Schizophrenia

Schizophrenia is one of the most devastating and poorly understood mental illnesses. Over 50 years ago drugs like thorazine started to allow some schizophrenics to function, but at the price of sedation which made the whole world gray and uninteresting plus other series side effects. Because of this schizophrenics often stopped their medications and relapsed- the drugs were too unpleasant to tolerate.

Many hypotheses about the cause of schizophrenia have been suggested. Genetics is important, but it is certainly not the only factor, or even, perhaps, the most important one. Carefully studied patients with schizophrenia have shown that auto-immunity and inflammation can play important roles. Two severe schizophrenics were treated with minocycline, an older antibiotic most often used for acne. Both were totally cured but relapsed when the drug was discontinued. Long term, low dose minocycline allowed both to be discharged. Subsequent larger trials have confirmed benefit in many schizophrenics. Treatment with probiotics has shown a similar effect. The hypothesis is that improving the gut microbiome, thereby reducing systemic inflammation, helps brain chemistry and improves schizophrenia. Modern medicine loves chemical interventions like antipsychotic drugs, antibiotics and probiotics, usually ignoring the well documented fact that a whole food plant based diet is by far the best way to create and maintain a healthy gut microbiome and lower systemic chronic inflammation.