One diabetic side effect is neuropathy. This is a condition where the nerves of the body are damaged. It is called “Diabetic Peripheral (referring to the outer part of the body) Neuropathy”. This type of neuropathy affects the feet and legs, hands and arms, and it can occur on both sides of the body. In fact, 40 percent of type 2 diabetics experience Diabetic Peripheral Neuropathy.

Diabetic Peripheral Neuropathy shows up as one or more of the following symptoms:|

* Tingling or numbness in the fingers, toes or legs.
* Feeling cold, burning or pain in the hands, feet or legs.
* Extreme sensitivity to touch, even a light touch.
* Sharp pains or cramps.
* Loss of balance and coordination.

These symptoms are often worse at night.

Higher than normal sugar levels in the body cause the outer sheathing (protective covering) of nerve cells to degenerate. This is similar to an electrical wire that is covered with insulation, and the insulation is beginning to crumble. Without insulation the unprotected wire will start short-circuiting.

In the same way, when the sheathing of nerve cells degenerate, the signals being transmitted are scrambled, resulting in your body receiving signals that are interpreted as numbness, heat, cold, tingling, pain, etc.

It has been known for some time that increased levels of Tiamine (vitamin B1) in the blood stream are very effective in reducing and reversing diabetic neuropathy. Unfortunately, the oral intake of vitamin B1 does not greatly increase the levels of B1 in the blood stream. Previously, the way that blood stream levels of B1 were increased was through periodic intravenous feeding or through injections every few weeks.

The reason that methods like this had to be used is that Tiamine (sometimes spelled Thiamine), like all of the B vitamins, is water-soluble. It cannot be stored in the body and flushes out within 4 to 5 hours. Oral intake of Tiamine over 5 mg results in greatly reduced bioavailability and immediate flushing from the body (this is why urine frequently turns yellow when taking larger doses of B vitamins).

Now, a new type of vitamin B1 has been produced, called Benfotiamine. It is a fat-soluble version of vitamin B1. What this means is that this new form of vitamin B1 can be taken orally in large dosages and it will not flush out of the body the way ordinary Tiamine (vitamin B1) does.

The result is that the blood stream levels of vitamin B1 can now be greatly increased, enabling a rapid and effective decrease or elimination of the symptoms of Diabetic Peripheral Neuropathy.

Many of our diabetics now using Benfotiamine report a lessening of their neuropathy symptoms within 4 to 7 days, and Benfotiamine has been shown to be non-toxic and without any side effects even in very high dosages.