Alternative Treatments for ALS

With so few FDA-approved drugs available for ALS, many people look for alternative treatments that might cure, reverse, or slow the progression of ALS. These off-label treatments can come in the form of special diets, dietary supplements with vitamins, minerals, and herbs, or therapies such as acupuncture and energy healing.
Some alternative treatments, such as curcumin, have shown promise in clinical trials. The majority of supplements that are advertised on the internet, however, do not have any hard evidence to back up claims that they are safe, effective, or clinically proven.

​Unlike prescription drugs, which must undergo a rigorous approval process, natural supplements in the United States are not regulated by the FDA. There are very few requirements in place to ensure the safety or quality of these alternative options.

A word of caution

Unfortunately, there are some bad actors online who market unproven miracle cures to profit from people who are desperate to improve their conditions. Some people living with ALS have spent a lot of money on unproven alternative treatments that never yielded results. Some have even been physically harmed by unregulated alternative treatments.

So, if you hear about a special product that sounds too good to be true, it probably is. Be sure to do your research, and always consult with your neurologist and ALS clinic team before pursuing any alternative treatments.

How to make informed decisions

Fortunately, there is a website that can help you make sense of alternative/off-label treatment options for ALS.

​On www.ALSUntangled.com, Duke ALS Clinic neurologist Dr. Richard Bedlack and 130 clinicians and scientists from around the world objectively review and assign letter grades to alternative treatments that are of interest to people living with ALS.

​Dozens of completed reviews can help you see which alternative treatments show the most promise.