In your practice, it is likely that you have a significant number of patients who deal with carpal tunnel, diabetic neuropathy, and general muscle pain.
In addition to a treatment plan of regular adjustments, there are nutrients that can help: vitamin B6, magnesium, and zinc, to name three. And while each one is probably in your patients’ regimens, they may not be experiencing the full potential of these ingredients. And that is because the forms of vitamin B6, magnesium, and zinc make all the difference.
For example, vitamin B6 has been recommended (but not without controversy) for carpal tunnel and other nerve and muscle ailments for some time. And while the results with standard forms of vitamin B6 can be positive, there is a possibility of actually creating the very symptoms of nerve and muscle conditions that you’re trying to treat and prevent when using high dosages.
That’s because pyridoxine—the inactive form of vitamin B6 found most often in mass-market supplements—blocks the body’s ability to employ the active form of the nutrient, pyridoxal-5-phosphate
(P-5-P). A recent Dutch laboratory study found that pyridoxine induces neuropathy symptoms by inhibiting P-5-P-dependent enzymes, and essentially competes with the active form of vitamin B6. Surplus doses of pyridoxine, over time, paradoxically result in causing the same conditions as having a deficiency of B6.1
This is just one reason that starting with supplemental vitamin B6 as P-5-P—the form the body ultimately uses—makes sense. Other work has shown that individual blood levels of the nutrient can determine risk of inflammation, heart conditions, blood sugar levels, and, of course, carpal tunnel syndrome.2-5 In fact, inflammation can deplete vitamin B6 levels and cause more damage and pain, so recommending a well-utilized form like P-5-P may be critical to therapeutic success.
Earlier research examined the B6 status in patients with carpal tunnel and found a correlation with low plasma levels.6,7
Since then, studies have shown that symptoms can be as having a deficiency of B6.1
This is just one reason that starting with supplemental vitamin B6 as P-5-P—the form the body ultimately uses—makes sense. Other work has shown that individual blood levels of the nutrient can determine risk of inflammation, heart conditions, blood sugar levels, and, of course, carpal tunnel syndrome.2-5
In fact, inflammation can deplete vitamin B6 levels and cause more damage and pain, so recommending a well-utilized form like P-5-P may be critical to therapeutic success.
Earlier research examined the B6 status in patients with carpal tunnel and found a correlation with low plasma levels.6,7
Since then, studies have shown that symptoms can be alleviated by recommending vitamin B6, but it has also found that the dosage levels need to be carefully monitored—if pyridoxine is the form administered.
Supplementation protocols
A recent Iranian study found 120 mg of vitamin B6 per day significantly improved symptoms (and electrodiagnostic scores) in three months, and other clinical work has found success with 200 mg daily. But common forms of the nutrient still have to be converted by the liver into the P-5-P form, and some people are not efficient converters. Starting with a supplemental P-5-P makes good sense, and because it is an active form and available for the body to use immediately, smaller dosage levels— from 50 mg up to 200 mg—may yield more effective results.
Along with P-5-P, magnesium and zinc are critical for a positive response to muscle- and nerve-related symptoms. But like vitamin B6, these two common minerals work best in uncommon forms.
Magnesium is best when chelated to the amino acid glycine. It makes the mineral more easily absorbed and less likely than other forms to cause stomach upset. Magnesium deficiencies are a very real possibility for your patients. Food alone may not provide even the baseline required for daily health, and stressful conditions or intensive, regular physical activity can deplete levels of the mineral.8-10
For women who are pregnant, leg cramps can be frustratingly difficult to treat because conventional over- the-counter medications are not an option. But a double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial found that 300 mg per day of a magnesium bisglycinate chelate for four weeks significantly reduced the frequency and intensity of leg cramps—without any notable gastrointestinal side effects.11
Zinc, which patients probably associate with the immune system, helps the body heal muscles, tendons, and ligaments in the event of small muscle tears. In models of wounds or tissue stress, zinc concentration at the injured site peaks after a few days, which could mirror the length of time that your patients would notice lingering pain the most.
Zinc deficiency also means reduced blood glutathione levels. Glutathione is a natural antioxidant produced by the body that protects cells from oxidative damage, which can be heavy during times of intense exercise, when the muscles require oxygen-rich red blood cells. Zinc deficiency—like that of magnesium—has also been linked to depression and anxiety disorders, so the mineral has great potential to support a healthy body and mind— but only if it is absorbed. Here again, a glycinate chelated form is an excel- lent option.12-14
Although your patients might be tempted to use lesser supplemental nutrients, utilization is key for results. As part of a treatment for carpal tunnel pain and inflammation, migraine relief, and stopping neuropathy, vitamin B6 as P-5-P, and magnesium and zinc chelated to glycine can make all the difference between merely hoping for success and truly achieving it.
Terry Lemerond is a natural health expert with more than 40 years of experience. He has owned health food stores, founded dietary supplement companies, and formulated more than 400 products. A published author, he appears on radio, television, and is a frequent guest speaker. He can be contacted through europharmausa.com.
References:
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3 Shen J, Lai CQ, Mattei J, Ordovas JM, Tucker KL. Association of vitamin B-6 status with inflammation, oxidative stress, and chronic inflammatory conditions: the Boston Puerto Rican Health Study. Am J Clin Nutr. 2010;91(2):337-42.
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