The Secret of Bipolar Disorder: A Nutritional Deficiency Disease

Over a hundred years ago, hundreds of thousands of Americans in the South were afflicted by a disease called Pellagra. Besides classic skin rashes, often there was dementia, schizophrenia, and finally death. So many theories were raised up in hope. Some thought it was an insect-borne disease. Others treated it with arsenic. Finally, the government sent a doctor, Dr. Joseph Goldenberger from New York to investigate.

He finally concluded that pellagra, the scourge of the South was a nutritional deficiency disease. Of course, nobody believed him. People got well though with his diet which emphasized foods high in B vitamins. It wasn’t until after he died that the actual vitamin deficiency was identified…..Vitamin B3, commonly known as niacin.

Because of his insightful, and painstaking work, you will see that all white flour products in the USA market are “fortified with niacin”, which prevents the plague of pellagra from affecting and killing thousands of Americans each year.

Dr. Joseph Goldenberger, discovered Pellagra is cured by Niacin, Vitamin B3

In my book, BIPOLAR WELLNESS: How to Recover from Bipolar Illness, the fourth chapter reveals the nutrient that is missing in sufficient quantity and quality in the American diet that lets vulnerable people become bipolar. Vulnerable means a metabolism that needs more of this nutrient than most people, and the genetics to trigger mood swings because of a deficiency. This nutrient is derived from Omega-3, but has to be taken in large quantities that are not usually available in fish oil supplements.

Read the fourth chapter, which in 25 pages covers the scientific research behind this nutrient, where to get it, including brand names, and how much to take, and how to get tested to see if you have a deficiency. This nutritional supplement is being used at a major Midwestern university psychiatric hospital, with amazing results. This nutrient will not necessarily mean you will not take medication, but it might help lower the dosage and add a feeling of naturalness to the control of your mood swings. I have taken it for over 10 years, and it has been a remarkable addition to the other wellness actions I take to be in recovery from Bipolar Illness.