Sciatica

Sciatica is a set of symptoms that occurs when the sciatic nerve becomes irritated or compressed, causing pain in the buttocks and legs.

If you have nerve damage as a result of sciatica, or other nerve injury, consider increasing your intake of the following nutrients which have been shown to assist with nerve repair.

1) Omega-3

Studies suggest that that a high level of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids in the body could lead to protection of nerve cells and have beneficial effects on the recovery nerves after nerve injury.

2) B vitamins

B vitamins (especially B1, B6, B9 and B12) are extremely important for nerve health. 

Deficiency has been linked with neuropathy and migraines and addition of a vitamin B complex has been shown to promote the regeneration and functional recovery of injured sciatic nerves.

3) Magnesium

Magnesium is a key nutrient for healing & repair. Deficiency in magnesium leads to disturbed healing and can cause numbness, tingling as well as increased inflammation, potentially leading to headache, migraine and fibromyalgia.

References:

Mauro, G. L., Martorana, U., Cataldo, P., Brancato, G., & Letizia, G. (2000). Vitamin B12 in low back pain: A randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled study. European review for medical and pharmacological sciences, 4, 53-58.

Pan, H. C., Sheu, M. L., Su, H. L., Chen, Y. J., Chen, C. J., Yang, D. Y., ... & Cheng, F. C. (2011). Magnesium supplement promotes sciatic nerve regeneration and down-regulates inflammatory response. Magnesium Research, 24(2), 54-70.

Silva, R. V., Oliveira, J. T., Santos, B. L., Dias, F. C., Martinez, A. M., Lima, C. K., & Miranda, A. L. (2017). Long-chain omega-3 fatty acids supplementation accelerates nerve regeneration and prevents neuropathic pain behavior in mice. Frontiers in Pharmacology, 8, 723.