Nutritional Support for Nerve or Neuropathic Pain

Alpha-Lipoic Acid
Alpha-Lipoic Acid was identified 50 years ago. Dietary sources include red meat, organ meats, spinach, broccoli, potatoes, yams, carrots and beets. It is a powerful cellular antioxidant. It is also a modulator of the inflammatory response and may suppress vascular inflammation.

Taking alpha-lipoic acid orally at 600 mg to 1200 mg per day seems to reduce symptoms of peripheral neuropathy in diabetes patients. Alpha-lipoic acid also improves symptoms such as burning, pain, numbness, and prickling of the feet and legs. It also seems to improve objective measures such as ratings of neurological deficit and disability. Onset of symptom improvement occurs within 3 to 5 weeks with oral dosing. Lower doses have not been shown to be effective.

Acetyl-L-Carnitine
Acetyl-L-carnitine occurs naturally in the body. The body obtains some carnitine from the diet, primarily from red meats and dairy products. The body can also synthesize carnitines from the amino acids, lysine and methionine.

Patients with neuropathy related to type 1 or type 2 diabetes seem to have improved symptoms after taking acetyl-L-carnitine 1500-3000 mg daily in divided doses. Acetyl-L-carnitine seems to increase nerve fibers, regenerate nerve fiber clusters, and improve vibratory sensations.

In patients who have neuropathic pain as the most significant symptoms, taking acetyl-L-carnitine 1000 mg two to three times daily also decreases neuropathy-related pain within six months of beginning treatment. Doses of 500 mg three times daily do not seem to reduce pain. Acetyl-L-carnitine also seems more likely to be effective for reducing pain in patients with a shorter duration of diabetes and patients with poorly-controlled type 2 diabetes

It is important when using nutritional approaches to treat medical conditions that the products you choose are of the highest quality and at the correct dose for maximum benefit.

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