High-Dose Vitamin B12 as a treatment for Peripheral Neuropathy

2014-10-01 11:00:27

Researchers recently published a study on the use of high dose vitamin B12 for the treatment of peripheral neuropathy ^[1]. No clinically effective treatment for promoting nerve growth or nerve regeneration has been established. Many experimental studies have shown that high dose methylcobalamin (vitamin B12) promotes nerve growth in those with peripheral nerve injuries. The researchers in this case assessed the safety and efficacy of an ultra-high dose vitamin B12 treatment for patients with peripheral neuropathy and chronic axonal degeneration. In the study, 14 patients with immune-mediated or hereditary neuropathy in the chronic progressive or stable phase were enrolled. 25mg/day for 10 days followed by monthly 25mg for 5 months was administered intravenously. The patients were evaluated before and 1 year following treatment. The primary endpoints were safety and improvement in a scoring tool. The researchers found no adverse effects in twelve of the patients, whereas treatment was discontinued in two patients who had seborrheic dermatitis at 3 months and respiratory tract infection at 2 months, respectively. Overall, the measured score was improved in seven of the patients and unchanged or worsened in the five remaining patients. The authors conclude that intravenous ultra-high dose vitamin B12 treatment is safe and potentially efficacious therapy for those with peripheral neuropathy.