Acetyl-L-Carnitine
There are good theoretical mechanisms for carnitines, some preclinical evidence for LC and ALCAR, and a single clinical trial that suggested ALCAR could slow disease progression in PALS. All three…
Risk: B
Grade B: More than 0% but less than 10% of exposed patients experienced harms (no hospitalizations or deaths)
L-Carnitine
There are good theoretical mechanisms for carnitines, some preclinical evidence forLC and ALCAR, and a single clinical trial that suggested ALCAR could slow disease progression in PALS. All three carnitines…
Glutathione
As an ALS treatment, glutathione and cysteine-containing supplements that increase glutathione appear reasonably safe, and they have a plausible mechanism, positive preclinical data and 2 interesting case reports. Unfortunately small…
Acuscope
Acuscope appears reasonably safe, but it is not clear that it has a mechanism of action that would be useful to PALS. One person with PLS experienced slightly slower ALSFRS-R…
Protandim
Protandim appears reasonably safe and inexpensive, has a promising mechanism by which it could help ALS, and there is a patient with a validated ALS diagnosis whose ALSFRS-R score improved…
Methylcobalamin
MeCbl has promising mechanisms and positive preclinical data from two different ALS models. Unfortunately, the anecdotal data we found did not identify any clear specific benefit, and the best of…
TUDCA
Ursodiol has interesting mechanisms of action, appears reasonably safe and well-tolerated, has anecdotal reports of benefit in 6/21 of patients who report taking it, and a form of it (Yoo’s…
Vitamin D
At this time, there is evidence that PALS, like those with other chronic illnesses, are at increased risk for vitamin D deficiency. It is, therefore, reasonable to screen PALS for…