In a new human trial, researchers found that the antioxidants selenium, beta–carotene, vitamin C, alpha–tocopherol and methionine reduced pain in subjects with pancreatitis.
Scientists evaluated the effects of antioxidant supplementation on pain relief, oxidative stress and antioxidant status in patients with pancreatitis.
In a placebo–controlled, double blind trial, 35 subjects with alcoholic pancreatitis and 92 with idiopathic pancreatitis were randomized to groups that were given a placebo or 600 micrograms of selenium, 0.54 grams ascorbic acid, 9,000 IU beta–carotene, 270 IU alpha–tocopherol and 2 grams of the amino acid methionine.
After 6 months, subjects in the antioxidant group reported significantly less painful days per month (a 7.4 percent reduction) compared with the placebo group, who experienced only a 3.2 percent reduction. The reduction in the number of analgesic tablets per month was also higher in the antioxidant group (10.5 less analgesics versus 4.4 less in the placebo group). Furthermore, 32 percent of the patients in the antioxidant group became free of abdominal pain while only 13 percent of patients in the placebo group became pain free by the end of the study. The researchers also noted significantly higher reductions in a marker of oxidative stress in patients taking the antioxidants as well as increased levels of a marker associated with antioxidant levels. Furthermore, the pain reduction in the antioxidant group resulted in less days of work lost.
The researchers noted that their results indicate free radicals may play a role in pancreatitis–associated inflammation and that the subsequent reduction in markers of oxidative stress after antioxidant supplementation suggests that this injury is reversible.
According to the study authors, “Antioxidant supplementation was effective in relieving pain and reducing levels of oxidative stress in patients with CP [chronic pancreatitis].”
Reference:
Bhardwaj P, Garg PK, Maulik SK, Saraya A, Tandon RK, Acharya SK. A Randomized Controlled Trial of Antioxidant Supplementation for Pain Relief in Patients With Chronic Pancreatitis. Gastroenterology. January 2009;136(1):149–159.
Combining a high–potency multivitamin such as Extend Plus with extra selenium (methylselenocysteine) and Amino EDGE (which contains methionine) can provide nourishing quantities of the antioxidants mentioned above.