Muscular Dystrophy

An inherited disease that causes the progressive destruction of muscular tissue replacing it by fatty tissue, and appearing in both mild and severe forms is gathered under the umbrella term of muscular dystrophy. Every form of the disease is not serious or necessarily incapacitating, though some forms of the disease can be extremely disruptive to the person life and activity, the disorder as such usually makes an appearance in early childhood.

The most severe form of the various types of muscular dystrophy is the Duchenne muscular dystrophy that makes an appearance in early childhood; affecting young boys between the ages of three and seven, first symptoms begin with muscle weakness. The dystrophy becomes evident when the child’s shows a waddling gait, along with this are seen an extreme clumsiness and a greater tendency to fall repeatedly. The child also finds it difficult to stay erect as the back or the spinal cord curves. There is the presence of abnormally large calves. All such affected children die in young adulthood and most do not live beyond twenty years of age because of the concomitant development of heart and respiratory weaknesses and the majority of Duchenne muscular dystrophy affected children become wheelchair bound before attaining twelve years of age.

While capable of bringing along some forms of debilitation, a milder form of muscular dystrophy is the Becker type. Some forms of muscular dystrophy have no evident influence on life expectancy as such. Because of the fact some these forms of muscular dystrophy only affect the muscles in a specific muscle group and not the entire musculature of the body.

Boys are the only victims of Duchenne muscular dystrophy as well as Becker muscular dystrophy and they are both inherited disorders. Insufficient nourishment or disordered nerve supply to the muscle may be the reason behind the fact that fatty tissue seems to replace muscles in these conditions. Their origin and probable cause is as yet unidentified even if possible genetic were stated before. These have not been proven.

Supplements and herbs

Because deficiency in some nutrients seem to aggravate the symptoms of the disorder, it can be said that nutrient supplements may offer some beneficial effects to the alleviation of the symptoms in a large part of the cases of muscular dystrophy. Symptoms similar to those in muscular dystrophy may become evident in cases where there is a deficiency of vitamin-E in the body. Using vitamins and trace minerals, selenium and the vitamin E in a well balanced form can alleviate the symptoms of the disease according to certain studies done on patients with muscular dystrophy. The progression of the disease has been hampered in a group of patients while in others the condition has significantly improved in several cases when supplements using these vitamins were used.

All essential nutrients that can be used as supplements include the minerals like calcium, the mineral phosphorus, a mineral essential to muscular coordination like manganese, the mineral essential for protein like sulphur, essential substances like iodine and the vitamin B12. Use of amino acids like glutamine and glycine, biocatalyst like coenzyme Q10 and bromelain and fatty acids enzymes like lipase and pancreatin can improve muscle health in the body so many studies suggest. For other important reasons substances such as the B vitamin, the mineral selenium and the compound inositol are actively suggested in this regard. For optimal effect and results supplementation using these substances should be carried out for a couple of months. As a supplement the use of phosphatidylcholine, is also suggested, this is an essential component of the neurotransmitter acetylcholine, which is an important brain chemical vitally important to the transmission of messages in the brain. Phosphatidylcholine is found in abundance in the substance lecithin and the lecithin from soy or soy lecithin is the most suitable form to consume it in.

Relief can be obtained from certain symptoms of muscular dystrophy using herbs or herbal-based supplements.

Wasting and weakening diseases can be treated using the saw palmetto herb. Dosage can be of 3-12 mg taken in standard form thrice a day during the period of supplementation.

What else you can do

It would help greatly to follow regular and routine timing as far as moving the bowels is concerned. This is important because of the fact that an accumulation of toxins can accrue from constipation.

Usual dosage

• Vitamin B complex, age 3 to 6, 15 mg; age 7 to 11, 25 mg
• Vitamin E, with mixed tocopherols, age 3 to 6, 200 IU; age 7 to 11, 250 IU
• Amino complex, age 3 to 6, 250 mg 2 times a day; age 7 to 11, 500 mg 2 times a day
• Digestive enzymes, 1 capsule with meal
• Lecithin, age 3 to 6, 1 tbsp. a day; age 7 to 11, 1 tbsp. 3 times a day
• Coenzyme Q10, 30 mg
• Multimineral - as directed on label