Who literally wrote the book on nutritional medicine? Dr Alan Gaby. In this interview, Dr Gaby talks about his pioneering work that ultimately resulted in the publication of what is arguably the most important reference text in the field: Nutritional Medicine, Third Edition 2023. In addition, he discusses explore nutritional therapies that are clinically very useful but broadly overlooked including potassium magnesium aspartate for fatigue, riboflavin for migraine prevention and identifying hidden food allergies for treating various conditions.

Guest:

Dr. Alan Gaby, MD

About our guest:

Dr. Gaby received his undergraduate degree from Yale University, his M.S. in biochemistry from Emory University, and his M.D. from the University of Maryland. He was in private practice for 19 years, specializing in nutritional medicine.

He is past-president of the American Holistic Medical Association and has given expert testimony to the White House Commission on Complementary and Alternative Medicine on the cost-effectiveness of nutritional supplements. He is the author of Preventing and Reversing Osteoporosis (Prima, 1994) and The Doctor's Guide to Vitamin B6 (Rodale Press, 1984), and is co-author of The Patient's Book of Natural Healing (Prima, 1999). Dr. Gaby has written numerous scientific papers in the field of nutritional medicine. He was the contributing medical editor for the Townsend Letter for Doctors from 1985 to 2023 and was contributing editor for Alternative Medicine Review from 1996 to 2010.

Over the past 43 years, Dr. Gaby has developed a computerized database of more than 28,000 individually chosen medical journal articles related to the field of natural medicine. He was professor of nutrition and a member of the clinical faculty at Bastyr University in Kenmore, WA, from 1995 to 2002. In 2010, Dr. Gaby completed a 30-year project: the textbook Nutritional Medicine. The second edition of Nutritional Medicine was completed in 2017 and the updated third edition was completed in 2023.

Nutritional Medicine by Dr. Alan R. Gaby is a science-based, extensively referenced textbook written for healthcare practitioners and for non-practitioners who are interested in viable alternatives to conventional medicine. The textbook discusses hundreds of nutritional therapies that can be used as effective, low-cost, low-risk alternatives or adjuncts to conventional medicine.

Guest websites and links:

• https://doctorgaby.com

Selection of our guest's publications:

• Gaby AR. Nutritional Medicine, Third Edition. Fritz Perlberg Publishing. 2023.
• Gaby AR. Is There an Epidemic of Research Fraud in Natural Medicine? Integr Med (Encinitas). 2022 May;21(2):14-18.
• Gaby AR. Adverse effects of dietary fructose. Altern Med Rev. 2005 Dec;10(4):294-306.
• Gaby AR. The role of hidden food allergy/intolerance in chronic disease. Altern Med Rev. 1998 Apr;3(2):90-100.

Editor's note:

Connection was lost during the interview in two places. The reference to a vitamin for arthritis referred to niacinamide (see Osteoarthritis page 699, in Gaby A, Nutritional Medicine, Third Edition 2023).

The concepts of 'lifestyle psychiatry,' and 'nutritional psychiatry' are transforming the way we think about mental health and wellbeing. Professor Joseph Firth shares his influential work in this area and its implications for changing clinical practice and health policy. We also discuss the digital environment as a newly evolving lifestyle factor that influences mental health.

About our guest:

Dr. Firth is Professor of Psychology & Mental Health, University of Manchester, Manchester, U.K, with a PhD (Medicine) from The University of Manchester.

Internationally recognized as one of the most highly-cited scientists in Digital Medicine, Lifestyle Psychiatry and Mental Health, he was awarded the USERN Laureate in Social Sciences in 2022 and named Research.com's #1 "Rising Star" in 2023.

A five-time recipient of the Clarivate™ Highly Cited Researcher award (2020–2024), he has published over 300 articles with more than 45,000 citations (h-index = 90), including first-author papers in top journals like The BMJ and The Lancet Psychiatry.

His current research leverages digital technologies and lifestyle medicine to improve outcomes for people with mental illness, and he is currently leading a multi-million £ UKRI-funded project around the implementation of digital lifestyle interventions into youth mental healthcare.

Dr. Firth also leads the Lancet Commission on Physical Health in Mental Illness, and acts as expert advisor for the World Health Organization's "Guidelines on Physical Activity and Sedentary Behaviour".

He has also engaged extensively with traditional and online media, with his publications around lifestyle and nutritional approaches to mental illness receiving coverage from >700 news outlets (including Times, Forbes, CNN, etc.) along with televised interviews on Sky News and BBC television.

Guest websites and links:

https://research.manchester.ac.uk/en/persons/joseph.firth

Selection of our guest's publications:

• Brinsley J, O'Connor EJ, Singh B, et al. Effectiveness of Digital Lifestyle Interventions on Depression, Anxiety, Stress, and Well-Being: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. J Med Internet Res. 2025 Mar 20;27:e56975.
• Marx W, Lane M, Hockey M, et al. Diet and depression: exploring the biological mechanisms of action. Mol Psychiatry. 2021 Jan;26(1):134-150.
• Firth J, Gangwisch JE, Borisini A, Wootton RE, Mayer EA. Food and mood: how do diet and nutrition affect mental wellbeing? BMJ. 2020 Jun 29;369:m2382.
• Firth J, Solmi M, Wootton RE, et al. A meta-review of "lifestyle psychiatry": the role of exercise, smoking, diet and sleep in the prevention and treatment of mental disorders. World Psychiatry. 2020 Oct;19(3):360-380.
• Firth J, Teasdale SB, Allott K, et al. The efficacy and safety of nutrient supplements in the treatment of mental disorders: a meta-review of meta-analyses of randomized controlled trials. World Psychiatry. 2019 Oct;18(3):308-324.
• Firth J, Marx W, Dash S, et al. The Effects of Dietary Improvement on Symptoms of Depression and Anxiety: A Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials. Psychosom Med. 2019 Apr;81(3):265-280.
• Firth J, Veronese N, Cotter J, et al. What Is the Role of Dietary Inflammation in Severe Mental Illness? A Review of Observational and Experimental Findings. Front Psychiatry. 2019 May 15;10:350.
• Firth J, Stubbs B, Sarris J, et al. The effects of vitamin and mineral supplementation on symptoms of schizophrenia: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Psychol Med. 2017 Jul;47(9):1515-1527.