15/08/2026
Applied Kinesiology and Nutrition
In 1993, Dr. Phil Maffetone (then Chairman of the ICAKUSA) wrote a Letter to the Editor of Dynamic Chiropractic describing Applied Kinesiology's approach to nutritional analysis. This letter remains fascinating and noteworthy even today.
"DYNAMIC CHIROPRACTIC TO THE EDITOR:
On behalf of the International College of Applied Kinesiology (ICAK-U.S.A.), I am responding to James R. Herriott, D.C.'s Letter to the Editor in Dynamic Chiropractic, March 26, 1993. The ICAK-U.S.A. has taken a strong position on the use of muscle testing in evaluating nutrition and other chemical stimulants. This was first presented in a Status Statement published in 1983(2) and 1984(3) and updated periodically since. The last update was June 16, 1992, and it has been forwarded to all State Licensing Boards of Chiropractic. The statement strongly emphasizes that the examination methods of applied kinesiology should be "...used in conjunction with standard methods of diagnosis, such as clinical history, physical examination findings, laboratory tests, and instrumentation to develop a clinical impression of the unique physiological condition of each patient, including an impression of the patient's functional physiologic status."
Determination of nutritional needs by muscle testing as a single entity is not considered at this time to be a viable approach. The ICAK-U.S.A. Status Statement concludes: "When properly performed, applied kinesiology can provide valuable insights into physiologic dysfunctions; however, many individuals have developed methods that use muscle testing (and related procedures) in a manner inconsistent with the approach advocated by the International College of Applied Kinesiology-U.S.A. Clearly the utilization of muscle testing and other AK procedures does not necessarily equate with the practice of applied kinesiology as defined by the ICAK-U.S.A."
The proper use of nutrition testing in applied kinesiology is illustrated by the case in which the patient's history reveals the probability of carpal tunnel syndrome, and the patient also complains of swelling in the ankles and feet and general aching in the elbows and knees -- all indicative of possible vitamin B6 deficiency.(1) When the examination reveals a positive Tinel's sign, inability to approximate the phalanges in flexion, median nerve paresthesia, and a positive Phalen's test, there is further evidence of vitamin B6 deficiency. Most doctors who are aware of the vitamin B6 role in carpal tunnel syndrome would stop the assessment process at this point, and simply supplement the patient's nutrition with the vitamin. But vitamin B6 (pyridoxine) must be converted to the co-enzyme form pyridoxal-5-phosphate (P-5-P) before it can be used. This requires the co-factors of magnesium, zinc, riboflavin and phosphorus. If any of these are missing, B6 supplementation will be of no value.
Briefly, the applied kinesiology method to determine proper nutritional supplementation is to determine if gustatory stimulation by pyridoxine improves muscle function.(7) If it does, there is indication to supplement with pyridoxine; if it does not, but gustatory stimulation by P-5-P does improve muscle function, it indicates one of the co-factors is deficient and further testing proceeds to determine which of these improves muscle function. This method supports the history and clinical findings to determine the proper supplementation needed. By continuing the assessment process beyond the point at which it would otherwise end, the applied kinesiology approach is able to include additional diagnostic values that may be tested to make the correct clinical decision.
Proper nutrition evaluation in the context of applied kinesiology is a complex issue. One must use accurate muscle testing and take into consideration all the factors that may be responsible for change in the perceived strength of the patient. The ICAK strongly supports that applied kinesiology testing be in combination with and complementary to standard diagnostic approaches, providing clinical evidence to support the diagnosis.
Considerable effort is being made by the ICAK and members of the association to further research nutrition and other chemical evaluation by muscle testing. As with the clinical use research methodology can compare AK findings with laboratory findings.6 Some of the published studies on the subject have been flawed because there has been no control for other factors that might be causing a muscle to test weak. If nutritional deficiency is not the reason for the perceived weakness, it will not be affected by the chemical stimulation of the nutrition, thus indicating no nutritional association. ICAK sponsored studies have been published that are designed to learn how to properly quantitate the manual muscle test by mechanical and neurophysiologic means,(4, 5) and others are ongoing. We also have an ongoing relationship with the NIH Office of Alternative Therapies and the newly formed Foundation for Allied Conservative Therapies Research (FACTR) that promises to increase our efforts of basic and clinical research to further interpret the clinical observations that have been made in applied kinesiology.
In addition to combining muscle testing with other diagnostic methods, the tester must be expert in the application of the muscle test. Seminars directed solely toward nutrition testing typically test a group of muscles with an arm-pull-down test that is not supported by the ICAK. The Status Statement concludes: "There are both lay persons and professionals who use a form of manual muscle testing without the necessary expertise to perform specific and accurate tests. Some fail to coordinate the muscle testing findings with other standard diagnostic procedures. These may be sources of error that could lead to misinterpretation of the condition present, and thus to improper treatment or failure to treat the appropriate condition. For these reasons the International College of Applied Kinesiology-U.S.A. defines the practice of applied kinesiology as limited to health care professionals licensed to diagnose."
-- Philip B. Maffetone, D.C.
Chairman, ICAK - U.S.A.
REFERENCES
1. Ellis, J.M. et al., "Vitamin B6 deficiency in patients with a clinical syndrome including the carpal tunnel defect. Biochemical and clinical response to therapy with pyridoxine," Research Communications in Chemical Pathology and Pharmacology, Vol 13, No 4 (Apr 1976).
2. International College of Applied Kinesiology, "Applied Kinesiology - Adopted Status Statement of the ICAK," Digest of Chiro Econ, Vol 26, No 3 (Nov/Dec 1983), p. 49.
3. International College of Applied Kinesiology, "Status Statement - International College of Applied Kinesiology," Amer Chiro (Jan/Feb 1984), p. 59.
4. Perot, C., et al., "Objective Measurement of Proprioceptive Technique Consequences on Muscular Maximal Voluntary Contraction during Manual Muscle Testing," Agressologie Journal, Vol 32, No 10: (1991), pp.471-74.
5.. Leisman, Gerald, "Somatosensory Evoked Potential Changes During Muscle Testing," Intern. J. Neuroscience, , Vol 45, (1989) pp. 143-51
6. Schmitt, W.H. Jr., "Correlation of applied kinesiology muscle testing findings with serum immunoglobulin levels for food allergies," Abstracts Second Symposium on Nutrition and Chiropractic, Davenport, Iowa: Palmer College of Chiropractic, 1989.
7. Schmitt, W.H., Jr., "Making B6 work (activating pyridoxine to pyridoxal-5-phosphate)." Proceedings of Winter Meeting, ICAK, Palm Desert, CA, 1987.
