Abram Hoffer MD PhD

Has anyone here heard of this doctor? He is a proponent of orthomolecular treatment for schizophrenia. I have two of his short books. Well, they have to be short because it seems there is not sufficient research on the matter.

I have schizophrenia, and it has ebbed and flowed over the years. Hoffer's theory as to why people contract this disorder is because of poor nutrition and nutritive deficiencies. In his book, Light on Schizophrenia: Revealing Causes and Solutions From an Orthomolecular Perspective, he postulates that dairy and wheat play a role in the pathophysiology and etiology of schizophrenia.

Specifically, the gluten in the wheat and the casein in the dairy. These two protein compounds get broken down, by digestive enzymes in the enteric tract, into gliadorphin and casomorphin. These two molecules then have either two options: get further broken down by DPP4 and yield innocuous amino acids, or enter the brain and alter behavior.

If dipeptidyl aminopeptidase type 4 is present, then theoretically the patient should fare to a greater degree. But if it's not present or deficient due to a xenobiotic present, such as the anti-diabetic medications Tradjenta or Januvia, then the aforementioned proteins can cause havoc in the nervous system and thus contribute to the pathoneurophysiology of schizophrenia/psychosis.

Of course, the above info is just a grain of sand on the beach compared to the potentially full explanation as to why schizophrenia develops. Abram Hoffer's theory is just that. And there are rightfully indicated correlations involved in this complex matter.