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

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 treat...

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Main Authors: Thomas Julian, Rubiya Syeed, Nicholas Glascow, Efthalia Angelopoulou, Panagiotis Zis
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2020-07-01
Series:Nutrients
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/12/8/2221
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author Thomas Julian
Rubiya Syeed
Nicholas Glascow
Efthalia Angelopoulou
Panagiotis Zis
author_facet Thomas Julian
Rubiya Syeed
Nicholas Glascow
Efthalia Angelopoulou
Panagiotis Zis
author_sort Thomas Julian
collection DOAJ
description 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).
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spelling doaj.art-06aa24a183cd49fabc43e953da9552d62023-11-20T07:56:49ZengMDPI AGNutrients2072-66432020-07-01128222110.3390/nu12082221B12 as a Treatment for Peripheral Neuropathic Pain: A Systematic ReviewThomas Julian0Rubiya Syeed1Nicholas Glascow2Efthalia Angelopoulou3Panagiotis Zis4Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health, The University of Sheffield, Sheffield S10 2TJ, UKFaculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health, The University of Sheffield, Sheffield S10 2TJ, UKMaritime Hospital, Gillingham, Kent ME7 5NY, UK1st Department of Neurology, Aiginition University Hospital, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 115 28 Athina, GreeceMedical School, University of Cyprus, Shacolas Educational Centre for Clinical Medicine, Palaios dromos Lefkosias Lemesou No.215/6 2029 Aglantzia, Nicosia 1678, CyprusNeuropathic 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).https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/12/8/2221B12neuropathicpainmethylcobalamincobalaminneuropathy
spellingShingle Thomas Julian
Rubiya Syeed
Nicholas Glascow
Efthalia Angelopoulou
Panagiotis Zis
B12 as a Treatment for Peripheral Neuropathic Pain: A Systematic Review
Nutrients
B12
neuropathic
pain
methylcobalamin
cobalamin
neuropathy
title B12 as a Treatment for Peripheral Neuropathic Pain: A Systematic Review
title_full B12 as a Treatment for Peripheral Neuropathic Pain: A Systematic Review
title_fullStr B12 as a Treatment for Peripheral Neuropathic Pain: A Systematic Review
title_full_unstemmed B12 as a Treatment for Peripheral Neuropathic Pain: A Systematic Review
title_short B12 as a Treatment for Peripheral Neuropathic Pain: A Systematic Review
title_sort b12 as a treatment for peripheral neuropathic pain a systematic review
topic B12
neuropathic
pain
methylcobalamin
cobalamin
neuropathy
url https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/12/8/2221
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