Some studies have led medical health practitioners to the conclusion that carpal tunnel syndrome can be successfully treated with increased supplementation of vitamin B6. This research concludes that CTS is brought on by the joints and ligaments in the hand and wrist becoming weakened by too little of this very important vitamin.

For instance, in research conducted by the Portland Hand Surgery and Rehabilitation Center in Oregon, 441 people were examined and it was concluded that in these patients higher levels of vitamin B6 corresponded with fewer incidences of carpal tunnel syndrome symptoms. PHSRC also concluded that higher levels of vitamin C in proportion to lower vitamin B6 levels corresponded with more incidences and greater frequency of flare-ups of carpal tunnel symptoms. Similarly, Japanese university student research with a random sample of 174 students concluded that lowered levels of vitamin B6 led to increased risk of getting CTS.

There are many ways to get enough vitamin B6 into your diet besides the ubiquitous gel caps. You can also get this vitamin from a long list of good for you foods. Turkey, sunflower seeds, salmon, pork, mangoes, chicken, brown rice, barley, bok choy, bananas, and avocados are all high in the vitamin. Also be aware that drinking a moderate amount of beer can raise your levels of B6. There are several ways, though, that you might find yourself in a vitamin B6 deficit. For instance, women who take oral contraceptives can find themselves running low on it, while consuming too much food with Yellow Dye #5 in it can have the same effect; it is found in some processed cheeses and some pickles. High stress is another thing that can deplete the level of vitamin B6 in your system.

When people do choose to take supplements, they usually are told to do so with 50 mg doses no more than three times per day. B6 supplements might cause increased urination. Health practitioners agree that you should not get more than 200 mg of B6 per day unless you’re instructed to do so by a physician. In greater dosages, B6 is a neurotoxin which can also harm sensory nerves.

Yet, that appears to be what happened in some of these research cases. “A number of small studies and some anecdotal evidence have convinced many physicians to routinely prescribe supplementation with vitamin B6 as part of the clinical management of carpal tunnel syndrome…Our primary concern is that patients may be overdosing on vitamin B6 as prescribed by their physicians, some of whom are prescribing 300 milligrams a day or more,” warns Dr. Alfred Franzblau of the University of Michigan School of Public Health.

What role does vitamin B6 play when it comes to preventing carpal tunnel syndrome? Do you feel comfortable with the research that has been done? Perhaps more safely, you would be interested in the use of physical exercise to alleviate and prevent the pain of CTS. These exercises do not involve drugs, have reliable results and at the same time can be done anywhere you want!

Developed CTS exercises are non-invasive and drug free. They are designed to be used to strengthen the hand and wrist so that CTS symptoms fade away and future possibilities of getting carpal tunnel syndrome are prevented. It is likely that these will be even more effective for you. Follow this link to see more carpal tunnel exercises.