Effectiveness of use of group B vitamins in patients with diabetic polyneuropathy: A review

Abstract

Recent decades have been marked by a rapid increase in the number of patients suffering from diabetes. The development and progression of complications of the disease have the greatest impact on the life prognosis of patients with diabetes mellitus. One of the common complications of diabetes mellitus is diabetic polyneuropathy. According to expert estimates, diabetic polyneuropathy develops in 50% of patients with diabetes mellitus and in 10–30% of patients in a prediabetic state. In domestic clinical recommendations and algorithms, the treatment of diabetic polyneuropathy is considered only in terms of drugs used to treat the painful form of diabetic polyneuropathy. In the recommendations of international experts, pathogenetically oriented pharmacotherapy (alpha-lipoic acid and benfotiamine) occupies an important place. As part of the review, we examined the use of B vitamins for the treatment of diabetic polyneuropathy. We searched for relevant sources in the PubMed and Scopus information databases, including the time period up to 12.04.2024. Experience with the use of B vitamins shows that their maximum effectiveness is achieved when they are used in combination, which is due to the complementary effect of each individual vitamin. The use of a combination of vitamins B1, B6 and B12 for diabetic polyneuropathy normalizes reflex reactions, helps eliminate sensitivity disorders, increases the speed of conduction along nerve fibers, and has a moderate analgesic effect.

Keywords

• diabetes mellitus
• diabetic polyneuropathy
• treatment
• vitamin b1
• vitamin b6
• vitamin b12
• vitamin b complex
• combilipen®