Was The Cuban Neuropathy Crisis Solved By Vitamins

Today's post from blog.easy-immune-health.com (see link below) is nothing more than a press story with exaggerated headlines that will undoubtedly lead people to think that vitamin supplements are the answer to all their neuropathy problems. That's nonsense of course but the story is fascinating none the less and makes you think. It talks about the embargo on trade with Cuba during the cold war years and how  enormous numbers of neuropathy patients were faced with little choice but to be given vitamin injections for their nerve damage because all other drug options were simply not available. The crux of the story claims that despite this limitation in treatment, up to 50,000 people were cured of their neuropathy. It's all extremely debatable but does raise questions as to whether the treatment we currently receive could be boosted by vitamins or other supplement options to achieve better results. The problem with current neuropathy treatment is that it does little to 'cure' the problem and at best, subdues the symptoms. Whether we believe the Cuban story or not, the point is that current medications are little more than stop-gap treatments and combination treatments are probably far more effective. The problem is finding the right combinations.
 

Fifty Thousand Cured of Epidemic Nerve Disorder with Vitamin Supplements
By Kerri Knox, RN on September 27, 2010

For those that do not think vitamin supplements are effective, all one has to do is to look at he U.S. embargo of Cuba between 1991 and 1993. This embargo caused more than just economic consequences for the tiny island nation; it also caused interesting medical consequences that wealthier nations could learn from. The medical consequences of the embargo included an ‘outbreak’ of a painful nerve problem called ‘neuropathy’ that ended up affecting over 50,000 people.

While it was determined that this ‘epidemic’ was caused by a virus, this virus was not treated with antiviral medications, antibiotics or any other pharmaceuticals. This epidemic was completely stopped in its tracks and the more than 50,000 people affected were CURED simply by taking vitamin supplements. This phenomenon of nutritional deficiencies leading to viral infections is not new, and has been shown to be the case with a type of Heart Failure from Selenium Deficiency, known as Keshan disease, is actually caused by a viral infection that is ‘cured’ with selenium supplementation as well.

Peripheral Neuropathy is a nerve condition that causes pain and decreased sensation in many parts of the body but typically affects the lower extremities where it is called Peripheral Neuropathy. However, it may also affect the hands, the hearing, the face and even the nerves of the eyes causing not only pain and decreased sensation, but also deafness and blindness as well. The Cuban Neuropathy Epidemic, as this outbreak was later called, affected a combination of the extremities, the hearing and the eyes – sometimes in the same person. Young and old alike were affected and medical care was scarce due to many factors related to the embargo:

The poor economic conditions
The limited medical supplies entering the country and
The vast numbers of people that were seeking medical attention for the epidemic

But in this environment of minimal funds in a so-called ‘third world’ country, the majority of the 50,000 people affected were completely cured of their neuropathy with nothing more than plain Over the Counter Vitamin Supplements. Even those who were so severely affected that they required hospitalization simply received intravenous vitamin infusions in the hospital while the government instituted a free multivitamin distribution program for the rest of the population. Those with neuropathy were ‘cured’ and the neuropathy ‘epidemic’, except for a few isolated cases, ended completely.

Today in the US, there are tens of thousands of people – primarily diabetics and the elderly – who are suffering with neuropathy and are told that there is no cure. They have blood tests, CT scans, perfusion scans, electrical muscle tests and nerve conduction tests. In the end, they are given pain pills and told that they will have to live with excruciating nerve pain and decreased sensation for the rest of their lives. For diabetics, this decreased ability to feel their feet can mean wounds that don’t heal and amputated limbs; for the elderly, the ever-present risk of falling and breaking a bone is compounded.

Certainly not ALL cases of neuropathy can be cured with Multivitamin Supplements, but as the Cuban Neuropathy Epidemic teaches us, there certainly are some cases that CAN be improved or cured with vitamin supplements. Yet there are almost no doctors in ‘first world’ countries that will discuss vitamins for neuropathy despite the lessons from Cuba and from some liberated prisoner-of-war camps where the same phenomenon has been observed. Doctors in western countries require formal double-blind placebo-controlled trials to perceive a therapy as being worthwhile.

So the lack of studies using vitamins to treat Peripheral Neuropathy ensure that people in western countries with this debilitating life-altering illness will not be given the same option of simply trying a safe and inexpensive multivitamin supplement as they would be if they lived in a third world country.

http://blog.easy-immune-health.com/brain-health-neurologic/fifty-thousand-cured-of-epidemic-nerve-disorder-with-vitamin-supplements/

Vitamins B12 And D3 For People Living With Neuropathy And HIV

Today's post from nybc.wordpress.com (see link below) looks at Vitamins B12 and D3; two of the key vitamins people should ensure remain at healthy levels, when living with the side effects of HIV including neuropathy. Of course, the New York Buyers Club is a very well known supplier of supplements and vitamins and this blog makes a point of not advertising for commercial sites but this article does give some very good medical information based on the findings of the Canadian, Catie HIV organisation and reliably informs you of the reason why you might need supplementation - after that the decision is yours as to where you buy what you need. Personally, I would always check with your doctor first - a simple blood test will tell you if you're deficient in any vitamin or mineral areas and it's possible you can get any supplements free on prescription after that - if not, perfectly good supplements can be bought cheaply almost everywhere these days. There are also various other articles about B and D vitamins to be found in the list to the right of this blog and they may help further with your decision making.

Why Vitamins B12 and D3 Are Especially Important to People with HIV 
Posted by jarebe December 8, 2013 New York Buyers’ Club – The Blog
A nonprofit source for dietary supplements
 
Our friends at the Canadian AIDS Treatment Information Exchange (CATIE), a Canadian government-supported education and prevention organization, recently published an excellent guide to managing HIV medication side effects. This online guide covers the territory from body shape changes, to gastrointestinal disorders, to neurological effects, to emotional wellness, to fatigue, to sexual difficulties.

The Appendix to this guide focuses on two vitamins, both of which have been highlighted as especially important for people with HIV: B12 and D3. Deficiency of these two vitamins appears to be common among people with HIV, and supplementing to correct the deficiency can bring about major improvements in health. So it’s definitely worthwhile to check your B12 and D3 status, and, if you’re deficient, find a good supplementation strategy. Note that NYBC stocks both of these inexpensive vitamins: the methylcobalamin form of Vitamin B12 recommended below; and several strengths of Vitamin D3, including the commonly recommended D3 – 2500IU format.

Below are the CATIE recommendations:

Vitamin B12

A number of studies have shown that vitamin B12 is deficient in a large percentage of people with HIV, and the deficiency can begin early in the disease. Vitamin B12 deficiency can result in neurologic symptoms — for example, numbness, tingling and loss of dexterity — and the deterioration of mental function, which causes symptoms such as foggy thinking, memory loss, confusion, disorientation, depression, irrational anger and paranoia. Deficiency can also cause anemia. (See the section on Fatigue for more discussion of anemia.) It has also been linked to lower production of the hormone melatonin, which can affect the wake-sleep cycle.

If you have developed any of the emotional or mental symptoms mentioned above, especially combined with chronic fatigue, vitamin B12 deficiency could be contributing. This is especially true if you also have other symptoms that this deficiency can cause, including neuropathy, weakness and difficulty with balance or walking. On the other hand, these symptoms can also be associated with HIV itself, with hypothyroidism or advanced cases of syphilis called neurosyphilis. A thorough workup for all potential diagnoses is key to determining the cause.

Research at Yale University has shown that the standard blood test for vitamin B12 deficiency is not always reliable. Some people who appear to have “normal” blood levels are actually deficient, and could potentially benefit from supplementation.

The dose of vitamin B12 required varies from individual to individual and working with a doctor or naturopathic doctor to determine the correct dose is recommended. Vitamin B12 can be taken orally, by nasal gel or by injection. The best way to take it depends on the underlying cause of the deficiency, so it’s important to be properly assessed before starting supplements. For oral therapy, a typical recommendation is 1,000 to 2,000 mcg daily.

One way to know if supplementation can help you is to do a trial run of vitamin B12 supplementation for at least six to eight weeks. If you are using pills or sublingual lozenges, the most useful form of vitamin B12 is methylcobalamin. Talk to your doctor before starting any new supplement to make sure it is safe for you.

Some people will see improvements after a few days of taking vitamin B12 and may do well taking it in a tablet or lozenge that goes under the tongue. Others will need several months to see results and may need nasal gel or injections for the best improvements. For many people, supplementation has been a very important part of an approach to resolving mental and emotional problems.

Vitamin D

Some studies show that vitamin D deficiency, and often quite severe deficiency, is a common problem in people with HIV. Vitamin D is intimately linked with calcium levels, and deficiency has been linked to a number of health problems, including bone problems, depression, sleep problems, peripheral neuropathy, joint and muscle pain and muscle weakness. It is worth noting that in many of these cases there is a link between vitamin D and the health condition, but it is not certain that a lack of vitamin D causes the health problem.

A blood test can determine whether or not you are deficient in vitamin D. If you are taking vitamin D, the test will show whether you are taking a proper dose for health, while avoiding any risk of taking an amount that could be toxic (although research has shown that toxicity is highly unlikely, even in doses up to 10,000 IU daily when done under medical supervision). The cost of the test may not be covered by all provincial or territorial healthcare plans or may be covered only in certain situations. Check with your doctor for availability in your region.

The best test for vitamin D is the 25-hydroxyvitamin D blood test. There is some debate about the best levels of vitamin D, but most experts believe that the minimum value for health is between 50 and 75 nmol/l. Many people use supplements to boost their levels to more than 100 nmol/l.

While sunlight and fortified foods are two possible sources of vitamin D, the surest way to get adequate levels of this vitamin is by taking a supplement. The best dose to take depends on the person. A daily dose of 1,000 to 2,000 IU is common, but your doctor may recommend a lower or higher dose for you, depending on the level of vitamin D in your blood and any health conditions you might have. People should not take more than 4,000 IU per day without letting their doctor know. Look for the D3 form of the vitamin rather than the D2 form. Vitamin D3 is the active form of the vitamin and there is some evidence that people with HIV have difficulty converting vitamin D2 to vitamin D3. Historically, vitamin D3 supplements are less commonly associated with reports of toxicity than the D2 form.

It is best to do a baseline test so you know your initial level of vitamin D. Then, have regular follow-up tests to see if supplementation has gotten you to an optimal level and that you are not taking too much. Regular testing is the only way to be sure you attain — and then maintain — the optimal level for health.

With proper supplementation, problems caused by vitamin D deficiency can usually be efficiently reversed.

http://nybc.wordpress.com/2013/12/08/why-vitamins-b12-and-d3-are-especially-important-to-people-with-hiv/