New Research Offers “Glimmer of Hope” for Slowing ALS Through Vitamin Shots

Posted on: Tuesday, January 2nd 2024 at 9:30 am

Written By: 

Sayer Ji, Founder

Could a simple, safe vitamin supplement be the long sought after ALS mitigating treatment the drug companies have long dreamed of but have failed to deliver? 

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a devastating neurodegenerative disorder targeting motor neurons, leading to rapid loss of muscle control and function. Few pharmaceutical treatments for ALS have proven effective so far.1

But new research offers a glimmer of hope. A randomized trial in Japan found that regular injections of a high-dose vitamin B12 derivative known as methylcobalamin (distinct from the more popular cyanide containing forms on the market) significantly slowed disease progression in ALS patients enrolled soon after symptom onset.2

The study divided 130 recently-diagnosed ALS patients into groups receiving either an ultra-high dose of 50-mg methylcobalamin injections or placebo injections twice weekly. After 16 weeks, those taking methylcobalamin retained over 40% more functional abilities versus placebo based on a standard ALS rating scale.3

The effects were similar to those seen in a previous trial, reinforcing the compound’s reproducible benefits for early-stage ALS cases.4 Methylcobalamin was also well-tolerated with negligible side effects.

This modified form of vitamin B12 plays important roles in nerve cell function.5 By correcting deficiencies and protecting motor neurons, it may counter destructive disease processes in ALS.

Lead author Dr. Ryosuke Oki said, “Methylcobalamin shows promise as a moderately effective and very safe drug that can slow disability when ALS is caught early.” Larger and longer studies are still needed to verify optimal dosing.  

But these exciting results suggest readily supplementing vitamin B12 levels could help preserve precious mobility and independence for newly-diagnosed patients. As research progresses, methylcobalamin may offer a convenient add-on treatment to further enhance future ALS therapies.

Whereas FDA-approved treatments for ALS proven to be effective and safe are exceedingly difficult to come by, there are a wide range of natural substances that have been found promising for ALS in preliminary studies which can be viewed on the Greenmedinfo.com ALS database here. 

For more research on the therapeutic value of B12, visit our database on the subject here.

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References

1. Fang T, Al Khleifat A, Meurgey JH, et al. Stage at which riluzole treatment prolongs survival in patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: a retrospective analysis of data from a dose-ranging study. Lancet Neurol. 2018;17(5):416-422. doi:10.1016/S1474-4422(18)30054-1  

2. Oki R, Izumi Y, Fujita K, et al. Efficacy and Safety of Ultrahigh-Dose Methylcobalamin in Early-Stage Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis: A Randomized Clinical Trial. JAMA Neurol. 2022;79(6):575-583. doi:10.1001/jamaneurol.2022.0901

3. Oki et al. 2022

4. Kaji R, Imai T, Iwasaki Y, et al. Ultrahigh-dose methylcobalamin in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: a long-term phase II/III randomised controlled study. J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry. 2019;90(4):451-457. doi:10.1136/jnnp-2018-319294  

5. Birch CS, Brasch NE, McCaddon A, Williams JHH. A novel role for vitamin B(12): cobalamins are intracellular antioxidants in vitro. Free Radic Biol Med. 2009;47(2):184-188. doi:10.1016/j.freeradbiomed.2009.04.023