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02.06.2018

Alpha-Lipoic Acid fights carpal tunnel syndrome symptoms

Alpha-Lipoic Acid can provide relief for people who suffer from carpal tunnel syndrome. Mexican doctors discovered that a 600 milligram dose seems to work well. Their study is also interesting for doping users. Approximately one-third of the growth hormone users will be affected by carpal tunnel syndrome.

Growth hormone use & carpal tunnel syndrome
Many pharmacological athletes who use high doses of growth hormone will have to deal with carpal tunnel syndrome sooner or later. This is because growth hormone in the hand and wrist allows bone tissue, muscles, attachments and connective tissue to grow. In the wrist, however, also runs the carpal tunnel.

When the carpal tunnel narrows, and the median nerve is compressed, tingling, numbness and often pain will develop. And that's what doctor's call carpal tunnel syndrome.

With the syndrome is caused by the use of synthetic growth hormon, the remedy is simple: stop using. If we are to believe the medical literature, [Arch Phys Med Rehabil. 2000 Dec;81(12):1594-5.] the tunnel syndrome will disappear within a few weeks. But if the tunnel syndrome is caused by another cause - there are a lot of them - then a medical solution has to come from surgery.

Supplements
In 2014, Italian doctors published a study in which daily supplementation with 300 milligrams of alpha-lipoic acid, half a gram of curcumin phytosome and B vitamins alleviated the symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome. [Evid Based Complement Alternat Med. 2014; 2014: 891310.] The Italians used Axin C, a product of Farmacondo.

Mexican doctors, affiliated with the University of Guadalajara, also tried to alleviate carpal tunnel syndrome with supplementation, but opted for a simpler approach. They gave 10 patients 600 mg of alpha-lipoic acid every day for 3 months. They used the cheaper version, the racemic mixture that consists for 50 percent of R-enantiomers, and 50 percent of S-enantiomers.

Nine other patients received a placebo.

After a month of supplementation, the patients went into surgery. Then they continued to use the supplement for another 2 months.

Just before the supplementation started [BASAL], after a month of supplementation [PRESURGERY] and a month after the supplementation ended [FINAL], the doctors presented the patients with the Boston Questionnaire. That is a questionnaire with which doctors determine the severity of carpal tunnel syndrome.

Results
In the month before the operation, alpha-lipoic acid reduced the severity of the complaints. Three months after surgery, the alpha lipoic acid group had fewer complaints than the placebo group. This suggests that the supplement accelerated the healing of the damaged median nerve.

Mechanism
"Our alpha-lipoic acid group exhibited improvements in sensory and motor parameters, an observation that could be explained by alpha-lipoic acid's multimodal mechanisms of antioxidant action, acting as a free radical scavenger and as a regenerator of vitamins C and E, both of which contribute to reducing oxidative stress in the peripheral nerve", the researchers speculate.

"Our findings also suggest that alpha-lipoic acid may hasten recovery of median nerve function, as Boston Questionnaire score had improved in the alpha-lipoic acid group, earlier than the placebo group."

Conclusion
"In conclusion, we found that alpha-lipoic acid has a neuroprotective effect, administered for 1 month before open decompression and 3 months after surgery in idiopathic carpal tunnel syndrome", the researchers summarize.

Source:
J Med Food. 2018 May;21(5):521-6.

More:
Alpha lipoic acid combined with training boosts EPO levels 21.12.2015
Alpha-Lipoic Acid boosts effect of creatine 07.02.2014
Weight loss faster with alpha-lipoic acid 07.09.2012

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