Supplements For Neuropathy: Vitamins And More - Healthline

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Medically reviewed by Heidi Moawad, M.D. — Written by Emily Cronkleton — Updated on June 25, 2024

B vitamins
Alpha-lipoic acid
Acetyl-L-carnitine
N-acetyl cysteine
Curcumin
Fish oil
Takeaway

According to some animal studies, B vitamins, fish oil, curcumin, and other supplements may help symptoms of neuropathy or treat neuropathy damage. Your doctor can advise you on safe options.

Neuropathy is a term used to describe several conditions that affect the nerves, causing pain and irritation. It’s a particularly common complication of diabetes and a side effect of chemotherapy.

While there are conventional treatments for neuropathy, research is underway to investigate the use of supplements.

Always speak with your doctor before starting any new supplements or changing your treatment plan in any way. You may wish to combine these supplements with complementary therapies, pain medications, and adaptive techniques to help you manage your symptoms, but use them with caution.

Read on to learn more about supplements that may help with neuropathy.

B vitamins

B vitamins are useful in treating neuropathy since they support healthy nervous system function. Peripheral neuropathy is sometimes caused by a vitamin B deficiency.

Supplementation should include B1 (thiamine and benfotiamine), B6, and B12. You may choose to take these separately instead of as a B complex, especially if you have a specific deficiency of one of these B vitamins.

A B12 deficiency is one cause of peripheral neuropathy. Without treatment, it can cause permanent nerve damage. This means that if you have peripheral neuropathy, supplementing with B12 might be a good idea.

Vitamin B6 may help to maintain the covering on nerve endings. However, it’s important that you don’t take more than 200 milligrams (mg) of B6 per day. Research from 2021 shows that taking higher amounts can lead to nerve damage and cause symptoms of neuropathy.

Foods rich in B vitamins include:

meat, poultry, and fish
seafood
eggs
low fat dairy products
fortified cereals
vegetables

According to an older 2017 review, supplementing with B vitamins has the potential to promote nerve repair. This may be because B vitamins can speed up nerve tissue regeneration and improve nerve function. They may also be useful in relieving pain and inflammation.

Another study showed that benfotiamine may help people with neuropathy related to their diabetes. While the recommended dose was 300 mg, they tested doses up to 900 mg per day.

Further studies are needed to expand upon these findings. It’s also important to examine the effects of benfotiamine in combination with other B vitamins.

Alpha-lipoic acid

Alpha-lipoic acid is an antioxidant that may be useful in treating neuropathy caused by diabetes or cancer treatment. A 2021 study found that it may lower blood sugar levels, improve nerve function, and relieve uncomfortable symptoms in the legs and arms, such as:

pain
itching
tingling
prickling
numbness
burning

It can be taken in supplement form or administered intravenously. You can take 600 to 1,200 mg per day in capsule form.

You can also get alpha-lipolic acid in your diet. Foods that contain trace amounts include:

liver
red meat
broccoli
brewer’s yeast
spinach
Brussels sprouts

Alpha-lipoic acid has been shown to improve nerve conduction and to reduce neuropathic pain. A small 2017 study found that alpha-lipoic acid was useful in protecting against oxidative damage in people with diabetic neuropathy.

However, exercise caution when taking this supplement. If you are deficient in thiamine, or vitamin B1, as a result of excessive alcohol use or for another reason, alpha-lipoic acid may have a toxic effect on your system.

Acetyl-L-carnitine

Acetyl-L-carnitine is an amino acid and antioxidant. It may increase energy levels, create healthy nerve cells, and reduce pain in people with neuropathy.

According to a 2019 study, acetyl-L-carnitine may:

reduce pain
regenerate nerve fibers
improve nerve conduction

You can take it as a supplement in a typical dosage of 500 mg twice per day or add certain foods to your diet. Food sources of acetyl-L-carnitine include:

meat
fish
poultry
dairy products

N-acetyl cysteine (NAC)

NAC is a form of cysteine. It’s an antioxidant and amino acid and can help to reduce pain and inflammation.

While NAC isn’t found naturally in foods, most high protein foods contain cysteine. You can also take it in supplement form.

While most studies in animals have shown positive results, there is limited research on people. One recent human study showed significant reductions in pain, indicating that it may be beneficial in people with painful neuropathy. The researchers recommended doses of 1,200 to 2,400 mg per day.

Curcumin

Curcumin is a compound found in the herb turmeric, known for its anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and pain-relieving properties. It may help to relieve numbness and tingling in your hands and feet.

You can take a curcumin supplement or consume 1 teaspoon of turmeric powder mixed with milk or water. Additionally, you can add powdered turmeric to tea, curries, salads, and smoothies.

While there’s limited human research on curcumin, one 2021 study found that it could reduce pain in people with neuropathy.

Fish oil

Fish oil is useful in treating neuropathy due to its anti-inflammatory effects and its ability to repair damaged nerves. It also helps to relieve muscle soreness and pain.

One 2020 study showed that it could improve recovery and reduce pain in people with neuropathy. While the results are promising, further studies are needed to expand upon these findings.

You can fish oil as a supplement or consume it in your diet. Foods high in omega-3 fatty acids include:

salmon
walnuts
sardines
canola oil
chia seeds
flaxseeds
mackerel
cod liver oil
herring
oysters
anchovies
caviar
soybeans

The bottom line

Speak with your doctor before starting any supplements for your neuropathy symptoms. They can provide personalized information about safety and effectiveness given your health situation.

If you’re given the go-ahead, you may find that some of these supplements ease the discomfort associated with the condition.

How we reviewed this article:

SourcesHistoryHealthline has strict sourcing guidelines and relies on peer-reviewed studies, academic research institutions, and medical journals and associations. We only use quality, credible sources to ensure content accuracy and integrity. You can learn more about how we ensure our content is accurate and current by reading our editorial policy.

Basu P, et al. (2021). Effects of curcumin and its different formulations in preclinical and clinical studies of peripheral neuropathic and postoperative pain: A comprehensive review.https://www.mdpi.com/1422-0067/22/9/4666
Bönhof GJ, et al. (2022). BOND study: A randomised double-blind, placebo-controlled trial over 12 months to assess the effects of benfotiamine on morphometric, neurophysiological and clinical measures in patients with type 2 diabetes with symptomatic polyneuropathy.https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8814806/
Carnitine. (2023).https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Carnitine-HealthProfessional/
Di Stefano G, et al. (2019). Acetyl-L-carnitine in painful peripheral neuropathy: a systematic review.https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6498091/
Geller M, et al. (2017). B vitamins for neuropathy and neuropathic pain.https://www.hilarispublisher.com/open-access/b-vitamins-for-neuropathy-and-neuropathic-pain-2376-1318-1000161.pdf
Hemminger A, et al. (2023). Vitamin B6 toxicity.https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK554500/
Nguyen H, et al. (2024). Alpha-lipoic acid.https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK564301/
Sajedi F, et al. (2024). Comparison of therapeutic effects of N-Acetylcysteine with pregabalin in improving the clinical symptoms of painful diabetic neuropathy: a randomized, double-blind clinical trial.https://clindiabetesendo.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s40842-024-00172-x
Schwalfenberg GK. (2021). N-Acetylcysteine: A review of clinical usefulness (an old drug with new tricks).https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8211525
Sztanek F, et al. (2017). Effect of alpha-lipoic acid supplementation on oxidative stress markers and antioxidative defense in patients with diabetic neuropathy.https://www.atherosclerosis-journal.com/article/S0021-9150(17)31101-2/abstract
Unda SR, et al. (2020). Beneficial effects of fish oil enriched in omega-3 fatty acids on the development and maintenance of neuropathic pain.https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31876957/

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Medically reviewed by Heidi Moawad, M.D. — Written by Emily Cronkleton — Updated on June 25, 2024

Supplements For Neuropathy: Vitamins And More - Healthline

B vitamins

Alpha-lipoic acid

Acetyl-L-carnitine

N-acetyl cysteine (NAC)

Curcumin

Fish oil

The bottom line

How we reviewed this article:

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