Everything you need to know about diabetic peripheral neuropathy and more
Blog: Denise Anzaldi
spoor fire abstract
What causes Diabetic Peripheral Neuropathy?
Do you have burning, tingling, electric shocks, or even numbness in your feet? If you are a diabetic, you may be experiencing something called Diabetic Peripheral Neuropathy or DPN. This disease affects 50% of people with diabetes (Huo et al., 2022). It happens when your blood glucose is not adequately controlled, leaving your blood circulation with too much glucose coursing through it. This excess sugar wreaks havoc on every organ in your body, clogging up even the smallest capillaries in your hands and feet. When the capillaries get clogged, blood cannot nourish the nerves in these areas; the nerve will become damaged, causing the nerve to not send signals correctly to the brain for interpretation. 
Examples can be not feeling hot or cold properly, having feelings of electric shocks, burning, and tingling. As the disease progresses, the nerve will start to shrivel and die. This is when you will have numbness, and you can become susceptible to cuts, bruises, and ulcers. Diabetics are slow wound healers. Since you will not be able to feel these cuts, they can become infected; if neglected, the infection can quickly enter the bloodstream, causing sepsis, or enter the bone, causing osteomyelitis. Amputations are common at this point, as the infected area may be too far gone to save.
Are there cures???
Let’s explore some common cures out there being pushed by social media for the painful diagnosis of DPN. Are they Fact or Fiction?
Supplements: Neuropure
Neuropure is marketed as a dietary supplement to treat and eventually cure nerve pain due to neuropathies, including neuropathy from diabetes. The supplements are in capsule form, and by taking two capsules a day for 2-3 months, the neuropathy will become less noticeable until it disappears altogether. The way the product works is explained as preventing 3 enzymes produced in our bodies from becoming overactive, “ripping away at the skin and collagen causing the nerves to become overactive” (getneuropure.com, 2021) and thus causing neuropathy. The capsules contain all-natural ingredients from flowers and herbs that have “the ability to protect from oxidative stress, support healthy anxiety and stress levels, help with insomnia, and have a calming effect on the nerves by supporting GABA in the brain” (Neuropure, 2021).
FACT:
- research has shown once nerve damage is present, antioxidants and vitamins will not reverse it
- blood glucose levels still need to be controlled to prevent further nerve damage
- no FDA regulations on the potency of these supplements or their effectiveness
- A1C levels are unaffected by any supplementation, meaning nerve damage can still occur
There are countless products out there claiming to cure or prevent DPN; an intelligent consumer needs to be savvy and not spend resources on these supplements that are unproven.
Red light therapy
www.youtube.com/watch?v=NNXDuFc5cHU&list=PLx8sKK_MHk6H8PlIKkLw3-z30dw
A popular video series on YouTube, The Nerve Doctors, discusses treatments for peripheral neuropathy. In this episode, Dr.Coppola discusses photobiomodulation, or light therapy, to help repair the nerve damage to the feet from DPN. Dr. Coppola states, “The nerve regenerates 1 inch per month, but with the light therapy, it is sped up to 4 inches per month” (2022). He explains that the feet are placed inside these boots with infrared lights on the inside. This light therapy penetrates deep into the tissues and stimulates the mitochondria of the cells to produce adenosine triphosphate (ATP), which is the cell’s fuel. This fuel increases cellular metabolism, decreases pain, and accelerates the healing of damaged nerves. It also releases nitrous oxide from the cell, which, in turn, causes vasodilation of the circulatory system. This increases blood circulation throughout the body and has been proven effective for many diseases. Light therapy has been used in Europe for over thirty years with much success, as per Dr. Coppola (2022).
FACT
- for home use, no medical supervision is required
- an expensive product that may or may not work
- clinical studies have shown after 90 days, 40 min a day, no improvement
- gives false hope to those suffering
Researchers have already debunked this pricey gadget; save your money on this one.
Electric Stimulation
This video on YouTube by The Neuropathy Doctor, titled Neurogenx Treatment for Neuropathy, discusses a new device to help neuropathy sufferers. This modality is similar in design to an E-stim machine commonly used in physical therapy, along with the same concept of adhering electrodes to the areas along the nerve pathways. This procedure is performed in the doctor’s office. More than one procedure must be performed to see results. In one testimonial, the patient stated he had undergone 11 treatment sessions. As per Dr. Gibson in the YouTube video, this product works best on small-fiber neuropathy and does not work on large-fiber neuropathy or autonomic neuropathy (The Neuropathy Doctor, 2020). Knowing the patient’s type of neuropathy before proceeding with this treatment will be essential. This device uses high-frequency electronic waves “to reach down through muscle and tissue to reduce swelling, remove excess fluids and waste products to reduce pain and increase healing” (Neurogenx, 2020). The treatments will eventually reverse neuropathy symptoms, significantly reduce the amount and frequency of medication the patient takes or eliminate it altogether. Patients will regain feeling and nerve function and return to activities they once enjoyed.
Fact
- E-stim has been used for years for pain management
- healthcare providers should perform under medical supervision
- may increase blood circulation to the damaged area, improving healing, reduces inflammation
E-stim overall does seem to show some usefulness as adjunctive therapy in addition to medications and good blood glucose control. More studies still need to be performed for more conclusive evidence. Still, I think if it is not performed properly, the correct parameters are not used, and if it is not consistently performed, e-stim will not be effective. The authors of this research article have written other articles on the effective use of e-stim to treat DN. Many of the same doctors who wrote some of the other research articles I reviewed were also part of this article. This is the most promising for pain management and improved circulation. More research should be done on e-stim to help with this painful diagnosis.
The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly…
- Controlling blood glucose levels to prevent further damage is key . Podiatrists recommend diabetics have yearly visits to ensure healthy feet and, if DPN is present, to have toenails trimmed professionally to prevent ingrown toenails, fungus, and infections.
- DPN can happen at any age, but the most affected population is the elderly population of 75 years and older (Popescu et al. 2016). Most scams or disinformation are geared towards an uninformed population who might need to gain the educational knowledge to research things before these purchases are made.
- Searching for a quick fix to this painful medical diagnosis, one can see how anyone can easily fall prey to these scams. We can undoubtedly be taken advantage of and persuaded to purchase expensive items, especially when it is “doctor-recommended” or “FDA-approved.” These catchphrases might provide false hope for a cure, and it’s a waste of money.
- Continued research is necessary to find alleviation to this painful diagnosis.
References
Huo, J., Xue, Y., Dong, X., Lv, J., Wu, L., Gao, H., Yang, X., Liu, H., & Gao, Q. (2022, July 11). Efficacy of vitamin and antioxidant supplements for treatments of diabetic peripheral neuropathy. Nutritional Neuroscience. EBSCO. DOI: 10.1080/1028415X.2022.2090606
Lavery, L. A., Murdoch, D. P., Williams, J., & Lavery, D. C. (2008, February 1). Does anodyne light therapy improve peripheral neuropathy in diabetes? Diabetes Care, 31(2). Google Scholar. DOI:10.2337/dc07-1794
Neuropure Dietary Supplement, Neuropure by Premier Vitality, 10 September 2021.
www.Secure.getneuropure.com
Popescu, S., Timar, B., Baderca, F., Simu, M., Diaconu, L., Velea, J., & Timar, R. (2016, March 15). Age as an independent factor for the development of neuropathy in diabetic patients. Clinical Interventions in Aging, 11, 313-318. DOI: 10.2147/CIA.S97295
Trilhas Sunoras. (April 2023) Neuropure, Beware, Neuropure review,
YouTube
