Mark L. Gostine, M.D., founder of Michigan Pain Consultants, PC, one of the nation’s leading full-service pain management practices, and Lawrence Pawl, M.D., a recognized oncologist, today released the results of a new study revealing that the under consumption of micronutrients—essential vitamins, minerals and antioxidants—can accelerate pain and other complications associated with diabetic neuropathy, a peripheral nerve disorder caused by diabetes. Of the 20.8 million reported diabetics in the country, an estimated 70 percent, or 14.6 million, have or will develop some form of diabetic neuropathy.

“While the over consumption of macro-nutrients, such as carbohydrates and fats, is recognized as a root cause of type 2 diabetes, we set out to determine if the under consumption of select micro-nutrients might be the cause of diabetic complications such as neuropathy,” said Gostine. “What we found is that restoring a group of five dietary vitamins and minerals was very effective in alleviating a number of key symptoms, including burning, numbness and overall pain.”

During the six-month long study, patients were asked to rate eight parameters using a modification of the Wong-Baker FACES Pain Rating Scale where pain is rated on a scale from 1 to 10. The patients who participated in the study reported an average rating of 6.59 for “burning pain in hands and feet” before taking the combination of micronutrients and a 2.44 rating after 12 weeks, a 63 percent decrease. In addition, patients reported an average rating of 6.54 for “overall pain” before taking the combination of micro-nutrients and a 2.85 rating after 12 weeks, representing a 56 percent decrease.

“Our goal with this study was to better understand how to more effectively manage pain and other complications associated with diabetic neuropathy,” added Gostine. “It’s not just that people are eating too much bad food; it’s that they are eating too little of high quality foods. In other words, it’s not what you eat; it’s what you don’t eat that hurts you.”