Truehope Institute

Research Document Do vitamins or minerals (apart from lithium) have mood-stabilizing effects?
- Popper CW. Journal of Clinical Psychiatry. 2001 Dec;62(12):933-5.

Background:
Dr. Charles Popper, psycho pharmacologist and psychiatrist at Harvard University's McLean Hospital examines the effective mood stabilization on clinically diagnosed patients with bipolar disorder using a chelated mineral supplement. Also included are his comments regarding his own clinical experience with EMPower plus .

Results:
86% (19 of 22 patients) showed a positive response to micronutrient treatment.
73% (11 of 15 patients) were stable on micronutrient treatment alone after gradually withdrawing from their medication.

Research Document Database analysis of adults with bipolar disorder consuming a micronutrient formula.
- Gately D, Kaplan BJ. Clinical Medicine Insights: Psychiatry. 2009 Apr;4:3-16.

Background:
A database analysis led by researchers at New York University and the University of Calgary assessed the long-term benefits of a broad-based micronutrient treatment for bipolar disorder. The sample consisted of 682 adults who reported being diagnosed with bipolar disorder. Within that group, 358 individuals reported the single diagnosis of bipolar disorder and provided symptom data for at least 6 months while taking EMPowerplus.

Results:
For over half the individuals, symptoms improved by more than 50% at 3 and 6 months. One-third experienced very significant symptom reduction that exceeded 75%. Those who took higher recommended doses of EMPowerplus and completely tapered off their psychiatric medications had the most significant and sustained symptom improvements. The 6-month follow-up period suggests that benefits are not attributable to placebo or expectancy effects.

Research Document Improved mood and behavior during treatment with a mineral-vitamin supplement: an open label
                              case series of children.
                            - Kaplan BJ, Fisher JE, Crawford SG, Field CJ, Kolb B. Journal of Child and Adolescent
                              Psychopharmacology. 2004 Spring;14(1):115-22.

Background:
A group of scientists from three Alberta universities and the Alberta Children's Hospital published the results of 11 unselected children with mood and behavior problems. The diagnoses of the children included attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), bipolar disorder, oppositional defiant disorder (ODD), obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), Asperger syndrome, generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), Prader-Willi Syndrome depression, anxiety, and rage. The children were assessed for a minimum of 8 weeks on an adult dose of EMPowerplus, which was well-tolerated. Outcomes were measured with the Young Mania Rating Scale (YMRS), the Youth Outcome Questionnaire (YOQ), and the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL).

Results:
For all 9 children who completed the trial, the micronutrient treatment was clinically beneficial, and all effect sizes were large (>.8). Improvement was significant on the YOQ (measuring children's mood, physical symptoms, self-harm behavior, interpersonal relationship problems, social problems, and attention problems), the YMRS (measuring symptoms such as irritability and disruptive aggressive behaviors), and 7 of the 8 CBCL scales (withdrawn behavior, anxious/depressed mood, social problems, thought problems, attention problems, delinquent behavior, and aggressive behavior).

Research Document Nutritional approach to bipolar disorder. Simmons M. Journal of Clinical Psychiatry.
- 2003 Mar;64(3):338.

Background:
In a letter to the editor of the Journal of Clinical Psychiatry, Dr. Miles Simmons, a psychiatrist in private practice in Brunswick, Maine, reported his clinical experience with EMPowerplus. Impressed by the striking response of one of his patients to EMPowerplus, Dr. Simmons carefully monitored treatment-resistant patients from his private practice who were willing to try this nutritional approach.

Results:
Of 19 patients that met the clinical criteria for bipolar disorder (14 bipolar I and 5 bipolar II), Dr. Simmons observed that "12 of the 19 patients showed marked clinical improvement, 3 showed moderate improvement, and 1 showed mild improvement" (84% positive response rate). Of 16 medicated patients (who were taking 2.7 psychiatric medications on average) 13 were able to completely discontinue their psychiatric medications (over an average of 5.2 weeks) had remained stable on EMPowerplus alone for an average of 13 months.

Research Document Treatment of mood lability and explosive rage with minerals and vitamins: two case studies in
                              children.
                            - Kaplan BJ, Crawford SG, Gardner B, Farrelly G. J Child Adolesc Psychopharmacol.
                              2002 Fall;12(3):205-19.

Background:
A group of scientists at the University of Calgary and the Alberta Children's Hospital reported the effects of EMPowerplus on 2 medication-free boys with explosive rage and mood disorders (atypical obsessive-compulsive disorder and pervasive developmental delay), using an off-on-off-on (ABAB) study design.

Results:
In both cases, symptoms increased when the micronutrient supplement was withdrawn and improved when the supplement was introduced. When taking the supplement, the boys had fewer emotional outbursts, fewer anxious and obsessional thoughts, more positive mood, and better temper control. Improvements were noted on the Conners Parent Rating Scale (CPRS) mood and temper symptoms, Children's Version Yale-Brown Obsessive-Compulsive Scale (CY-BOCS) obsessive-compulsive symptoms, and Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL) symptoms of aggressive, delinquent, and anxious/depressed behavior, as well as social and attention problems. Neither boy experienced any adverse effects from taking an adult dose of the nutritional supplement. At the time of publication, both boys had been stable on the nutritional supplement for over 2 years.

Research Document Effective mood stabilization with a chelated mineral supplement: an open-label trial in bipolar
                              disorder.
                            - Kaplan BJ, Simpson JS, Ferre RC, Gorman CP, McMullen DM, Crawford SG. Journal of Clinical
                              Psychiatry. 2001 Dec;62(12):936-44.

Background:
A group of scientists at the University of Calgary and the Alberta Children's Hospital conducted a study to determine the therapeutic benefit of EMPowerplus on 14 unselected adult bipolar patients who had taken psychotropic medications for an average of 6.7 years. Patients were assessed by their own psychiatrists with the Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression (HAM-D), the Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale (BPRS), and the Young Mania Rating Scale (YMRS).

Results:
For the 11 patients who completed the minimum 6-month open trial, average symptom reduction was 55% on the HAM-D, 60% on the BPRS, and 66% on the YMRS. The effect size for the intervention was large (>.8) for each measure. The number of psychotropic medications decreased significantly from an average of 2.7 to 1.0. In some cases, the micronutrient treatment replaced psychotropic medications and the patients remained stable. The only reported side effect (i.e., nausea) was infrequent, minor, and transitory.

Research Document Effect of micronutrients on behavior and mood in adults with ADHD: evidence from an 8-week
open label trial with natural extension.
- Rucklidge J, Taylor M, Whitehead K. Journal of Attention Disorders. 2010 Jan 13.

Background:
Researchers from the University of Canterbury investigated the effect of EMPowerplus on fourteen medication-free adults (9 men, 5 women; 18-55 years old) with both Attention-deficit/hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and severe mood dysregulation (SMD). Seven were diagnosed with major depressive disorder (MDD), three with Bipolar Disorder II (BDII), six with social phobia , and three with generalized anxiety disorder (GAD). Participants took EMPowerplus for 8 weeks. The majority of participants chose to continue taking EMPowerplus during a 2-6 month follow-up thereafter.

Results:
The adults taking EMPowerplus, as well as observers and clinicians, reported significant differences in inattention and hyperactivity/impulsivity, mood, quality of life, anxiety, and stress scores, all with medium to very large effect sizes. Mood and hyperactivity/impulsivity scores were normalized. Those who continued to take EMPowerplus after 8 weeks maintained or further improved their results.

Research Document Successful treatment of OCD with a micronutrient formula following partial response to Cognitive
Behavioral Therapy (CBT): a case study.
- Rucklidge JJ. Journal of Anxiety Disorders. 2009 Aug;23(6):836-40.

Background:
University of Canterbury researcher Dr. Julia Rucklidge describes a "treatment-resistant" 18-year-old male diagnosed with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) and Asperger's Disorder who underwent cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) for a 1-year period with a modest response. Nearly a year later, his symptoms deteriorated; he met criteria for Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) in addition to having severe levels of anxiety and obsessions.

Results:
The patient underwent an off-on-off-on (ABAB) design trial using EMPowerplus. During 8 weeks on the formula, his mood stabilized, his anxiety reduced significantly, and his obsessions ceased. When the treatment was discontinued for 8 weeks, his obsessions, anxiety, and mood worsened. Reintroduction of the formula again improved the symptoms. After taking EMPowerplus for 6 months, he continued to be in remission, with further improvements to his mood and maintenance of low anxiety.

Research Document Multinutrient supplement as treatment: literature review and case report of a 12-year-old boy
                              with bipolar disorder.
                            - Frazier EA, Fristad MA, Arnold LE. Journal of Child and Adolescent Psychopharmacology.
                              2009 Aug;19(4):453-60.

Background:
Researchers at Ohio State University review the scientific literature on the use of multinutrient supplementation for mental health and report on the dramatic improvement of a 12-year-old boy who took EMPowerplus after being treated for 6 years with conventional medications. Researchers describe the boy's symptoms in conjunction with his treatment history. The boy was initially diagnosed with bipolar disorder-not otherwise specified (BP-NOS) at age 6, which was changed to bipolar I (BP-I), mixed, with psychotic features at age 10. He was also diagnosed with generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) at age 8 and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) at age 10. During six years of conventional treatment (ages 6-12), no medication, alone or in combination, maintained a desirable mood balance or consistent improvement in the boy's functioning over an extended period of time.

Results:
Researchers assessed the boy's progress during fourteen months of treatment with EMPowerplus. After 19 days on EMPowerplus, the boy had titrated completely off all psychotropic medications. EMPowerplus resulted in a better outcome than any previous conventional treatment. Hallucinations ceased, anxiety decreased, functioning was no longer impaired at home, with schoolwork, or with peers, and impulsivity and fidgeting decreased substantially. Researchers reported that "All diagnoses fully remitted."

Research Document Successful Treatment of Bipolar Disorder II and ADHD with a Micronutrient Formula: A Case
Study
- Rucklidge JJ, Harrison R. CNS Spectr. 2010 May;15(5):289-95.

Background:
Researchers used EMPowerplus in an off-on-off-on (ABAB) design to treat a 21-year-old woman ("KT") diagnosed with bipolar II disorder, ADHD, social anxiety, and panic disorder. KT had a documented 8 year history of on-going psychiatric symptoms not well managed by medications

Results:
After taking EMPowerplus for 8 weeks, KT showed significant improvements in mood, anxiety, and hyperactivity/impulsivity. She then chose to come off the formula. After 8 weeks, her depression scores had returned to baseline, and her anxiety and ADHD symptoms had worsened. When EMPowerplus was reintroduced, she gradually improved in all psychiatric symptoms. After KT had taken EMPowerplus for 1 year, researchers reported that she was in remission of all mental illness.

Research Document Micronutrients versus standard medication management in autism: A naturalistic case-control
                              study
                            - Mehl-Madrona, L., Leung, B., Kennedy, C., Paul, S., Kaplan, B.J. Journal of Child and Adolescent
                              Psychopharmacology. 2010 Apr;20(2):95-103.

Background:
Researchers from five universities tested the effects of EMPowerplus on self-injurious behavior (SIB), aggression, and tantrums in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). By parent's choice, one group of 44 children received treatment with EMPowerplus, while a similar group of 44 children received conventional pharmaceutical treatment.

Results:
Both groups improved significantly on the Childhood Autism Rating Scale, Childhood Psychiatric Rating Scale, the Aberrant Behavior Checklist, and the Clinical Global Impressions scale. However, the EMPowerplus group had a significantly greater magnitude of improvement on the Aberrant Behavior Checklist and the Clinical Global Impressions scale than the conventional treatment group. Specific advantages to the EMPowerplus treatment included lower activity level, less social withdrawal, less anger, lower incidence of self-injurious behavior (SIB), better spontaneity with the examiner, less irritability, markedly fewer adverse events, and less weight gain.