维生素治疗周围神经病变

周围神经病变是一种常见的神经损伤，其特征是从大脑和脊髓到身体的神经出现疼痛、麻木或刺痛感。周围神经病变的病因有很多，包括糖尿病、感染、炎症、维生素缺乏以及接触杀虫剂、汞和铅等化学品或药物。根据right thealth.com网站的说法，维生素疗法对许多形式的周围神经病变的治疗是有益的。

使用维生素E治疗化疗引起的周围神经病变，在2010年的《神经学》研究中被发现有效。The chemotherapy agent cisplatin, which has a high incidence of severe peripheral neuropathy at certain dose levels, was used in the study. Patients on cisplatin therapy were given oral vitamin E, in the alpha-tocopherol form, before starting chemotherapy and for three months after. The incidence and severity of neuropathy was found to be significantly lower in the vitamin E group than in the control group that received a placebo. The researchers concluded that, due to the effectiveness of vitamin E at protecting patients from neurotoxic effects of cisplatin in this study, vitamin E should be included in the treatment protocol of patients receiving this drug.

根据《药理学》杂志2006年的一项研究，周围神经病变是糖尿病常见的并发症，是由长期高血糖水平的破坏性影响以及与之相关的硫胺素代谢障碍引起的。Thiamine is required for breakdown of carbohydrates, but is rapidly depleted in diabetics because their cells need large amounts to manage glucose levels that tend to stay high. The study used the fat soluble form of the vitamin, called benfotiamine, for its superior bioavailability, in combination with vitamin B6. Over a 45-day period, a highly significant reduction of pain was reported by 95.5 percent of study participants. Objective testing revealed improvements in that nerves conducted impulses more quickly in 46 percent of patients and decreased levels of a type of hemoglobin called glycosylated, related to high blood sugar, in 54 percent of patients. The researchers concluded that benfotiamine is an effective supplement for the management of diabetic neuropathy.

当周围神经被切断时，修复损伤的手术有时是不成功的，神经也不能恢复。一项关于维生素D治疗的研究发现，维生素有促进神经再生的能力。2008年《神经创伤杂志》(Journal of Neurotrauma)的一项研究使用了从植物中提取的维生素D，即所谓的麦角钙化醇或维生素D2，用于截肢的老鼠。在10周的时间里，这些老鼠每天以每公斤体重100国际单位的标准摄入麦角钙化醇。神经再生明显，感觉和运动功能完好。研究人员建议，为了治疗外伤性周围神经病变，需要进一步的测试来比较麦角钙化醇和胆钙化醇、维生素D的剂量和效果。