The Role of Vitamins B3 and C in the Treatment of Histadelia

rumination, mental fogginess, disperceptions, and hyperactivity (overarousal) characterize the psychiatric manifestations of histadelia, a type of schizophrenia. The nonpsychiatric clinical features of histadelia include: increased salivation, elevated metabolic rate, allergic symptoms, frequent headaches, diminished pain threshold, heightened sexual responsiveness (a greater ability to achieve orgasm), and strong cravings for sugar. Increased basophils (greater than 50 cells/mm) and elevated blood histamine levels (greater than 70 ng/ ml) confirm the diagnosis of histadelia. The goal of orthomolecular treatment for this disorder is to restore blood histamine levels to normal. This can be achieved through dietary modifications (low protein and high fruit/vegetable diet), a combination of various nutrients (calcium, methionine, zinc, and manganese), and sometimes the drug phenytoin (Dilantin). A low protein diet reduces the amount of ingested L-histidine, which is a precursor to histamine. Calcium helps mobilize bodily stores of histamine, and also might increase histamine catabolism. Methionine lowers blood histamine by reacting with histamine to form N-methylhistamine, an inert methylated ring structure. Zinc and manganese replenish possible deficiencies, and phenytoin negates the compulsive behaviors and depression. It has been proposed that the histadelic patient does not respond “to the classical meganutrient (B3, vitamin C) therapy.” This lack of response is confusing considering that thousands of schizophrenic patients have benefited from taking megadoses of vitamins B3 and C. If 20% of all schizophrenics are thought to have histadelia, it is possible that favorable therapeutic responses to vitamins B3 and C have occurred among many histadelic patients. The therapeutic potential of vitamins B3 and C in the treatment of histadelia is clear given the biochemical functions of these vitamins.