Abstract
This paper examines the persistent under-recognition of essential nutrient deficiencies—particularly Vitamin B12—in the diagnosis and treatment of psychiatric and neurological disorders. Despite mounting scientific evidence and increasing patient-reported cases, these biochemical contributors to mental illness remain marginal within dominant psychiatric paradigms. Drawing on netnographic analyses of patient narratives alongside a review of current biomedical literature, this study bridges clinical science with lived experience to advance a sociomedical critique of knowledge deficits in mental health care. The paper explores the consequences of overlooking nutritional etiologies, including iatrogenic harm, misdiagnosis, and premature morbidity. It further addresses systemic gaps in practitioner education, medical curricula, and public health messaging that have sustained these blind spots. Framed within the broader themes of interdisciplinary health sciences, public health policy, and health promotion, this work calls for integrative diagnostic protocols, preventive screening policies, and improved clinician-patient communication. It proposes an integrative, human-scientific approach to health promotion that positions biochemical wellness as a foundational pillar of mental health. The paper highlights the far-reaching consequences of prevailing knowledge deficits—manifesting in both human suffering and avoidable economic burdens—and underscores the urgent need for policy interventions aimed at educating both health professionals and the broader public. The consequences of these costly knowledge deficits are preventable through inexpensive, evidence-based solutions that remain critically underutilized.
Presenters
Heidi RimkeAssociate Professor and Chair (Acting), Sociology and Disability Studies, University of Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
Details
Presentation Type
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session
Theme
Interdisciplinary Health Sciences
KEYWORDS
Mental Illness, Nutritional Psychiatry, Iatrogenesis, Medical Knowledge Deficits, Vitamin B12
