Light therapy has not yet been convincingly shown to help people with ALS. However, at specific wavelengths and energy densities, LT appears safe and has theoretically plausible mechanisms. There is a single case report suggesting benefits for light therapy in ALS, but it contains in sufficient detail to independently confirm diagnosis or treatment benefit. Further studies are needed to determine whether LT is useful for people with ALS, and via what specific protocols.
Risks (harms that occurred on this treatment)
Vitamin E
Vitamin E (a-tocopherol) is perhaps the most studied supplement in the history of ALS and was taken by one of the most famous ALS patients. Vitamin E has mechanistic potential in ALS as an antioxidant but appears in the SOD1 mutant mouse model to only have an effect on delaying disease onset. This bears out in human populations as large prospective cohorts show that long-duration vitamin E supplementation may decrease the risk of ALS, but randomized clinical trials show that even high dose vitamin E does not benefit the disease once ALS has been diagnosed. Although it is inexpensive and safe, we do not recommend vitamin E to slow, stop or reverse ALS
based on the lack of efficacy in clinical trials.
Dean Kraft, Energy Healer
In our opinion, Dean Kraft’s energy healing lacks a plausible scientific rationale. The experiments listed on his website as proof of his being able to emit some sort of energy have never been published in a peer-reviewed journal and thus cannot be properly validated. The strongest evidence for his being able to heal ALS comes from the case report of Nelda Buss who appeared to have ALS, and while under the care of Dean Kraft and a physical therapist, recovered nearly completely. Spontaneous remissions in ALS are very rare, but certainly have been reported before. One case cannot be considered proof of a specific treatment effect. At a minimum, a small well- designed case series would be necessary. We would be happy to work with Dean Kraft to design such a study if he is interested. Without more evidence, ALSUntangled cannot support this expensive alternative treatment for ALS.