Effective Supplement Protocols

Over the thousands of years that it has been used as a medicine, the natural mineral lithium has undergone several dramatic transformations in terms of popular opinion – revered by the Greeks and Romans as a health tonic; then celebrated in the early 20th century as a mood-stabilizing pharmaceutical; then shrouded in negative stigma as misperceptions about the lithium dose-response curve arose in the late 20th century. Today, the lithium pendulum is swinging fast in the other direction as an explosion of new research illuminates the true nature of this primordial element. Not only is lithium an essential micronutrient, found in the tissues and body fluids of all vertebrate organisms, but it is also a powerful promoter of physical and mental health when introduced into the body at trace levels that satisfy intrinsic requirements. Research increasingly supports lithium as being one of the more powerful tools in the modern neuropsychiatric arsenal, with applications ranging from bipolar disorder and ADHD to addiction, Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, and suicide prevention.

Lithium has been a cornerstone of my functional psychiatry practice for decades. Join Dr. Greenblatt on a journey to discover lithium’s true identity and therapeutic potential in modern clinical contexts. In this talk, we will explore the body of research evidence corroborating lithium’s essential nutrition and utility as a functional intervention for neurological and psychiatric illness. Dr. Greenblatt will discuss the lithium dose-response curve, defining dose parameters for low-dose lithium that are safe, accessible, and powerfully effective across a range of diagnoses. Finally, he will provide evidence-based recommendations for the use of low-dose lithium, providing you with clinical pearls that may be incorporated into existing therapeutic protocols to maximize patient outcomes.

Oligomeric proanthocyanidins (OPCs) are naturally occurring polyphenols found in many edible plants, including grape, berry, tea, and pine species. OPC-containing plant extracts and tinctures have been utilized medicinally for thousands of years, venerated in many traditional systems of herbal medicine. Modern science has corroborated this ancient herbal wisdom. Returned to the medical spotlight, OPCs have been confirmed to possess powerful anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and neuroprotective properties. Research has revealed numerous therapeutic applications for these remarkable phytochemicals, as well as evidence of OPC efficacy as supportive and/or preventative interventions for conditions ranging from heart disease and metabolic syndrome to Alzheimer’s and ADHD.

In this presentation, Dr. Greenblatt will discuss the therapeutic potentials of OPCs, which he has used for decades in his clinical practice. He will present empirical evidence supporting the efficacy of OPCs for various psychiatric presentations and explore the biologic mechanisms through which they act to reduce systemic inflammation and optimize brain health. He will also review OPCs like those found in pine bark, blueberry, and grape seed and how these fascinating natural compounds can enhance treatment outcomes as elements of personalized interventions for psychiatric disorders.

The building blocks of neurotransmitters and enzymes, amino acids are critical components of neurotransmission pathways. Deficits of amino acids, accordingly, can adversely impact neurotransmitter availability, leading to alterations in mood, cognition, and behavior. In this presentation, Dr. Greenblatt will discuss factors contributing to amino acid deficiencies and how they correlate with ADHD, depression, and more. Strategies for amino acids supplementation for neurotransmitter support will also be reviewed, as well as recommendations for lab testing.

Dr. Greenblatt will review evidence-based, functional medicine strategies for neurotransmitter modulation. This includes the provision of amino acid precursors (from which neurotransmitters and the enzymes that make them are synthesized), and interventions to optimize digestion (to support healthy protein breakdown and amino acid absorption). We will also explore recommendations for amino acid supplementation for neurotransmitter support and laboratory testing for the assessment of amino acid status.