Evidence supporting the use of: Thiamin (vitamin B1)
For the health condition: Burning Feet or Hands

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Synopsis

Source of validity: Traditional
Rating (out of 5): 2

Thiamin (vitamin B1) is primarily used to support or treat "burning feet" or "burning hands" based on traditional and historical evidence rather than robust modern scientific validation. The association between thiamin deficiency and burning sensations in the extremities originates from observations made in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, particularly in populations suffering from beriberi, a disease caused by severe thiamin deficiency. Classic symptoms of beriberi include neuropathy, characterized by tingling, numbness, and burning pain in the feet and hands. In fact, the term "burning feet syndrome" was commonly used to describe one of the hallmark neurological manifestations of beriberi. Supplementation with thiamin was historically shown to alleviate these symptoms in affected individuals, lending traditional support to its use for burning feet or hands—particularly when the underlying cause is thiamin deficiency. However, burning sensations in the extremities can also result from a wide range of other medical conditions (e.g., diabetes, nerve compression, vitamin B12 deficiency), for which thiamin supplementation is not generally effective unless a deficiency is present. Modern clinical research supporting thiamin for burning feet or hands outside of overt deficiency is limited. Thus, while traditional evidence is strong for deficiency states, scientific validation for broader use is limited. Thiamin remains an important treatment for neuropathy due to deficiency, but is not a general remedy for all cases of burning extremities.

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