Leadership in Science-Based Health Care
Clinical medicine, nutrition science, and public health - translated into practical guidance and care.
Professional Credentials & Federal Service
Doctor Umhau is Certified Physician Executive with over two decades of experience as a senior clinical investigator at the NIH where he led groundbreaking research into the neuroscience of alcoholism, the biology of addiction and the power of nutrition to restore health.
Physician–Scientist & Public Health Leader
Dr. Umhau, is a board-certified physician in Addiction Medicine and Preventive Medicine. His expertise spans alcohol use disorder treatment, nutritional neuroscience, omega-3 and vitamin D research, neuroinflammation, and regulatory medicine in the U.S. Public Health Service at NIAAA, IHS, and the FDA. He is Certified as a Physician Executive, and a Fellow of the American Society oF Addiction Medicine
Quote:
"Despite the many advances in medicine, Americans remain uneasy about their health. The impersonal nature of highly commercialized health care has all but destroyed the healing nature of the physician–patient relationship. Careful and unbiased evaluation of scientific literature and evidence-based treatment is critically needed."
Selected Research Highlights
Dr. Umhau has authored and co-authored studies across addiction neuroscience, nutritional psychiatry, and public health. The following represent key contributions that have shaped clinical practice and sparked follow-up research.
Umhau JC et al. (2013). Low Vitamin D Status and Suicide: A Case-Control Study of Active Duty Military Service Members.
PLoS ONE 8(1): e51543 | First Author
Key finding: Military personnel with the lowest vitamin D levels had more than twice the odds of subsequent suicide over a 7-year follow-up period, compared to matched controls — identifying a potentially modifiable biological risk factor for one of the military's most urgent health crises.
Hibbeln JR, Umhau JC et al. (1998). Essential Fatty Acids Predict Metabolites of Serotonin and Dopamine in Cerebrospinal Fluid.
Biological Psychiatry 44(4): 235–242
Key finding: Omega-3 fatty acid levels in plasma directly predicted the brain's serotonin and dopamine metabolites, linking dietary fat to the neurochemistry of mood, impulse control, and addiction — with implications for treating alcoholism and violence.
Umhau JC et al. Effect of Acamprosate on Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy Measures of Central Glutamate in Detoxified Alcohol-Dependent Individuals.
Randomized Controlled Study | First Author
Key finding: Using advanced brain imaging, this study showed that acamprosate — an FDA-approved medication for alcohol use disorder — normalizes the glutamate imbalance in the brains of detoxified patients, providing a neurobiological explanation for how the medication reduces craving.
Hibbeln JR, Bissette G, Umhau JC, George DT. (2004). Omega-3 Status and CSF Corticotrophin Releasing Hormone in Perpetrators of Domestic Violence.
Biological Psychiatry 56(11): 895–897
Key finding: Perpetrators of domestic violence showed significantly lower omega-3 fatty acid levels and dysregulated stress hormones, linking nutritional status to the biology of impulsive aggression.
Zubizarreta JR, Umhau JC et al. (2022). Evaluating the Heterogeneous Effect of Vitamin D Deficiency on Suicide.
International Journal of Methods in Psychiatric Research 31(1): e1897
Key finding: Using machine learning methods, this follow-up study confirmed that treating vitamin D deficiency in at-risk military personnel could potentially prevent up to 10% of all suicides in that population.
Umhau JC et al. The Relationship Between Folate and Docosahexaenoic Acid in Men.
First Author Study — NIAAA/NIH
Key finding: Demonstrated a significant relationship between folate status and the omega-3 fatty acid DHA, with implications for understanding why certain individuals are at higher nutritional risk for brain-related disorders.
Linday LA, Umhau JC et al. Cod Liver Oil, Vitamins A and D, and Frequent Respiratory Tract Infections in Young Children.
Published nutritional study with Dr. Umhau as contributing author
Key finding: Contributed to understanding of vitamin D and vitamin A balance in childhood immunity and development, with relevance to neurodevelopment and brain health.
A complete list of publications is available on Dr. Umhau's ResearchGate profile and through PubMed.
