Research published in Diabetes Research and Clinical Practice (epublished April 13, 2011, ahead of print) examined the effects of vitamin and mineral supplementation on diabetic neuropathy. This randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study included 67 patients with type 2 diabetes.
Participants were divided into three groups. One group received a placebo. A second group received daily supplements providing zinc (20 mg), magnesium (250 mg), vitamin C (200 mg), and vitamin E (100 mg). A third group received the same nutrients, along with additional B vitamins—thiamin, riboflavin, pyridoxine, biotin, folic acid, and vitamin B12. The intervention lasted four months.
Neuropathy symptoms were assessed using the Michigan Neuropathy Screening Instrument (MNSI) questionnaire. Patients receiving the basic vitamin and mineral supplementation experienced a significant reduction in neuropathy symptoms, with average MNSI scores decreasing from 3.96 to 1.0. Even greater improvement was observed in the group receiving the additional B vitamins, whose scores improved from an average of 3.45 to 0.64.
According to the authors, “These studies suggest that micronutrient supplementation might ameliorate diabetic neuropathy symptoms.”
