Hello,

I have been reading on this forum about using supplements to heal the pain and numbness of peripheral neuropathy. From what I have read, alpha lipoic acid and acetyl l carnitine and some B vitamins seem to help a lot.

I have numbness and weakness in my right arm left over from a herniated disc, and if was wondering if the same supplements would help to regenerate the nerve causing my problem? Supposedly, the peripheral nerves can grow about 1 mm per day, or about 1" per month.

I did not post this on the spinal forum because 99% of the topics there have to do with surgery, which does not apply to me. Repairing nerve damage does not appear to have high priority over there.

I am wondering if the same treatments used for PN could help regenerate peripheral nerves that are damaged near the nerve root. After all, we are talking about nerve damage in both cases.

Thanks in advance for any help or ideas anyone can share.

If the damage is to axons, you need to provide Omega-3's for that, choline (from food like egg yolks) and magnesium also.

The ones you list are good for cell damage and mitochondrial
damage.

Thanks mrsD, for the reply. How would I know if the damage is to the axons?

I'm just beginning this journey, so have a lot to learn.

Aside from supplements, does exercise/therapy help, does anyone know?

Some doctors will ID axonal injury. But you know, the extra ones are good for other things...so taking them is not expensive or
a risk of any kind. Just extra insurance.

Exercise will benefits many, or perhaps all, types of healing. It does so many good things for the body. For one it increases circulation. Healing requires the proper nutrients and the removal of wastes, which are both provided by blood circulation. Google "exercise and healing".

Exercise also affects gene expression, that is what our genes do. Interesting article with numerous examples:

Exercise and gene expression: physiological regulation of the human genome through physical activity
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2290514/

Ron

Acetyl L Carnitine question:

If you eat a lot of meat should you still take it?? I read that you should not since meat has it in it. I took one bottle, didn't notice a difference, but never really do with supplements, but not sure if I should be taking this supplement or not.

thanks

Dr. John Hayes indicates in one of his podcasts that this supplement may take a long time to have an effect. You can search for this podcast or I have posted about it. If we are talking about the healing of nerves, and not just the blocking of pain, this is bound to take a long time. For one, materials including mitochondria are transported along the length of the nerve rather slowly. Plus neurons are just rather slow to grow or heal.
Ron

Please don't eat a lot of meat. Animal protein, saturated fat, & cholesterol cause disease.
Ron

Well I do eat a lot of meat and that was the question. If you eat alot of meat it is in meat so do you need to take the supplement.