Orthomolecular Medicine

Orthomolecular medicine refers to a complementary medicine which advocates dealing with disease and maintaining health by using nutrients and substances such as vitamins and minerals which occur naturally in the body.  The word ‘ortho’ is based on the Greek word ‘orthos’ meaning straight, correct, upright.  ‘Molecular’ is based on the French word ‘molécule’ and Latin words ‘mole’ meaning mass and ‘cula’ meaning small. 

The term orthomolecular was developed in 1969 by Dr. Linus Pauling, a scientist and humanitarian and the only recipient to date of two Nobel Prizes, both in chemisty.  Dr. Pauling became very interested in biochemistry and nutrition in the late 1960’s and began to study their relationship with mental disease.  He proposed that mental illness could be treated by correcting the very biochemical environment of the brain, specifically the vitamins and micronutrients.  This was known as orthomolecular psychiatry.  He then broadened the concept to a more all encompassing approach toward treating and preventing disease and maintaining optimum health.   In Dr. Pauling‘s words "the adjective orthomolecular is used to express the idea of the right molecules in the right concentration".  This remains the mission of the research center he started in 1973, The Linus Pauling Institute:  to understand how diet, micronutrients, supplements initiate and sustain disease and how they can be used to prevent and treat disease.

Registered orthomolecular health practitioners  will review a client’s health record and gather information such as height/weight, body fat percentage, BMI, blood pressure.  Services also include blood analysis and nutrient microscopy.  The practitioner will then provide a detailed nutritional plan.  The number of follow up sessions will vary depending on client’s condition and needs.