Like any part of your body, your nerves have an ongoing process of maintenance and repair that requires nutrients. Demands are higher when the nervous system is stressed or damaged as a result of disease or trauma. Many foods, herbs and supplements that have been thought to speed the process of nerve healing are being supported through scientific research. However, you should always consult your physician before using herbs and supplements as part of a healing regimen.
Chromium
Insulin resistance and its associated high glucose levels can lead to nerve damage in your central nervous system, according to a study in the 2010 Nutritional Neuroscience. The study looked at chromium supplementation as a means to reverse neurologic impairment in older adults with memory and cognitive decline. Human participants were given chromium picolinate supplements for 12 weeks and were evaluated with tests for memory and depression, as well as with MRI studies. The researchers found that learning rate and retention were not enhanced by chromium picolinate supplementation, however, an aspect of cognition known as semantic interference was reduced, resulting in less inhibition of learning, recall and recognition memory tasks. MRI results indicated increased activation of certain processing areas of the brain, including the right thalamic, right temporal, right posterior parietal and both frontal regions. You should talk to your doctor to decide if chromium supplements are right for you.
Zizyphus Jujuba
Zizyphus jujuba, also known as Chinese date, a small deciduous shrub, has been used in Traditional Chinese Medicine for thousands of years, according to a 2010 study published in the Journal of Medicinal Foods. The study observed the effects of Zizyphus jujubus in gerbils with ischemia--nerve damage from decreased blood supply. The gerbils were given Zizyphus jujuba for 10 days, after which the researchers noted decreased nerve damage from a process called reactive gliosis--a form of nerve scarring--in the treated group, compared to a control group that did not receive zizyphus. Additionally, activity levels of the antioxidant superoxide dismutase and a nerve-growth promoter called neutrotrophic factor were increased in the treated group. The researchers concluded that supplementation with Zizyphus jujubus can protect neurons from ischemic damage. As this testing did not involve human subjects, be sure to speak with your physician before taking any supplements with zizyphus.
Fish Oil
Diabetic neuropathy is a complication of diabetes involving nerve damage from high blood sugar levels. A 1999 Journal of Nutrition study found fish oil to have a protective effect on sciatic nerves of diabetic rats, and to be more effective than olive oil. Nerve conduction speed was improved by fish oil and microscope analysis of the nerves showed them to be healthier and containing more myelin--the fatty insulation layer around nerve cells--after fish oil treatment, whereas olive oil did not restore the myelin covering of the nerves. The researchers concluded that fish oil can help in the prevention and repair of diabetic neuropathy. Ask your doctor if fish oil supplements are right for you.
References
- "Nutritional Neuroscience": Improved Cognitive-Cerebral Function in Older Adults With Chromium Supplementation; Krikorian R, et al.; June 2010
- "Journal of Medicinal Food": Zizyphus Attenuates Ischemic Damage in the Gerbil Hippocampus via its Antioxidant Effect; Yoo KY, et al.; June 2010
- "Neuromolecular Medicine": Dietary Supplementation With S-Adenosyl Methionine Delays the Onset of Motor Neuron Pathology in a Murine Model of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis; Suchy J, et al.; June 2010
- "Journal of Nutrition": Fish Oil Supplementation Prevents Diabetes-Induced Nerve Conduction Velocity and Neuroanatomical Changes in Rats; Gerbi A. et al.; January 1999
