New Study: Vitamin Therapy May Ease Symptoms of Diabetes

Sharon Moore April 30, 2013

Peripheral neuropathy, a group of disorders that occur when the nerves have been severely damaged, is one of the long-term aftermaths of diabetes. People with this condition often experience pain, tingling sensations and numbness in their upper and/or lower extremities. Until today, there is no cure for diabetic neuropathy. Nevertheless, scientists have developed several ways to manage its symptoms, one of which is vitamin therapy.

Nerves carry messages between the brain and every part of the body. It sends, receives and transmits electrical impulses to and from the brain so the latter can properly respond and direct the organs on what to do. For example, nerves transport signals for the heart to beat and the lungs to breathe. But for many reasons, such as diabetes, alcohol abuse and long-term use of medication, the nerves can become severely damaged – leading to a wide range of problems. In peripheral neuropathy, patients may lose their ability to sense temperature, pain and sensation on their hands and feet.

Researchers at Tulane University conducted a multicentre, randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial to examine the effects of vitamin supplementation in patients with diabetic neuropathy. Their study involved 200 people diagnosed of type 2 diabetes who were requested to undergo 24 weeks of treatment.

After 6 months, participants who took a vitamin-rich prescription medical food, called Metanx, experienced significant improvement in their symptoms, as compared to those who took a placebo treatment.

Within just 2-3 months, patients with diabetic neuropathy were already showing improvements, according to the lead author Dr Vivian Fonseca, a Tullis-Tulane Alumni Chair in Diabetes and past president of Science and Medicine for the American Diabetes Association. “Approximately 50 to 60 per cent of diabetes patients experience symptoms of peripheral neuropathy and the condition can worsen if the disease is not managed.” said Fonseca. Several years ago, she found scientific evidences that show high doses of vitamins, particularly vitamin B, may ease neuropathy symptoms. She argued that before diabetes, the main causes of neuropathy were leprosy and vitamin deficiency.

The researchers concluded that vitamin supplementation may be a safe and effective therapy to alleviate symptoms of peripheral neuropathy, at least for a short term. They call for more long-term studies on this area as their trial may have been too short to show substantial effects on the use of vitamin therapy.

Source of this article:

Metanx in type 2 diabetes with peripheral neuropathy: a randomized trial.