Orthomolecular (Biomolecular) - diagnostic and therapeutic strategy of recognized value in medicine
Fantástico usually shows reports of a high standard and which are usually useful to the community. This general trend, however, was not followed in the article on “orthomolecular medicine” broadcast on March 21, 2010 by Globo. Curiously, Globo removed the controversial report from its website. This was probably because they realized how lightly mistaken and even malicious the approach was in relation to the scientific and globally accepted knowledge of orthomolecular medicine - a practice that is increasingly accepted and used, in general, with success.
In fact, there are good and “bad” professionals in any area of human activity, but we can never judge an entire category or branch of knowledge by the performance of a few. In medicine, for example, if a few general practitioners don't carry out their medical activity properly, would that mean that all general practice is reprehensible and, from then on, devoid of any usefulness or reliability? Certainly not.
So let's take a look at some aspects of the Fantástico story under discussion, so that many of the mistakes made can be undone and clarified, for the benefit of the entire population:
1 - “Orthomolecular medicine” is not yet recognized as a medical specialty by the Federal Council of Medicine (CFM), despite the fact that the body is constantly evaluating the issue, in view of the thousands of scientific articles that, for decades now, have proven the usefulness and benefits of applying orthomolecular knowledge to benefit human health. However, the value of orthomolecular practices in medicine is so recognized by the medical community that the CFM has already acknowledged their applicability and suitability for more than a decade, at least since 1998, when it issued Resolution 1500 of 1998 (view the resolution), revised and updated to the most recent document, Resolution 1938 of 2010 (view the resolution).
2 - Most doctors use orthomolecular principles on a daily basis, often unknowingly, because they don't know what this area of medicine really represents. For example, does your doctor recommend vitamin C for colds? Vitamin and mineral supplements for tiredness? Vitamin D and calcium for osteoporosis? Iron for anemia? If so, he is, in a way, employing orthomolecular reasoning and precepts, even if he doesn't explicitly recognize them.
3 - What is orthomolecular (or biomolecular)? The human body is a complete machine, the correct functioning of which makes it possible to carry out day-to-day activities with efficiency and quality of life. When it's not in harmony, whether due to internal or external factors, diseases can arise. In a nutshell, orthomolecular practices aim to neutralize free radicals and their harmful actions throughout the body and mind, supplement nutrients that are lacking, remove excess substances (intoxications) and combat foreign elements in the body's cells to correct deviations in metabolism and provide the patient with better health.
4 - As it is not yet a medical specialty recognized by the CFM, orthomolecular medicine in Brazil is practiced by a wide range of professionals, from therapists to doctors, from the curious to trained professionals, whether ethical or not. Ideally, however, because it works on the whole body and mind, it should only be used by doctors, given the greater training these health professionals have and their more in-depth knowledge of anatomy, physiology, biochemistry, clinical practice, pathology and various other areas that are fundamental to understanding the processes of health and disease. In other words, when a professional without adequate and/or sufficient knowledge guides a treatment in medicine, they may not do a proper job, and their work may be contraindicated and even dangerous. For this reason, anyone who wants a truly orthomolecular approach to health should first and foremost seek out a doctor, and preferably one who has undergone constant and specific quality training and refresher courses in orthomolecular medicine.
5 - The blood drop test mentioned in the article is known as In Vitro Cellular Analysis (IVCA, also called HLB) and is just one of the tests used by orthomolecular medicine, when deemed necessary by the doctor. This test is not “vetoed” by the CFM and is based on numerous pieces of internationally accepted scientific evidence, although it has yet to receive a formal opinion from the CFM. In the article in question, Fantástico asked two doctors, a cardiologist and a hematologist, for their opinions. Although they are recognized as competent in their specialties, their comments show a total lack of knowledge of the technique and its foundations, which is to be expected, since in their fields these professionals have probably never had contact with the techniques and results of ACIV. In other words, it's as if Fantástico had asked a mechanic for a technical opinion on bread making: although some mechanics may know a little about the subject, it's clear that a baker could talk about it with much more propriety and accuracy.
6 - Free radicals are unstable molecules that can cause damage to all parts of the body, and fighting them is one of the main objectives of orthomolecular medicine. In the blood, among various harmful effects, they impair blood clotting, but they can never be seen directly through a conventional microscope. In cellular analysis in vitro (ACIV), what you see under the microscope is the clot formed in the drop of blood analyzed, which, in the presence of free radicals, is full of “white holes”, which are the places where this clot was improperly formed, mainly by the action of free radicals. The more white holes and the larger they are, the greater the presence of free radicals in the blood sample analyzed. This is why this test, when properly carried out by an appropriate and well-trained professional, can be analyzed by a doctor with knowledge of orthomolecular medicine and provide a lot of important data about the patient's health, useful for their treatment.
7 - The hair test, also known as a hair mineralogram, is just one of the tests used by orthomolecular medicine, when deemed necessary by the doctor. It is not “vetoed” by the CFM and is indicated when there is a strong clinical suspicion of deficiencies or excesses of specific minerals. It is based on numerous internationally accepted scientific evidences and its applicability is partly regulated by CFM resolution 1938 of 2010.
8 - Eating well certainly provides the body with all the nutrients it needs to maintain health and fight off any illnesses effectively and quickly. In the modern world, however, who eats properly in the face of stress, pollution, water and food poisoning, exposure to excessive solar radiation, electromagnetic emissions and so many other aggressive factors? For all these reasons, it is often necessary to supplement nutrients (including vitamins and minerals), with specific uses and quantities for each case.
9 - The use of hydrogen peroxide (“hydrogen peroxide”) for the treatment of numerous pathologies is widely recognized and used internationally by the medical community, with several books written on the subject by respected doctors and researchers. Once again, however, in Brazil, the CFM still does not recognize this form of treatment as a medical practice.
10 - All doctors must base their professional performance on compliance with the Code of Medical Ethics which, in its second article, states that: “The object of all the doctor's attention is the health of the human being, for whose benefit he must act with the utmost zeal and to the best of his professional ability.” As such, each doctor is free to consider, in a responsible and ethical manner, the forms of diagnosis and treatment they deem appropriate, useful and beneficial for each patient under their responsibility. In any case, attributing signs and symptoms to Spiritism is not orthomolecular practice, since the Spiritist Doctrine is a respectable religion that is widely followed in Brazil and around the world, and orthomolecular medicine is a set of medical strategies based on the body's biochemistry. If a medical professional chooses to establish a relationship between the two distinct areas, they are expected to have a reasonable basis for doing so, or they will be engaging in misconduct, even recklessness, to the detriment of their patient.
In summary, orthomolecular (or biomolecular) diagnostic and therapeutic practices are recognized as scientific, useful and effective by the international medical community and by Brazil's Federal Council of Medicine (see related resolutions). They should ideally only be carried out by doctors with appropriate training and, when used properly, bring real, rapid and lasting benefits to the health and quality of life of the patients treated.
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