Effective Natural Treatments for Neuropathy: Key Remedies Explained

My husband is taking 250 mg of the alpha lipoic acid once a day and the same for the acetyl L-carnitine 500 mg, once a day. If he is having more "sparkles", he will take another of the ALA 250 mg.

For 2 years, I was dealing with the pain, shooting sensations, fatigue, electronic vibrations, etc. When my third neurologist said peripheral neuropathy, I found this site, and immediatly began treatment. Because 35% of people with peripheral neuropathy are gluten intolerant, I decided to give this a shot, since diabetes has been ruled out. I have also gone dairy-free, as I've always been a little sensitive to dairy.

After 3 weeks, I already feel so much better, I have stopped taking gabapentin for the pain! There is still a little pain, but the shooting stabbing sensations are gone, and the feeling of restless leg syndrome is gone too.

Here is my daily regimine, specifically:

• 6:00 am 1000 mg acetyl-L-carnitine
• 6:30 am breakfast (gluten free, dairy free), 100 mg R-lipoic acid, vit D supplement, fish oil supplement.
• 10:00 am 1000 acetyl-L-carnitine, empty stomach
• 12:00 pm 1 fish oil supplement, lunch (gluten free, dairy free)
• 2:00 pm 1000 acetyl-L-carnitine
• 5:00 pm dinner (gluten free, dairy free), 1 fish oil supplement, 1 apple cider vinegar
• 9:30 pm 200 mg R-lipoic acid, 1 B complex supplement.

This is a lot, and I wouldn't do this for more than a few months, but it is amazing how much better I feel in just a few weeks. I will follow up in January 2013, with the final results. I hope with positive news that a complete recovery has been made.

Hi Laura - thanks for the great info. I'm so glad your neuropathy has resolved and congrats on finding the cause! I had a sudden onset of neuropathy in my legs in 2005, which has since spread to my hands. Doctors believe the cause is either autoimmune or a spinal cord cyst. I'm interested to try your approach, but also fearful of giving up beloved gluten, dairy, etcetera and having it not work. So, my question is, how long were you doing the gf thing before you noticed a difference? Even though I've tested negative for gluten sensitivity, I've gone off of it for periods up to 2 weeks without any difference. Thanks in advance for any info!

I also went gluten free and after 2 weeks am no longer taking the supplements. Ocassionally in the late evenings there is a bit of tingling but it has only been 2 weeks. I am very strict about reading labels etc. And I eat a lot of fresh fruit and veggies, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds and make myself some awesome smoothies. I have dehydrated lots of apple so I have healthy snacks. It is a very healthy diet. Here in Canada I buy 1 loaf of Udi's glutin free bread each week it is good bread.... In the freezer section and I bake some muffin. Good luck to all & good eating. Let's eat healthy & heal our bodies.

My husband has a rare disease called Tangiers. It causes neuropathy mainly in his limbs, but has lost feeling all over. He suffers from alot of pain. He is getting ALA treatment from his naturopath. They are starting a new treatment that involves a new natural med that will be administered before the ALA to help the body absorbe it. They say he will notice a difference with in 30 days. Fingers crossed!

Tikeen from Halfax: My husband has neuropathy pretty severe, I'm interested to hear how the treatment goes with ur husband. Wishing ya'll best of luck!! Pls let me know how it goes! XOXOXO

My brother has had some success relieving neuropathy in his fingers and toes using a low level laser therapy pen. There is lots of research on low level laser therapy for neuropathy you can read as well: http://www.healinglightseminars.com/laser-research-library/neuropathy-2/

Steve

I added an ADRENAL Gland support and with the gluten free I now have dropped the supplements except for B-12 injection and take fish oil -2 tbsp. A day and I have almost total relief. Thanks to everyone who has posted. I hope everyone finds relief like I have.

For Laura from Erie, CO: I read your post for Peripheral Neuropathy on 7/29/2012 and would like to know how you're doing as I am starting out with your protocol. Want to know if you added anything. Thanks Much and blessings

I would like to know how your husband is doing with his neuropathy? You mentioned a new treatment with a naturopath. Is it working out? Very interested as I am also in a great deal of pain with neuropathy. I've been to 2 neurologists and all they can/will do is give me drugs. I tries neurontin but it didn't do anything for my pain and made me very confused and unable to carry on a conversation. Thank you.

I'm writing about a man named Walter Last. He has published a book called 'Heal Yourself The Natural Way'. I purchased his books. They come a series of three for the complete book.

I asked him about my Peripheral Neuropathy in my feet. His reply was; 'This is usually due to poor blood circulation. Most useful will be the ascorbate/MSM, see Chapter 3 of Towards Radiant Health and http://www.the-heal-yourself-series.com/index.html with Vitamin C and MSM; also see Hypercoagulation in Chapter 6 of Towards Radiant Health, and finally often have a warm foot bath with the addition of a handful of magnesium chloride and 3 tsp of sodium bicarbonate. Then very slowly and spaced out add 2 tsp of citric acid crystals. The aim is to let most of the developing CO2 bubbles dissolve in the water rather than letting them pop.

I haven't tried it yet, but am working on buying a bulk container of MSM and Vitamin C.

The other man I emailed to was Tony Pantalleresco, a man who says about himself, 'I'm just a guy who knows some stuff'. Tony replied to my problem with the following remedy; serrpeptase 10-20 mgs, msm 1000 mgs, B1 100 mgs, dose 5 times a day, I am taking this remedy presently. I have been taking these for the past 3 weeks and have noticed the bottom of my feet with less leathery, numbness than previously.

Good luck to all, and thanks for reading my attempts at dealing with neuropathy.

I like the idea about using Carnitine for neuropathy. But, I think you should try taking virgin plant oils rather than a fish oil supplement. Eating fish, including sardines is a good way to get fish oil. Fish oil capsules have a highly refined/distilled derivative of omegas. They might actually result in negative health problems-including cardiovascular problems such as high blood pressure and arrhythmias. Cold pressed Hemp oil is a perfect blend of 3-6-9 and GLA, plus all amino acids and protein. Read Dr. Rowens"The PEO Solution" for the in-depth research on the subject.

Liz,

How long did it take for the alpha lipoic acid to work? Also how much did you take a day?

Each person has a different reaction when taking meds or supplements.

at best trial and error.

Like you, I have developed neuropathy from chemo. I am ready to start the supplements that have worked for you and apparently many others. Would you mind telling me what brands you have used. Also do you use any benfotiamine?(B-1)

Thanks so much for the hope! Faith

I was suffering from continual extreme muscle tightness in my thighs and neuropathy in the top of my foot shortly after I began taking Lipitor. I discontinued the Lipitor after 3 weeks, but was unable to exercise without the pain becoming increasingly worse. I stopped taking the Lipitor but had no improvement in my symptoms whatsoever, so after 6 weeks I broke down and decided to try this combination based on Bill's experience. I began taking 500 mgs of Acetyl-L-Carnitine 1x a day and 100 mgs of R Lipoic Acid 2x a day. (I am a small person, so I take a minimal dose. ) I felt relief within 2 days. Five months later, I am happy to report that I am at 98% of where I was before taking the statin with only the slightest bit of tightness and neuropathy when I exercise hard.

You should always check with your doctor and investigate as much as possible before taking a supplement with a prescription drug or other supplements. I believe my original problem with Lipitor was caused by inadvertently combining it with Red Yeast Rice.

Connie from Slc, Utah, thank you for your comments. I have PN, and have adjusted my diet (gluten free, balanced blood sugar) and have added in many supplements recommended on this site. Do you have dosage recommendations on the ones you state can irritate at high dosage?

I have a problem with ALA. Perhaps because it is a chelator, I feel incredibly toxic any time I take it, even very low dose. I am not otherwise sensitive to sulphur as in onions or garlic. How important is ALA to any protocol of supplements? Do you or anyone here have an opinon on that?

Hi Patty,

When you say it has helped your neuropathy 'go away', do you mean it has healed your neuropathy and you no longer suffer from this condition?

I've been taking 300 mg of Alpha Lipoic Acid daily…. Still have numbness in feet and low legs. Any suggestions?

Does Bill from the Phillipines or Ted from Bangkok know anything about the GS-7977 clinical study for hepatitis c? I am also interested. Thank you.

I don't use any multivitamins. I buy everything individually and don't use vitamin B6 at all other than small amounts in some foods. Al

Karen: R-alpha is the more bioavailable, hence more potent, form of Lipoic Acid. If you're not getting results from 600mg regular A.L.A. I would recommend other treatment options.

Hi Karen; The neuropathy is probably a painful result of vitamin B12 deficiency. Treatment involves high doses, even injections, and can take a long time to heal (up to a year). Treatment of B12 deficiency is life-long.

Neuropathy is one of the many symptoms of B12 deficiency, and skin pigmentation changes is another; hyperpigmentation, and/or hypopigmentation, for instance. (I bring this up because I remember a post about discoloration of the feet.)

Good Wishes

Hello Connie, I had been taking B-12 at 1000 per day. I had my levels checked 6 months later and they were 1000 points over the normal. I have stopped taking it as I felt it is not the reason for my neuropathy..

Hello Timh, Are you saying try other forms of therapy such as benfotiamine, B-12, tumeric, l-carnitine, etc. Etc. Or are you saying try R-lipoic acid? There is not much I haven't tried. I have an option to get ALA by IV and may investigate it...

Thanks for your time and concern. God bless.

Karen: Assuming you do not know the exact cause of the Neuropathy, the nutritional trial method is your best treatment option. The R-Lipoic at maximum dose would be as close as you could get to I.V. Therapy. Also consider Magnetic Foot Pads or Insoles, they definitely help my Peripheral Neuropathy.

Have you been tested for Heavy Metals??? Maybe some detoxing would help also.

Let us know how your doing.

Hi Karen; Unfortunately, the B12 serum test has done more damage than good to people's health.

Firstly, the typical range for normal is wrong. (way too low) Secondly, the serum measurement does not indicate at all the amount of B12 located in the spinal fluid, where it is necessary to be effective for nerves. Once someone begins supplementation, it is best to keep the serum levels above 1000 or much more. In fact, the serum levels will no longer indicate how the patient feels. Symptoms become the most important means of detecting one's healing.

I'm seeing this occurrance repeatedly, doctors are stopping B12 treatment for the very people who need it the most. This is medical mismanagement. It is very sad for me to have to see this happen to people. But it is a big money maker for Big Pharma. They will be able to sell alot more pain meds to suffering folks.

High serum B12 can be caused by a functional B12 deficiency. In that condition, there is enough B12 in the body, but the cells are not able to use it properly, so they export it back to the blood, and it builds up.

That's a low dose for pain.. most use 1000mg/day just for energy. For liver disease 800-1600/day. For chronic pain ... I've read 2000-3000mg/day. Should be broken down 2-3 times a day ... 30 min before meals.

Can anyone tell me which tests are most accurate for vitamin/minerals like b12 .I did a high mineral test that revealed everything was low. I was told to take Lithium and then b12 or else the b12 would get lower. Then I did a Spectracell test which stated most b vitamin were low except b12. Very frustarting to know what to do. I have systemic candida and am developing Neuropathy.

thank you

Hi Al, Great to hear of your improvements. With regards to your wondering if the ALA was sending your hair back to its original colour I would think that maybe it is. I have included the following article which describes the relationship between ALA and ALCAR when used together. Bascially says that ALCAR can cause oxidative stress which is why it is usually teamed with ALA to counteract any negative impact on cells. I think it is basically the Good guy of the duo and may very well be what has caused your hair to go back to its original colour.

http://www.pponline.co.uk/encyc/alpha-lipoic-acid-and-acetyl-l-carnitine-can-they-improve-sports-performance-8

With regards to your wondering if it was welding that caused your hair to turn grey in your early years, all I can say to that is that I have an uncle and he has been welding for many years. He is now in his late seventies and last year he had to undergo an operation for a hole at the back of this eye - at least I think that's what it was, which he says he is nearly sure was caused by welding - this goes to show you how much welding he done over a lifetime, however he didn't actually turn grey until he was in his late forties/early fifties. But who knows maybe it's a case of horses for courses.

I have also included a link with regard to a forum on nerve regeneration which may/may not be of use to you, the first guy seems to be using supplements similar to that you use for nerve regeneration.

http://www.healthboards.com/boards/neuropathy/75917-anyone-experienced-nerve-regeneration.html

All I can say Al is that it is truly great to hear of your good news. I can't say that there seems to be much info out there results-wise for people in relation to ala/alcar and neuropathy so you seem to be a pioneer to some extent. Wishing you the best going back to work and hoping that you will keep us updated. Regards.

Tom from Eu, those are very interesting links, especially the first one. As far as the second one it seems that the site is not being maintained any more and I could not post to it. My neuropathy started with numbness and loss of motor nerves, then tingling and loss of sensory nerves followed by the onset of pain which peaked about a year or so after starting the chemo. What is strange is that my fingers healed as my feet and legs got worse. By the time I started on ALA the pain and numbness had receded to just my feet but I still had motor and sensory nerve issues in my legs. I was experiencing reduced pain with grape seed extract, I believe because of its antioxidant activity, and so am still taking that. Now that the nerves are functioning better I am to the point, with my feet, where I saw my fingers at in relation to pain a few months before they became just highly sensitive. My fingers are still quite sensitive but not to the point of being painful. I expect that within a month or two my toes and the soles of my feet will be at that stage. I believe that the nerves have actually regenerated and that the sensitivity I am experiencing is from the unconditioned state of the regenerated sensory nerves similar to that experienced after a cut or burn heals.

I went back to work driving a truck hauling containers to and from the rail. It involves a lot of climbing in and out of the truck and a lot of walking as well as about 3000 km of driving per week with 12 - 14 hour days and the only thing that really bothered me was wearing steel toed shoes at one rail yard.

I have also been switched from Lyrica to Cymbalta due to the vision blurring aspect of Lyrica. I am still seeing no improvement in the tinnitus. I have increased the dosage of ALA to 500mg twice a day in an attempt to speed the healing/chelating process. I have no idea if it is helping as I have nothing to compare it to. I do notice a substantial difference in pain now when I take the ALCAR unlike when I first started using it.

Just an update for everyone. I had to switch back to Lyrica from Cymbalta due to a negative reaction. After reading the the information from the top link from Tim in Eu I considered the information about ALA being used to remove free radicals from ALCAR therapy and came to the conclusion that they might be better taken together to get the best effect and so have tried it. I have had no issues from doing so and have gone back to my original dosage to find that I have less pain now at the lower dosage. Almost all the numbness is gone now and I only have pain in my toes. It is aggravated by the job I am doing but is still improving and it is at a level that I can tolerate so I will keep at it for now. It almost seems like too much ALA & ALCAR can cause a higher level of the frozen/burning/pins and needles type of pain in the same way that pressure/activity can aggravate the sensory nerves with this condition. I have found a 5 mg sublingual B12 in the AOR brand and just started using two per day with promising results.

Hi, I was going to start taking ALA to help with neuropathy however I was wondering to I need to take any vitamin supplements etc to assist this. I have a couple of mercury fillings in place for a few years now so I am hoping that this will turn out o.k. Wondering if AL from Canada would post an update on his neuropathy as I know he was having success with his ALa/ALCAR combination when I last checked in.

It is now six months since I started on ALA and four months since I went back to work. After about three months I hit a plateau where it seemed the improvement slowed down with all the supplements noted in my previous posts. I tryed the vitamin B12 at doses up to 40, 000 mcgs per day with some success and again hit a plateau. I stumbled across L-arginine, it is supposed to increase circulation, and added it to my regimen. I thought it would help by allowing more nutrients to get to my nerves but found that it actually improved things by making my feet feel warmer. I did some more research and found out that phosphorous is good for nerve health and went looking for phosphorous. I found it in a bone supplement with huge amounts of calcium included in it but tried it anyway. It is helping. I began to feel that something else was missing so I added in potassium and magnesium (at the same time) and am seeing beneficial results. The 'electric shock jolts' are now gone but I still have a small patch of numbness in the soles of my feet and a varying level of a burning sensation pain in my feet. I am not entirely healed yet but I am still improving and am working as much as 76 hours per week without issues. I have discontinued Lyrica as it no longer helps the tinnitus. I have also noticed that the timing of my medication/supplements is not critical any more. I take everything in the morning after breakfast and selected ones after supper which is usually about 15 hours later. I also find that if I move my toes around when they get painful that the pain is reduced fairly quickly now. My doctor informed me a couple of weeks ago that ALA is going to be available by prescription in Canada very soon for neuropathy.

My experience is telling me that we all need to try everything available and must utilize all of the vitamin and mineral supplements that can support nerves to promote healing in the quickest manner possible. I can now see that I will completely recover from my chemotherapy induced neuropathy in spite of being told by my neurologist that "where it is a year after chemo is as good as it will get". I am now 37 months from having started chemo and am still improving.

As I am now working full time and long hours, if anyone has specific questions for me, you may contact me directly at gustafsonal (at) hotmail {dot] com. Thank you. Al

in response to: Al from Alvena, Sk., Canada: "It is now six months since I started on ALA ......."

Your symptoms sound like a classic case vitamin B6 over-dose. Read all the labels on all your multiple vitamin bottles, and eliminate all the b6 you find. The 'electric shock jolts' are a big clue.... So is the numbness. STOP THE B6 INTAKE. Root it out.

IMPORTANT UPDATE. I missed a dose of ALA and my feet improved a bit during the associated time so I haven't taken any for three days now. It seems that the ALA resulted in a major improvement by removing the heavy metals from my system but then stopped improving things. I saw further improvement every time I added a nerve nutrient to my regimen and then would hit another plateau. I think that the ALA was consuming the B vitamins and minerals faster than my body could absorb them and now that I haven't been taking the ALA any more I am seeing more improvement. It is noticeable in only three days. Perhaps we need to realize that there comes a point that we need to discontinue supplements when they are no longer needed/have done the job they were taken for.

To Happy from WV, USA, I no longer have the sharp shooting pain and just recently added a small dose of vitamin B6 that gave a small improvement. I am sure that the B6 is not a problem. The numbness at one point was up to my mid thigh in both legs and was also in my hands and face. My hands and face are better and I recognize the same sequence of improvement in my feet and legs. I only have a very small patch of numbness on the soles of my feet that is now affecting only my big toes and part of the mid sole area. the cold sensitivity is also improving in that cold doesn't cause as much pain increase now as it did in the past.

To Lily from Kelowna, BC. I don't think gluten is an issue. We don't use flour from modern wheat as my wife has/had celiac disease. I found out about some old varieties of wheat, Red Fife and Marquis, that have a different gluten structure than the dwarf wheat that is commonly grown now and that can be consumed by people with celiac disease. In fact my wife got rid of all symptoms of celiac disease in only six months by switching from gluten free to Red Fife wheat. We now use Red Fife and Marquis flour for all of our cooking and have it locally available at a local organic grower who has a Kelowna company mill it for him.

Thanks to everyone who has replied and given me ideas of things to try. I am still open to trying more supplements in the interest of completely curing this problem. I am sure that the time frame involved is making it more difficult for me than it could have been but I am claiming my life back after what I can only describe as a brutal and demoralizing three year disability thanks to supplements, vitamins and minerals that doctors and specialists that treated me knew nothing about. Don't ever give up. Stay positive to win the battle against poor health. Thanks also to the Earth Clinic site. Awesome. Al

It is time for an update on my neuropathy. It is just over a year since I started ALA and it has totally changed my situation. The nerves are healed to the point that I have virtually no numbness left. I still have a substantial amount of pain due to the super sensitive nature of recently healed nerves. When I wake up in the morning now I am almost pain free but by the end of the day my feet feel like they are on fire. The intensity of the pain is dependent on how much walking/standing that I do with it being worse with more walking. To give you an idea of how sensitive my sensory nerves are, I can feel every chamber of my heart contract and can also feel muscles in my thighs moving past each other. I expect the nerves to eventually toughen up and for the associated pain to be alleviated. Large doses of vitamin B12 seem to help the most and I just started taking yucca yesterday to alleviate the inflammation that results from walking. It is too soon to know if the yucca is helping but I am expecting that it will. I have most of my motor function back. All that is not back is some in my toes. TRY EVERYTHING THAT MIGHT HELP. Grasp at the straws. One or more may help. Several have helped me. Al

Hi Al, What exactly are you taking these days? I have terrible neuropathy with the elec shocks, stabbing and numbness all day and night. It's maddening.. Of course the dr's tell me ther is nothing I can do. I took fentenyl and it screwed me up terribly with voices and terrible hives... Stopped it and they both went away. and I also have, calf cramping, and neuropathy in my arms. I recently took a B-12 patch (Dr. D----) with "all the essential vitamins" and it got worse.. Maybe from the B-6? The dose was only 3 mgs but possibly the patch made it more effective? Don't know... Please let me know and congratulations for your success. I admire your persistance. I also have been trying things for over 2 years but don't have a great deal of success. Thank you.

Dear Al.

I am so glad to hear about your success with the ALA. I have had great success with it as well with the burning sensation just above my knees and pressure aches on both wrist. I was taking 2x250mg with every meal and then I discovered I only need to take it at noon and supper. Without this my life would be hellish painful. It was your posts that got me started on the ALA. I did try the R factor ALA with little success.

Art.

Hi Art from Vancouver, Do you take any additional supplements for your neuropathy? How long have you been on ALA at the 250/twice a day routine? Thank you, I have PN in legs and feet and all the symptoms.

Hello Denise,

You ask about helps for neuropathy, and I have personally had fantastic success with Calcium AEP. A good site is to google "nutritional review Calcium AEP." It was Dr Hans Nieper who advanced the use of AEP, and Dr. Robert Adkins in the book "Vitanutrients" who used the AEP in an IV drip on his MS patients. That seemed to be the most important element in his protocol for his MS patients.

Please read that site. When my mother would have flare ups with her MS I would have her take six or eight tablets and without exception the pain would subside in an hour or so.

AEP is a MIRACLE nutrient not only for MS but for fifteen other problems. Just read the site I referenced. You'll love it. Dave

Hello Dave from Fountain Inn, SC. I checked out the site for calcium AEP on amazon (The book by Atkins) and was impressed. However there are many kinds of Calcium AEP... And many formulas and varied prices from over $40.00 to about $10.00. Would you recommend a particular one as I am anxious to give it a try? Thank you.

I have been using the yucca for just over a week and am seeing amazing results. While my nerves in my feet are super sensitive which results in swelling and high levels of pain I am now seeing substantial reduction of the swelling and pain with the yucca.

For those of you that are wondering what all I am using,m I am now taking:ALA-200 mg/day, grape seed extract-200mg/day, B12 sublingual-30, 000mcg/day, benfotiamine, B3, folic acid, curcumin, chromium, copper, magnesium, manganese, potassium, phosphorous, fenugreek, acetyl-l-carnitine, l-lysine, vitamin C, vitamin D and yucca. I may have missed some and don't know the dosages of all of them as I am not at home right now. If anyone has any specific questions please contact me directly at gustafsonal (at) hotmail (dot) com. Thank you and don't give up.

Hello Denise form Seattle: I have used different Cal AEPs from various sources. I use one from Vitamin Research and currently use Bryon Richards "Wellness Resources". Best to you, Dave

Thanks for the information about alpha lipoic acid, I thought it was just me. I have heart problems as well as NP, so that is good to know.