The comments below reflect the personal experiences and opinions of readers and do not represent medical advice or the views of this website. The information shared has not been evaluated by the FDA and is not intended to diagnose, treat, or prevent any disease or health condition. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional for medical concerns.
B Vitamins, ALA and Butcher's Broom
Posted by patrick (qld) on 04/20/2021
★★★★★
Vitamins b1 to b6 and b12, plus ala and butcher's broom, reduced my diabetes neuropathy by about 70% and another 10% by not using a recliner chair to watch tv. Maybe it presses on the nerves in the legs.
Benfotiamine
Posted by Joannem (Vancouver, Wa) on 12/28/2015
★★★★★
Finally! My feet are returning back to normal. Getting off the B vitamins helped within a months time. Started taking Benfotiamine, a lipid-soluble form of thiamine (vitamin B-1). I have been taking if for about 3 weeks, 600 Mils, a day. I now have feeling in my feet again!
Burdock Root
Posted by Mama To Many (Middle Tennessee USA) on 08/06/2013
★★★★★
Bernice, There are lots of different things people on Earth Clinic have tried... I would personally start with the turmeric and burdock root. They could be taken together. Also, the apple cider vinegar is good for many things, and I notice people use it for neuropathy. Burdock Root helped me with neuropathy a number of years ago. It took a couple of weeks of consistent use to see a difference. I didn't know about turmeric back then or would have used it, too.
https://www.earthclinic.com/cures/neuropathy4.html#TURMERIC
Also, peppermint and St. John's Wort are good for the nervous system. You could make a quart of this tea and drink it daily. But I would give it a good month try before deciding it doesn't work. You could put 4 tea bags (2 of each type) into a quart jar and pour boiling water over it. Let steep for 15 minutes. Strain. Sweeten. Drink hot or cold through the day.
Lots of water is important to help the body flush itself of toxins. I would also try Epsom Salt Baths twice a week. (2 cups of the salt per bath.)
I hope you find some relief soon! Please let us know what helps you.
~Mama to Many~
Burdock Root
Posted by Peter (Los Angeles, California) on 07/06/2024
★★★★★
THIS WORKED. I developed very painful neuropathy in my hands & feet last October 2023 which concerned me greatly. I took a host of supplements popular for neuropathy including Alpha Lipoic Acid, Benfotiamine, Lion's Mane, Lecithin, and MSM sulfur to name a few. They certainly did help blunt the pain and reduce the numbness but after several months I felt that my progress had plateaued. I found this review here on Earth Clinic and decided to add Burdock Root to my regimen. This did the trick. After several months I noticed a big difference in the pain and numbness. The added Burdock Root has made me pain free about 95 percent of the time. I've been taking it for about 2 months and will continue for at least 6 months. No side effects; just better living and renewed hope that I will completely reverse this neuropathy in the near future. I am already nearly there. I would wholeheartedly recommend this at a dose of 3 capsules 3 times a day for a total of 9 capsules daily. Earth Clinic comes through again!
Alpha Lipoic Acid
Posted by Al (Alvena, Sk., Canada) on 09/14/2012
★★★★☆
I am amazed at how good this is working. After 13 days of taking alpha lipoic acid I have had my pain reduced enough to quit taking hydro morph contin and I actually have less pain and numbness now than when I started taking ALA even with being off the narcotic pain killers. I am picking up my benfotiamine and acetyl-l-Carnitine on Friday the 14th. If it helps even half as much as the ALA I will be back to work in a few weeks. We need to make chemo patients aware of this as much as possible. Al
Alpha Lipoic Acid
Posted by Charles555nc (Winston Salem, Nc, Usa) on 08/06/2012
★★★★★
Alpha lipoic acid is a great supplement for neuropathy. However there should be precautions. Only take a max of 100mg alpha lipoic acid every 4 hours, or it will mobilize too much mercury for you to handle.
Alpha Lipoic acid also burns through methylation agents and Zinc. Methyl agents are methyl b12, methyl folate, other b vitamins... so you should supplement with those, periodically, at least 3 hours before and 3 hours after your next dose of ALA.
Acetyl-L Carnitine, Alpha-Lipoic Acid
Posted by Lily (Kelowna, BC, Canada) on 01/26/2013
★★★★★
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.
Acetyl-L Carnitine, Alpha-Lipoic Acid
Posted by Pay It Forward (PNW) on 06/26/2023 59 posts
Thanks. Red light therapy maybe a lesser known but effective treatment, without having to take another pill. Ordered a unit today. Will be doing this daily and will come back in 30 days to report my spouses response to this.
MSM, Lecithin
Posted by Janet (Kendal, U.k.) on 04/14/2012
★★★★★
My other half also suffered with Neuropathy caused by blood sugar. He found most effective relief came from MSM and Lecithin. If you research both these things it's understable why. He's recently also gone onto Amino Acids. Following someone elses recommendation. 99% of the time he is now pain free. If it flares then he goes straight back onto the above. We just wonder if he should take it all the time? He can go long spells with no problems. A friend of mine also tried the MSM after cancer treatments and got instant relief. I do hope this helps you. Good Luck and a speedy recovery.:)
Alpha Lipoic Acid
Posted by Art (California) on 07/22/2023 2325 posts
L-Theanine
Posted by Jt (Minneapolis, Mn) on 07/17/2015
★★★★★
Hi Mark, I hope you are feeling much better now after several years.
I know I'm a bit late in the game and I don't know if I am quoting something that I shouldn't be from the web but it comes from world-renowned Dr. Russell Blaylock who is a retired neurosurgeon. He found some success in treating P.N. with L-Theanine in higher doses. I quote him: "I tried L-theanine, a natural substance isolated from green tea, on a person suffering with unrelieved, intense postherpetic pain (which sometimes follows a shingles infection). By the next day, my patient dramatically improved and by the second day showed 90 percent improvement."
"L-theanine is a mild stimulant for glutamate receptors and keeps glutamate from full activation, which acts to tame excitotoxicity. L-theanine has a good safety profile, even in very high doses.
Suggested dose: 200 mg three times a day, 30 minutes before meals. It can also be increased to 400 mg three times a day if needed.
L-theanine is also helpful with sleep and reduces anxiety/depression. Combined with other anti-inflammatory flavonoid supplements such as curcumin, quercetin, resveratrol, luteolin, hesperidin and ellagic acid, the results can be even better."
God bless,
JT
Amla
Posted by Om (Hope, Bc, Canada) on 12/29/2013
★★★★★
I used to have those almost unbearable electric, stabbing shocks on the instep of my foot. Then I researched and now use Amla powder, a very potent vit.C from India. I make up about three tsp. in a glass with water to steep for the day and, using a straw, divide this quantity over a day and a bit right after a meal..
With this I use a cup with three full tsp. of turmeric with hemp oil and a full tblsp. plain whey powder in water. I have kept up this for, I think, two years. The pain disappeared soon, came back just a wee bit and vanished for good, so it seems.
I have this from Ayurveda and it is actually meant for diabetes without medication. It was stated that large amount of vit. C would cure the pain. It did. Om
B12
Posted by Mama To Many (Tennessee, Usa) on 10/31/2013
Dear Denise,
I am so sorry that you are stil suffering so with your neuropathy. I do not know why the B-12 is making you feel worse. I know you have tried many things for this condition and that you are dealing with more than one health problem.
The other day, Louwrence from South Africa posted about someone using carrot juice (5 cups a day) to cure cancer. I read that story and it is fascinating and very encouraging. Here is the link:
http://www.chrisbeatcancer.com/ralph-cole-cured-cancer-with-carrot-juice/
I know you are not talking about cancer, but this article put me in mind of Herbalist John Christopher and his "Curing the Incurables" protocol for chronic health conditions. His book talks about using just grapes (crushed, grape juice, etc.) for 6 weeks (that is the only food) and continue this until cured of whatever it is that is the problem. I found this link that describes his protocol, though it isn't quite what I remember reading in his book.
http://www.herballegacy.com/Incurables.html
Anyway, all that to say, I have always thought that if I or one of my loved ones had something "incurable" I would try this. After reading about Mr. Cole curing cancer with carrot juice, I think, that would be worth a try, too.
I throw these ideas out as "something else you might be able to try." I hope you find a solution soon. I will be praying for your relief.
~Mama to Many~
Arginine and Citrulline
Posted by Mr. Ree (Usa) on 08/16/2013
★★★★★
Please read the book by Dr. Louis Ignarro. He won the Nobel prize for science in 1997. He states clearly that Arginine and Citrulline will help neuropathy. He says to take 4000 mg arginine and 1000 mg citrulline before bed and it will bring back to life your endothelial cells and your neuropathy will be helped and your heart and everything else in your body will benefit... The combination of these 2 amino acids generates Nitric oxide...
Celery Seed
Posted by J.r. (Framingham, Ma) on 04/24/2013
★★★★★
I met a person at a health food store that purchased 6 bottles of celery seed. He said he takes 9 per day and it resolves his peripheral neuropathy. I have that condition so I bought one bottle and it magnified my tinnitus. If anyone tries this please let the readers know how it affects you. Celery is also good for blood pressure. It's supposed to bring blood to the extremities as well/open veins. Thx. And good luck
Laser Treatment
Posted by Alice (Oro Valley, Az, Usa) on 03/29/2013
★★★★☆
I have neuropathy in my toes and the balls of my feet and diagnosis said it was creeping back up my lower legs and had some loss of feeling in my geet and the bottoms of my feet. I had gotten pretty much rid of this before using vitamins. But this time it wasn't really working. I was trying to get back on a vegan diet which should have helped, but I was still failing and eating meat. I was looking for help until I could let the diet help. For over 2 years I haven't taken the statins that may have caused or contributed to it. Also, I am overweight.
In any case, my toes and feet were swelling and turning angry red, and often felt like they were on fire. My naturopath was out of town, but she emailed me and said since there was swelling she would send me to the ER or 24 hour clinic, as it might be heart related. Not wanting to expose myself to the purveyors of statins, stents, and quadruple bypass surgury, I researched further, looking for relief. An ad on earthclinic mentioned laser therapy for peripheral neuropathy symptom relief, so I clicked on it. Found a practitioner near home, and made an appointment.
He said the swelling was probably connected to the neuropathy, and that treatment might help but he couldn't guarantee it and that it was not a cure for neuropathy, but a reliever of symptoms, and that it would probably take some time to see results. He prescribed 6 weeks of treatment at a price I could not afford at this time.
I went back online hoping to maybe find Mexican doctors that could do it for less, just like Mexican dentists have repaired my teeth for way less. Didn't find any, but I did find ads for low level lasers that were way less powerful than the one the doctor had. People buy these to help their horses, dogs, and other animals. They also use these lasers on themselves. I had been told these weaker lasers don't work.
I have read there is zero change using lasers, period.
I bought one for $199. The first time I used it I saw immediate improvement, with swelling going down. 3rd treatment even more improvement.
I got the laser last Saturday. Today, Friday, less than a week later, with 4 total treatments and my feet are nearly normal. The neuropathy numbness is still there in my feet, but it seems to be getting better too.
I'm still getting prickles, but I remember when I got rid of the neuropathy before, that I had to go through some prickles and electric zaps just like I experienced when I was getting the neuropathy.
But the difference is like a miracle.
Alpha Lipoic Acid
Posted by Prioris (Fl, US) on 10/01/2014
★★★★★
Neuropathy:
FYI Stabilized R-ALA will likely be more effective than R-Alpha Lipoic Acid.
Gluten-Free Diet
Posted by Lauri B (Boise, Idaho) on 02/02/2013
What is the cause of your neuropathy? Neuropathy is ususally a symptom of a greater problem. My daughter 6 years ago at the age of 18, experienced a sudden onset of periphrial neuropathy in both feet which quickly over the course of 2 months extended up her legs to her knees. She was in a wheelchair. After 6 months, her hands lost all movement. Within days of onset, her muscles wasted to nothing. (Yes, we were terrified! ) We did everything we could using western medicine, including every test 26 specialists at both OHSU and the Mayo clinic could throw at her. After all was said and done, they had no answers. No diagnosis.
I was a desperate mother who searched the internet for any clue to her mysterious and highly rare illness. I spent 1000s of hours researching every medical website I could find. I typed in her symptoms - and got nothing.
Then I decided to go through her pile of medical records and research every test, every word I didn't know to find exactly what they tested her for. Long story short here..... She had gluten ataxia! We eliminated all gluten from her diet. Within a week her energy levels started returning. We took her to a couple of Naturopath docs, who recommended she also go off of dairy, eggs and soy.
This story has a fantastic ending! She walked without leg braces at graduation, went on to graduate from college, where she continued to heal! She is healthy today! No nerve damage. No remaining paralysis. Full use of hands and feet. She is comletely healthy! She just stays away from toxic gluten and the other allergens.
Gluten Ataxia is becoming a very common ailment. You can have it without digestion issues. It can be "silent" If you have "brain fog", you could have it. It is an extreme reaction to gluten proteins.
check this website for more information http://glutendoctors.blogspot.com
They have up to date information.
Alpha Lipoic Acid
Posted by Jeffreyw65 (Lowell, Ma, Usa) on 01/24/2013
★★★★★
Hello, I am loving this site! I listen to am radio from our area where there doctors whom really push holistic medicine it works and it needs more pushing for the really bad sickness like I have been dealing with since I have had cancer. I love what I learn about the different sulliments for ailments. It is good to try them to see if they work for my ailment.
I just increased my intake of lipoic acid and my feet have been better and the meralgia paresthetica seems to be easing the sharp electrical shock shooting zaps. They are terrible and I am hoping to see if I can get off the pain meds and increase the dietary supplements that I have increased to help me get better. I have different ailments that have made me unable to get around so I will come back on here in 60 days and give a report on my status on my pain so keep looking for my feedback. Thanks Jeff from Lowell, type 2 diabetic with meralgia paesthetica and facet joint arthritus / upper thoraic arthritus philbitus and neuropathy from the pinced nerve is terrible. The color of my legs scares me there, a color that is bad like black and blue, so keep looking for me and wish me well. ok bye all
Alpha Lipoic Acid
Posted by Al (Alvena, Sk., Canada) on 11/04/2012
★★★★★
I have one mercury filling left and have been on ALA & ALCAR for two months now with no side effects. There is a cautionary that I saw in several places to not lay down for at least half an hour after taking ALA and I saw another one cautioning not to take it for a time period after mercury amalgam removal but haven't seen any saying to avoid it with mercury fillings in place. I saw my doctor today and really surprised him when I told him that I am off the pain killers and he saw the lack of gray in my hair. We discussed the heavy metal issue, chelation and mercury causing gray hair and he told me that heavy metals are naturally chelated out into your hair as a natural mechanism to protect the rest of your body and that is the reason that they test the hair to determine the amount of heavy metals in your body. They also test your urine to see how much is being removed at any given time. He also voiced the opinion that because of my first occupation as a steel fabricator/welder that I may have already been toxic with heavy metals resulting in the long term severe reaction to the chemotherapy and I would tend to agree with him. Has anyone else having neuropathy problems got premature gray hair from possible industrial exposure to heavy metals? If so, is the ALA helping the neuropathy and/or returning colour to your hair? By the way, I have improved enough that my motor and sensory nerves are almost completely functional now and I am going to work this coming week. Anyone wishing to contact me directly can do so at "gustafsonal(AT)hotmail. Com". Al
Alpha Lipoic Acid
Posted by Al (Alvena, Sk., Canada) on 09/30/2013
★★★★★
I have been using the yucca for just over a week and am seeing amazing results. While the nerves in my feet are super sensitive, which results in swelling and high levels of pain, I am now seeing a substantial reduction in the swelling and pain with the yucca.
For those of you who are wondering what I am using, 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.
Alpha Lipoic Acid
Posted by Danielle Renee (Ocean Shores, Wa) on 10/09/2012
★★★★★
I want to share how beautifully Alpha Lipoic Acid has worked for Diabetic Neuropathy pains. I take 300mgs three times a day and it has taken the burning and sharp shooting pains away, and my blood sugars and H1C are a lot lower. I consider it a miracle supplement.
Acetyl-L Carnitine, Alpha-Lipoic Acid
Posted by Deb Adams (Fl) on 11/18/2020
Have severe b6 toxicity just from a multi-vitamin, caused neuropathy etc. Get off b6 and see if you improve.
Acetyl-L Carnitine, Alpha-Lipoic Acid
Posted by Steve (Las Vegas, Nv Nevada) on 03/09/2013
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
Acetyl-L Carnitine, Alpha-Lipoic Acid
Posted by Lily (Kelowna, BC) on 04/07/2013
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.
Acetyl-L Carnitine, Alpha-Lipoic Acid
Posted by Jim Spencer (Medford, Oregon) on 11/17/2015
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.
Alpha Lipoic Acid
Posted by Normared (Knoxville, East Tennessee, Us) on 05/03/2012
★★★★★
After a bad two-week long spell of sharp, needle-like pain in my feet I looked at this site for advice. At my next doctors appointment a few days later, I checked with him for his opinion, and based on that added ALA to my treatment (which was metanx pills he gave me last year). Within 24 hours of taking one 600 mg tablet of ALA the pains were down by at least 50% intensity, and now a week later they are almost completely gone. A few days ago, I also added a B complex, and plan on adding a B12 lozenge too.
My doctor - a foot doctor who specializes in neuropathy - had no problem with these 'additions', in fact he is the one who suggested B12 in a lozenge form, not a tablet. I'm now a strong believer in taking ALA B vitamins for those pains in my feet!
BTW: Bought my 600mg ALA tabs at GNC - they've got an amazing vanilla flavor and are a pleasure to take! I take 3 per day and a Bcomplex once a day.
