[Healing of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis: A Case Report]

Complement Med Res. 2017;24(3):175-181. doi: 10.1159/000477397. Epub 2017 Jun 12.
[Article in German]

Abstract

Background: Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a devastating disease leading to death within 3-5 years in most cases. New approaches to treating this disease are needed. Here, we report a successful therapy.

Case report: In a 49-year-old male patient suffering from muscle weakness and fasciculations, progressive muscular atrophy, a variant of ALS, was diagnosed after extensive examinations ruling out other diseases. Due to supposed mercury exposure from residual amalgam, the patient's teeth were restored. Then, the patient received sodium 2,3-dimercaptopropanesulfate (DMPS; overall 86 × 250 mg in 3 years) in combination with α-lipoic acid and followed by selenium. In addition, he took vitamins and micronutrients and kept a vegetarian diet. The excretion of metals was monitored in the urine. The success of the therapy was followed by scoring muscle weakness and fasciculations and finally by electromyography (EMG) of the affected muscles. First improvements occurred after the dental restorations. Two months after starting therapy with DMPS, the mercury level in the urine was increased (248.4 µg/g creatinine). After 1.5 years, EMG confirmed the absence of typical signs of ALS. In the course of 3 years, the patient recovered completely.

Conclusions: The therapy described here is a promising approach to treating some kinds of motor neuron disease and merits further evaluation in rigorous trials.

Keywords: Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis; Chelation therapy; Heavy metals; Mercury; Motor neuron disease; Progressive muscular atrophy.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis / chemically induced*
  • Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis / drug therapy
  • Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis / therapy*
  • Dental Amalgam / chemistry*
  • Dental Restoration, Permanent
  • Environmental Exposure
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Mercury* / urine
  • Middle Aged
  • Muscular Atrophy, Spinal / chemically induced
  • Muscular Atrophy, Spinal / drug therapy
  • Muscular Atrophy, Spinal / therapy
  • Selenium / administration & dosage
  • Thioctic Acid / administration & dosage
  • Treatment Outcome
  • Unithiol / administration & dosage

Substances

  • Unithiol
  • Thioctic Acid
  • Dental Amalgam
  • Mercury
  • Selenium