Lipoic Acid and Acetyl-L-Carnitine May Decrease Back Pain
In this study, 64 people with acute backache and moderate sciatica were given either 600 mg a day of lipoic acid or 1,180 mg/d of Acetyl-L-Carnitine (ALC) for 60 days. Greater improvements were found in patients who received lipoic acid compared to ALC in both pain and on nerve testing. 71% of those on lipoic acid needed less pain medicine as opposed to 45.5% of patients taking ALC. The authors conclude that, "Thioctic acid (lipoic acid) 600 mg/day appears to be at least as effective as ALC in the treatment of sciatic pain caused by a herniated disc and may be associated with an improvement in symptom scores and reduced need for analgesia."
References
"Thioctic Acid and acetyl-L-carnitine in the treatment of sciatic pain caused by a herniated disc: a randomized, double-blind, comparative study," Memeo A, Loiero M, et al, Clin Drug Investig, 2008; 28(8): 495-500.
Jacob Teitelbaum, M.D. is one of the most frequently quoted post viral CFS, fibromyalgia, energy, sleep and pain medical authorities in the world. He is the author of 12 books including You Can Heal from Long Covid, the best-selling From Fatigued to Fantastic!, Pain Free 1-2-3, The Complete Guide to Beating Sugar Addiction, Real Cause Real Cure, The Fatigue and Fibromyalgia Solution, and the popular free Smart Phone app Cures A-Z. He is the lead author of eight research studies and three medical textbook chapters on effective treatment for fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome. Dr. Teitelbaum appears often as a guest on news and talk shows nationwide, including past appearances on Good Morning America, The Dr. Oz Show, Oprah & Friends, CNN, and FoxNewsHealth.
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