Skip to main content

Advanced Nutraceuticals by Lawrence Cormier, MD


In terms of learning objectives, we’ll be covering some of the evidence-based medicine.

Describing some specific interventions, we’re going to limit it to depression, anxiety, bipolar, and sleep, while identifying root causes is more at the root of functional medicine and integrative psychiatry.

Learn more about Advanced Nutraceuticals with Dr. Lawrence Cormier by watching this video.

 

FULL TRANSCRIPT

In terms of learning objectives, we’ll be covering some of the evidence-based medicine.

Describing some specific interventions, we’re going to limit it to depression, anxiety, bipolar, and sleep, while identifying root causes is more at the root of functional medicine and integrative psychiatry. They both lead to treatment and to happy patients.

Often, your initial nutraceutical interventions can get you on first base and can produce some benefits during the first month of a treatment while you’re pursuing the more time-consuming, expensive diagnostic tests in the functional medicine realm while you’re doing gut work, dietary and other interventions that take more time to take root.

Nutraceuticals Overview – Safety and Patient Preference

Some general considerations regarding safety is quality control.

Even some of the high-end products that are manufactured in the US are using base products that are manufactured in China and India, as are most pharmaceuticals nowadays as well, different formulations even for the same biotherapy, particularly if we’re talking about botanicals, there could be interactions, even though there are nutraceuticals, these are real therapies.

Patient preferences essential to informed consent really speaks to important matter that you know this, in my mind, at least I’m not against medications, I’m not against supplements, really for joining the patient, establishing treatment alliance, promoting a shared sense of mission. And then you know, helping the person with their initial presentation. Usually they’re acute, they’re looking for a pill if they’re seeing a psychiatrist, getting them past that initial acute phase into a period of maintenance and then on to wellness.

Magnesium

Magnesium is an essential nutrient, a giant in terms of micronutrients, often overlooked, it doesn’t, you know, hold the same potency perhaps that SAMe and many other bio therapies do. There can be interactions, very well tolerated. In terms of serious safety concerns, although GI side effects are common, if someone has chronic kidney disease, you need to be mindful of that since you can get a greater retention.

More Nutraceuticals – Essential Nutrient for Depression

B Vitamins, Vitamin C and more…

B vitamins can be used as monotherapies, but most of the evidence bases as adjuncts. We have B6, B9 and B12 that really stand out for the CNS. But really, it’s you know, there’s value in all of the B vitamins. The use of methyl folate is to some degree in my mind determined by a person’s MTHFR status, it’s a test that you can get down with Quest and LabCorp. Most insurance plans will cover it. Medicare does not so you don’t get your patient stuck with a $400 list price bill. Vitamin C. I don’t really think of it. But I mean this is actually a substantial evidence base, mostly from last century.