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Alpha Lipoic Acid and Peripheral Neuropathy2/7/2008 Yours in HealthCan compound bring back feeling? By Astrid Pujari, M.D. Special to The Seattle Times Q: I have some numbness and prickly pain in my toes and in the balls of my feet. My doctor did tests and told me that I have peripheral neuropathy, but that they don't know what it's from. He recommended that I take a prescription medication called amitriptyline or gabapentin, but they apparently don't reverse the neuropathy, they only treat the symptoms. I read that alpha-lipoic acid is supposed to help. What do you think? A: Alpha-lipoic acid is a compound that is naturally made in our bodies. It acts as an antioxidant and helps to regenerate other antioxidants such as vitamin C, E and glutathione. In the lab, especially with experimental models of diabetes (diabetics often develop nerve damage), alpha-lipoic acid also seems to help improve blood flow to nerves, protect them against free radicals and improve the way they conduct energy. Peripheral neuropathy simply means that you have damage in the nerves on the periphery of your body — usually the hands and feet. There are at least four different randomized studies showing that alpha-lipoic acid helps symptoms of peripheral neuropathy, including prickling, pain and numbness. One review published in 2004 found that after three weeks, people saw about a 24 percent improvement. This included both subjective symptoms, such as pain, as well as objective clinical findings, such as how well they could feel a pin prick. Other studies, though, have found that it takes at least six weeks to see a difference. The dose of alpha-lipoic acid used in these studies is high, ranging from 300 mg twice a day to four times a day. Most supplements using alpha-lipoic acid for "general health" contain only about 25 mg or so. Side effects of alpha-lipoic acid include rash, headache and nausea. Also, there is a concern that taking high doses of alpha-lipoic acid may be fatal if someone has a deficiency of thiamine, or vitamin B1 — which can happen in people who overuse alcohol, for instance. So, as always, discuss this information with your doctor before taking any supplement. Dr. Astrid Pujari is a Seattle M.D. with an additional degree as a medical herbalist; she practices at the Pujari Center and teaches as part of the residency programs at Virginia Mason and Swedish/Cherry Hill hospitals. Send questions to apujari@seattletimes.com for possible use in future columns. All information is intended for education and not a substitute for medical advice. Consult your doctor before following any suggestions given here. To see original Seattle Times article click here Copyright © 2008 The Seattle Times Company |