Megavitamin and dietary treatment in schizophrenia: a randomised, controlled trial.
OBJECTIVE
The aim of this study was to assess the efficacy of adjunctive megavitamin and dietary treatment in schizophrenia.


METHODS
A random allocation double-blind, controlled comparison of dietary supplement and megavitamin treatment, and an alternative procedure was given for 5 months to 19 outpatients with a diagnosis of schizophrenia. In addition to usual follow-up, the experimental group received amounts of megavitamins based on their individual serum vitamin levels plus dietary restriction based on Radioallergosorbent (RAST) tests. The control group received 25 mg vitamin C and were prescribed substances considered allergenic from the RAST test.


RESULTS
Five months of treatment showed marked differences in serum levels of vitamins but no consistent self-reported symptomatic or behavioural differences between groups.


CONCLUSIONS
This study does not provide evidence supporting a positive relationship between regulation of levels of serum vitamins and clinical outcome in schizophrenia over 5 months.
Vaughan
K
K
Palmerston Centre, Hornsby Hospital, New South Wales, Australia.
McConaghy
N
N
D000328:Adult; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009974:Orthomolecular Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000178:diet therapy* / Q000188:drug therapy*; D016896:Treatment Outcome