What is the significance of alternative medical practices?

Scientifically based medicine has not yet found a cure for ALS. Nor is it yet realistic to expect the disease to stop progressing or to be significantly slowed down. Against this backdrop, many patients embark on an (understandable) search for alternative therapies. The range of treatment options available is very broad and typically includes the intake of vitamins, trace elements, and dietary supplements. In addition, there are various “diets” and “detoxification methods.”

The treatment is offered outside of ALS centers and neurology clinics and is usually recommended by doctors and therapists who do not have specialized training in neurology or a specialization in ALS. Based on our own experience with countless reports on various alternative medical approaches, we are not aware of any patient who has achieved a cure, a halt in the progression of the disease, or a sustained slowing of the disease’s progression through alternative medical treatment. With certain approaches—such as specific massage techniques or a high-energy diet—symptoms may improve. Furthermore, alternative medical treatments—and the associated hope for a therapeutic effect—may provide psychological support and improve a patient’s ability to cope with the disease. This aspect has not yet been systematically investigated.

Overall, alternative medical approaches should not be recommended as “alternatives” in the sense of being a counterproposal to specialized ALS care, but rather should be understood as complementary. Therefore, the term “complementary medicine” is preferable to the term “alternative medicine.” It is recommended that patients also report any complementary medical measures they are using during their visits to ALS centers so that the treatment can be assessed and reviewed. It should be borne in mind that certain measures may be associated with negative effects (e.g., exacerbation of malnutrition due to inappropriate diets and “detoxification” regimens).