Research appearing in  Diabetes Research and Clinical Practice (epublished April 13, 2011 ahead of print) looked at vitamin supplementation and its effect on diabetic neuropathy. The subjects in the  randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study were 67 patients with type 2 diabetes. The subjects were divided into three groups. They received either a placebo or supplements containing a daily dosage of zinc (20 mg), magnesium (250 mg), vitamin C (200 mg), vitamin E (100 mg), or supplements containing thiamin, riboflavin, pyridoxine, biotin, folic acid and vitamin B12 (along with the same nutrients given to the other supplemented group) for four months. Neuropathy scores were based on the MNSI questionnaire. Patients receiving the basic supplementation had a reduction in neuropathy symptoms, scores went from an average of 3.96 to 1.0. Further improvement was experienced by the third group that received the additional B vitamins; their score improved from 3.45 to 0.64 on the MNSI questionnaire.  According to the authors of the study, “These studies suggest that micronutrients supplementation might ameliorate diabetic neuropathy symptoms.”