Ataxia natural treatment
June 6 2017

Ataxia is a neurological sign and symptom that involves lack of coordination of muscle movements. It is a non-specific clinical manifestation implying dysfunction of parts of the nervous system that coordinate movement, such as the cerebellum. Many medical and neurological conditions can cause lack of coordination of muscle movements.

Ataxia cause
Ataxia has many causes.

Drug Intoxication and overdose
Medication side effect
Alcohol intoxication
Metabolic disorder
Multiple sclerosis
Parkinsonism
Vascular dementia
Brain lesion
Cerebellar degeneration
Cerebellar mass
Cerebellar infarct
Cerebellar infarct
Cerebellar hemorrhage
Glioma
Stroke and Transient ischemic attack
Wernicke's encephalopathy
   JPEN J Parenter Enteral Nutr. 2015. Thiamin in Clinical Practice. Thiamin is a water-soluble vitamin also known as vitamin B1. Its biologically active form, thiamin pyrophosphate (TPP), is a cofactor in macronutrient metabolism. In addition to its coenzyme roles, TPP plays a role in nerve structure and function as well as brain metabolism. Signs and symptoms of thiamin deficiency (TD) include lactic acidosis, peripheral neuropathy, ataxia, and ocular changes (eg, nystagmus). More advanced symptoms include confabulation and memory loss and/or psychosis, resulting in Wernicke's encephalopathy and/or Wernicke's Korsakoff syndrome, respectively. The nutrition support clinician should be aware of patients who may be at risk for TD. Risk factors include those patients with malnutrition due to 1 or more nutrition-related etiologies: decreased nutrient intake, increased nutrient losses, or impaired nutrient absorption. Clinical scenarios such as unexplained heart failure or lactic acidosis, renal failure with dialysis, alcoholism, starvation, hyperemesis gravidarum, or bariatric surgery may increase the risk for TD.
Selective vitamin E deficiency, in this situation I prefer to use a natural vitamin E supplement complex rather than alpha tocopherol alone.

Spinocerebellar ataxia type 2 (SCA2)
Patients with spinocerebellar ataxia type 2 (SCA2) have progressive cerebellar ataxia, including nystagmus, and sometimes ophthalmoparesis or parkinsonism.

Neurochem Res. 2011.
Oral zinc sulphate supplementation for six months in SCA2 patients: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial.
Centro Para la Investigación y Rehabilitación de las Ataxias Hereditarias, Carretera Central Km 5 ½ Reparto Edecio Pérez, Holguín, Cuba. Cuban patients with Spinocerebellar Ataxia type 2 (SCA2) have reduced concentrations of zinc in serum and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). To assess the effect and safety of zinc supplementation, 36 Cuban SCA2 patients were randomly assigned to receive daily either 50 mg ZnSO(4) or placebo, together with neurorehabilitation therapy in a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial during 6 months. Outcome measures included the changes of zinc levels in CSF and serum, ataxia score, oxidative stress and saccadic eye movements. At the end of the study, the Zinc-treated group showed: a significant increase of the Zn levels in the CSF, mild decrease in the ataxia scale subscores for gait, posture, stance and dysdiadochocinesia, reduction of lipid's oxidative damage, and reduction of saccadic latency when compared with the placebo group. The treatment was safe and well tolerated by all subjects. This study demonstrated the efficacy and safety of Zn supplementation, combined with neurorehabilitation for SCA2 patients and therefore it may encourage further studies on the clinical effect of zinc supplementation in SCA2 based in the conduction of future clinical trials with higher number of subjects.

Ataxia natural treatment emails
My wife has been diagnosed with ataxia, she is losing her ability to walk, talk and write. Is there something you know or aware of to slow down her infirmities.
   Before treatment is initiated, the cause must be determined.

I am just writing to ask what supplements do you recommend taking for the neurological disease called MELAS and for reversing ataxia caused from medical side effects?
   A. This is not an area I have studied in detail at this time.