cover image Nutrient Power: Heal Your Biochemistry and Heal Your Brain

Nutrient Power: Heal Your Biochemistry and Heal Your Brain

William J. Walsh. Skyhorse, $29.95 (220p) ISBN 978-1-62087-258-1

Walsh, an expert in nutritional medicine, has gotten into the heads of thousands of mental health patients and found them lacking—or overloaded with—crucial nutrients like copper, vitamin B-6, zinc, folate, and amino acids, which he attributes to genetic and epigenetic causes. Now Walsh is hoping to catapult biochemical therapy into the mainstream of treatment for a wide range of mental disorders, including autism and Alzheimer’s. With missionary zeal, Walsh predicts that, for instance, correcting vitamin C deficiencies might be as effective as Prozac in treating depression. The challenge will be to identify the specific nutrient imbalance and normalize blood and brain levels. This could be an elegantly simple solution to dysregulation of the extremely complex chemistry. Walsh concedes that the results have not always been convincing. For example, early research on nutrient therapy in children with brain disorders and ADHD found the improvement greater in younger children. Walsh also provides a thoughtful history of nutrient therapy pioneers like Canadian psychiatrist Abram Hoffer, whose studies were rebuffed by the American Psychiatric Association. It remains to be seen whether Walsh’s confidence in his program’s efficacy will attract funds for clinical testing needed to nudge this therapy into accepted practice. Illus. Agent: Svetlanagraaft. (Sept.)