Diabetic Neuropathy: A Nutritional Supplement Cocktail to Relieve Pain?

Diabetic neuropathy (DN), a common and debilitating complication of type 2 diabetes, is characterized by chronic pain that significantly impacts patients' quality of life. Available treatments, such as pregabalin or duloxetine, provide limited efficacy and are often associated with significant side effects. In light of these challenges, identifying complementary solutions is critical to better managing symptoms. A recent study proposes an innovative alternative: a nutritional supplement cocktail aimed at reducing neuropathic pain and restoring nerve function.

A promising cocktail for neuropathic pain relief?

The study included 73 adult patients with type 2 diabetes and moderate DN symptoms. Participants were divided into two groups:

• Active group: supplementation with a cocktail containing palmitoylethanolamide (PEA), superoxide dismutase, alpha-lipoic acid, vitamins (B1, B6, B12, E, and nicotinamide), magnesium, and zinc.
• Placebo group: supplementation without active ingredients.

The effectiveness of this novel treatment was evaluated before and after six months of supplementation, focusing on the following outcomes: pain intensity, nerve function (sural conduction velocity and action potential amplitude), vibratory perception threshold, sudomotor function, disease-related quality of life, and neurological assessments (MNSIQ and MNSIE).

The results revealed a significant reduction in pain in the active group, along with notable improvements in nerve function: increased vitamin B12 levels, better MNSIQ scores, enhanced vibratory perception thresholds, and improved electrodermal conductance in the feet. In contrast, the placebo group showed no significant progress, and a deterioration in MNSIQ scores was observed.

An innovative approach to neuropathic pain

This study demonstrates that a nutritional supplement cocktail, including PEA and vitamin B12, can effectively reduce neuropathic pain and improve certain functional markers in patients with diabetic neuropathy. While these results are promising, they require validation through larger-scale studies to establish this approach as an effective complement to conventional treatments. The variability in symptom improvement suggests that baseline pain severity may influence treatment outcomes.