Does Vitamin B Help Carpal Tunnel?
Table of Contents
- What is vitamin B?
- What B vitamins do
- Why are vitamin B for carpal tunnel so popular?
- Can you overdose on vitamin B?
- Vitamin B12
- Vitamin B6
- Summary
- FAQs
- About
Are you taking supplements like vitamin B for carpal tunnel syndrome? Unfortunately, there is no evidence that vitamin B helps ease
carpal tunnel symptoms at all. In fact, there's no evidence that
any vitamin has an effect on this painful neurological condition. However, it can't hurt to take standard doses of B vitamins as a dietary supplement.
What is vitamin B?
The term “vitamin B” refers to a class of vitamins called the B vitamins. Long ago, scientists thought they were one single nutrient. However, analysis over the years revealed different chemicals within the B structure.
In general, all of the B vitamins occur in the same foods. All are water-soluble and play
key metabolic roles in the cell.
Today, we call them
B vitamins because there are 8 distinct chemicals among them. Actually, they are chemically very different from each other.
As a rule, dietary supplements containing all 8 chemicals are called a “vitamin B complex”. However, most people simply refer to the entire group as “vitamin B”.
The common names of the 8 individual B vitamins are:
- Thiamine: Vitamin B1
- Riboflavin: Vitamin B2
- Niacin: Vitamin B3
- Pantothenic acid: Vitamin B5
- Pyridoxine: Vitamin B6
- Biotin: Vitamin B7
- Folate: Vitamin B9
- Cobalamin: Vitamin B12
What B vitamins do
The B vitamins have various functions throughout the body. Some of the more important functions are in
energy metabolism. Also, they play vital roles in making DNA, RNA, proteins, and lipids (fats). In addition, B vitamins are essential to make red blood cells, hemoglobin, and to fight heart disease. Some of the B vitamins partner with other chemicals to make chemical processes work more efficiently. One B vitamin even has anticancer properties. Recent research shows that vitamin B3 can
prevent skin cancer from recurring.
Why are vitamin B for carpal tunnel so popular?
The relationship between vitamin B & carpal tunnel syndrome has been in the popular culture for years. When we talk about the B vitamins, carpal tunnel syndrome is usually linked to vitamins
B6 and
B12. In fact, it’s normal for many patients to treat their symptoms with vitamin B6 or B12 on their own.
However, the effectiveness of B vitamins on carpal tunnel is controversial because no credible study has ever proven it.
Most of the reasoning for taking these vitamins to treat carpal tunnel comes from
one simple observation. That is, a
lack
of vitamin B6 or B12 causes symptoms
similar to carpal tunnel. For instance, tingling or pins-and-needles in the extremities (like the fingers and hand) are a common sign of
vitamin B deficiency.
In a
recent report, a 39 year old man following a vegan lifestyle became very ill. His arms became numb and he had trouble speaking, in addition to blurred vision. It turns out his vitamin B12 levels were so low that they could not be detected.
Numbness and tingling in such instances are actually signs of a
peripheral neuropathy caused by vitamin deficiency. But it's not due to carpal tunnel syndrome. Since those sensations are
also what patients feel with carpal tunnel syndrome, the false (and enduring) association between carpal tunnel and vitamin B is easy to understand.
By extension, people assume that vitamin B6 and B12 deficiency could trigger carpal tunnel syndrome. So it seems logical that supplementing with these vitamins could help relieve the symptoms.
For patients with peripheral neuropathy
other
than carpal tunnel, vitamin B complex supplements can indeed relieve some symptoms.
However, it the symptoms are due to carpal tunnel syndrome, the supplements have no effect.
Extensive research has been performed over the past two decades to look closely at this relationship.
But unfortunately, regarding a carpal tunnel treatment, no valid scientific study has ever verified using vitamin B. Carpal tunnel syndrome must be treated using
other remedies.
Can you overdose on vitamin B?
Vitamin B12
The National Institutes of Health's
vitamin B12 recommendations say the adult dose of vitamin
B12 is 2.4 micrograms per day. A
new study shows this should be higher in older adults in order to ward off neurological decline like dementia. Unfortunately, the NIH
did not establish the upper tolerable levels for vitamin B12 supplementation. Thus, no one knows for sure if high doses are harmful.
High doses of
vitamin B12 can interact adversely with certain medications. These include medications for gastroesophageal reflux and peptic ulcer disease, as well as metformin (the drug for diabetes). There is also some evidence that high vitamin B12 doses can cause
kidney damage.
Vitamin B6
Unlike vitamin B12, vitamin B6 can be
particularly dangerous in high doses. The adult dose of vitamin
B6
is 1.7mg per day. Taking more than 200mg of B6 daily can cause
nerve damage in your arms and legs. The damage is reversible when you stop taking the supplement. The National Institute of Health's
vitamin B6 recommendations say the adult safe upper limit of vitamin B6 is 100mg per day.
Summary
The story of vitamin B and carpal tunnel syndrome have been linked for decades. But vitamin B has never been scientifically verified as a carpal tunnel therapy. In fact, every credible scientific study performed shows there is
no benefit to taking any vitamin supplements for carpal tunnel. In spite of the data, many people still believe taking vitamin B6 or B12 will help ease the symptoms of this painful condition.
FAQs
I feel that my hand pain is better if I take B vitamins. Is it in my mind?
It's not easy to tell. While studies show that B vitamins don't help carpal tunnel symptoms, anecdotal reports say otherwise. Time will tell if B vitamins really help.
So if I have hand pain, it won't hurt to take B vitamins?
B vitamin supplements should not be dangerous if taken in the recommended doses.
Should I take vitamin B12 or a vitamin B complex?
The choice between taking vitamin
B12 or a
B complex depends on your individual needs and health status.
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