,74, No. 109517c).
Reynolds, E. H., Preece, J. M., Bailey, J., & Coppen, A. Folate deficiency in depressive illness.British Journal of Psychiatry, 1970,117, 287–292.
Reynolds, E. H., Preece, J., & Johnson, A. L. Folate metabolism in epileptic and psychiatric patients.Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery and Psychiatry, 1971,34, 726–732.
Sankar, D. V. Siva. A summary of thirty biochemical tests in childhood schizophrenia. In D. V. Siva Sankar (Ed.),Schizophrenia—current concepts and research. New York: PJD Publications, 1969.
Sankar, D. V. Siva. Biogenic amine uptake by blood platelets and RBC in childhood schizophrenia.Acta Paedopsychiatrica, 1970,37, 174–182.
Sankar, D. V. Siva. Uptake of 5-hydroxytryptamine by isolated platelets in childhood schizophrenia and autism.Neuropsychobiology, 1977,3, 234–239.
Smith, A. D. M. Megaloblastic madness.British Medical Journal, 1960,ii, 1840–1845.
Snaith, R. P., Mehta, S., & Raby, A. H. Serum folate and vitamin B12 in epileptics with and without mental illness.British Journal of Psychiatry, 1970,116, 179–183.
Vander Kamp, H. Biochemical abnormality in schizophrenia involving ascorbic acid.International Journal of Neuropsychiatry, 1966,2, 204–206.
Vann, D. Vitamin B12 folic acid and the care of the mentally disturbed aged patients.Medical Journal of Australia, 1972,2, 1149.
Vobecky, J. S., & Vobecky, J. Vitamin C and vitamin E in spontaneous abortion.International Journal of Vitamin and Nutrition Research, 1976,46, 291–296.
Weiner, W. J. Vitamin B6 in the pathogenesis and treatment of diseases of the CNS. In H. L. Klawans (Ed.),Clinical neuropharmacology (Vol. 1). New York: Raven Press, 1976.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Additional information
The author wishes to thank Mrs. Anneliese Geisler for competent technical assistance, and Drs. Lauretta Bender and Gloria Faretra for their interest and cooperation in the study. Special acknowledgment is made of the cooperation of the psychiatric and ward staff, and of Drs. Rose Hartmann, Leonard Cobrinik, and Jack Praver.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Sankar, D.V.S. Plasma levels of folates, riboflavin, vitamin B6, and ascorbate in severely disturbed children. J Autism Dev Disord 9, 73–82 (1979). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01531294
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01531294