Pajardi G, Bortot P, et al,
Evid Based Complement Alternat Med, 2014; [Epub ahead of print]
In a study involving 180 patients with carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) scheduled to undergo surgical decompression of the median nerve, oral supplementation with a combination supplement containing alpha-lipoic acid, curcumin phytosome, and B-group vitamins, twice a day, for 3 months prior to and 3 months after surgery, was found to be associated with significantly lower nocturnal symptoms, as compared to subjects who did not receive the supplement, at 40 days and 3 months post-surgery. Furthermore, those who received the supplement before and after surgery were found to have a significantly lower number of positive Phalen’s tests at 3 months, as compared with the control group who did not receive the supplement, and as compared to a group that only received the supplement for 3 months before (but not after) the surgery. The authors conclude, “… oral supplementation with alpha-lipoic acid, curcumin phytosome, and B-group vitamins twice a day both before and after surgery is safe and effective in CTS patients scheduled to undergo surgical decompression of the median nerve.”