Back to Search Results

B12 as a Treatment for Peripheral Neuropathic Pain: A Systematic Review.

Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health, The University of Sheffield, Sheffield S10 2TJ, UK. Sheffield Teaching Hospitals, Broomhall, Sheffield S10 2JF, UK. Maritime Hospital, Gillingham, Kent ME7 5NY, UK. 1st Department of Neurology, Aiginition University Hospital, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 115 28 Athina, Greece. Medical School, University of Cyprus, Shacolas Educational Centre for Clinical Medicine, Palaios dromos Lefkosias Lemesou No.215/6 2029 Aglantzia, Nicosia 1678, Cyprus.

Nutrients. 2020;(8)
Full text from:

Other resources

Abstract

Neuropathic pain describes a range of unpleasant sensations caused by a lesion or disease of the somatosensory nervous system. The sensations caused by neuropathic pain are debilitating and improved treatment regimens are sought in order to improve the quality of life of patients. One proposed treatment for neuropathic pain is vitamin B12, which is thought to alleviate pain by a number of mechanisms including promoting myelination, increasing nerve regeneration and decreasing ectopic nerve firing. In this paper, the evidence for B12 as a drug treatment for neuropathic pain is reviewed. Twenty four published articles were eligible for inclusion in this systematic review in which a range of treatment regimens were evaluated including both B12 monotherapy and B12 in combination with other vitamins or conventional treatments, such as gabapentinoids. Overall, this systematic review demonstrates that there is currently some evidence for the therapeutic effect of B12 in the treatment of post-herpetic neuralgia (level II evidence) and the treatment of painful peripheral neuropathy (level III evidence).