natural_medications | CARLAT PUBLISHING

How to Prescribe Omega-3 Fatty Acids

March 4, 2022

Chris Aiken, MD. Editor-in-Chief of TCPR. Practicing psychiatrist, Winston-Salem, NC. Dr. Aiken has disclosed no relevant financial or other interests in any commercial companies pertaining to this educational activity.

Omega-3s are effective as augmentation of mood stabilizers in bipolar depression, and in some cases, they improve negative symptoms in early schizophrenia. The research is vast, but we narrow down when and how to use omega-3s in real-world practice.

How to Use SAMe in Clinical Practice

January 4, 2022

Garrett Rossi, MD.

Garrett Rossi, MD. Inpatient/consult attending psychiatrist, AtlantiCare Regional Medical Center, Pomona, NJ. Dr. Rossi has disclosed no relevant financial or other interests in any commercial companies pertaining to this educational activity.

SAMe is one of the few natural therapies that can hold its own against antidepressants. In this article, learn when and how to use it.

EXPERT Q&A

Probiotics in Psychiatry

December 31, 2020

Ted Dinan, MD, PhD

Ted Dinan, MD, PhD
Professor of psychiatry at University College Cork, Ireland. Dr. Dinan’s research focuses on depression, irritable bowel syndrome, and the influence of the gut microbiota on brain function. He has published over 500 scientific papers and numerous books, including 2019’s The Psychobiotic Revolution. Dr. Dinan has disclosed that he has no relevant financial or other interests in any commercial companies pertaining to this educational activity.

The gut microbiome is one of the newest entries in the list of causes of depression. Ted Dinan explains how the bacteria in the GI tract influence the brain, and whether a probiotic or a lifestyle change is the best way to address it.

Silexan: A Novel Anxiolytic

July 30, 2020

Chris Aiken, MD.

Chris Aiken, MD. Editor-in-Chief of TCPR. Practicing psychiatrist, Winston-Salem, NC. Dr. Aiken has disclosed that he has no relevant financial or other interests in any commercial companies pertaining to this educational activity.

This German medication outperformed paroxetine in generalized anxiety disorder and is available over the counter in the U.S.

Micronutrients in Mental Health

November 15, 2019

Julia Rucklidge, PhD

Julia Rucklidge, PhD

Professor, University of Canterbury, New Zealand Dr. Rucklidge has disclosed that she has no relevant financial or other interests in any commercial companies pertaining to this educational activity.

Vitamins like B12 and folate have mental benefits, but what happens when you combine dozens of vitamins and nutrients in a single pill? We were skeptical, but the studies were positive, so we invited Julia Rucklidge to explain how these “micronutrients” work in ADHD, depression, autism, and general mental health.

l-Methylfolate for Depression: Costly Mistake or Good Thinking?

August 1, 2019

Folic acid and l-methylfolate are two versions of the same vitamin. Both are popular for antidepressant augmentation, but one is a expensive prescription. We compared them side-by-side and found that one has a slight advantage.

ConsumerLab.com: Guiding Patients Toward OTCs That Won’t Hurt Them

July 1, 2017

Richard Gardiner, MD

Richard Gardiner, MD Psychiatrist in private practice in Potter Valley, CA Dr. Gardiner has disclosed that he has no relevant financial or other interests in any commercial companies pertaining to this educational activity.

Dr. Gardiner recommends ConsumerLab.com to patients to “try to stop them from hurting themselves with mislabeled products or wasting their money” and to help determine whether a supplement might interfere with a medication he is prescribing.

Using Natural Supplements

November 1, 2016

Lila Massoumi, MD

Lila Massoumi, MD Chairperson, Caucus on Complementary, Alternative, and Integrative Medicine, American Psychiatric Association Dr. Massoumi has disclosed that she has no relevant financial or other interests in any commercial companies pertaining to this educational activity.

The author, Dr. Massoumi, is an integrative holistic psychiatrist. She combines the conventional care of psychiatric medications and counseling with non-medication treatments, including supplements and electromagnetic devices, and have had good success. In this article, she reviews some of my practices and discuss various nutritional and herbal supplements that you might consider prescribing for your patients.

Benefits of Alpha-Stim

November 1, 2016

Lila Massoumi, MD

Lila Massoumi, MD Chairperson, Caucus on Complementary, Alternative, and Integrative Medicine, American Psychiatric Association Dr. Massoumi has disclosed that she has no relevant financial or other interests in any commercial companies pertaining to this educational activity.

Dr. Massoumi is one of the most nationally prominent psychiatrists teaching about complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) treatments. In this Expert Q&A she discussses cranial electrotherapy stimulation (CES), with a focus on Alpha-Stim.

Fish Oil Doesn’t Curb Aggressive Behavior

May 1, 2014

Aggressive behavior is a huge problem in child psychiatry. In fact, some estimates say as many as 80% of children and adolescents referred for psychiatric care have some type of aggression, including oppositional defiant disorder or conduct disorder.