Treatment and trials
Supplements: what the evidence says
At a glanceNo supplement has been shown to treat CMT2C or slow it down. A few may help with a specific problem, such as a low vitamin D level. Think of a supplement as a possible extra, never as a replacement for exercise, braces, therapy or the care your doctors give.
Start here: talk to your neurologist first
Supplements are easy to buy, so it is tempting to start several at once. A few small steps make it safer and make it easier to tell whether anything is helping.
- Bring the full list. Show your neurologist or pharmacist everything you take, with doses. Dietitians at the Muscular Dystrophy Association advise checking with your doctor before taking any supplement [136]. This matters most if you take a blood thinner or diabetes medicine, have kidney problems or are pregnant, because a few of the supplements below need extra care in those cases.
- Change one thing at a time. Write down what you started and when, so you and your doctor can tell what is making a difference. The symptom tracker has space for this.
- Agree on a review date. Decide together what you hope will change and when you will check. If nothing has changed by then, it is fine to stop.
Supplement by supplement
Each card below covers why a supplement might help with CMT2C, what studies show, and what is known about its safety. None of these supplements have been shown to treat CMT2C.
Why so much is still unknown
Most of these supplements have never been studied in CMT2C, and that is mostly about money. Research on rare diseases is often short of funding, partly because so few people are affected [171]. Supplements are also hard to patent, so their makers have little reason to pay for large trials [172].
So a missing study does not mean a supplement cannot help: often nobody has checked yet. It also works the other way. Not finding harm is not the same as proof of safety, which is why each card below has a safety note. For most of these supplements, at the doses people usually take, the side effects reported are uncommon and mild. So when a supplement has few side effects and might help, it is reasonable to read up on it, talk it over with your doctor or pharmacist, and decide for yourself.
Choosing a supplement safely
Supplements can be beneficial, but they can also have side effects or interact with medicines [175]. In the US, the FDA does not approve supplements for safety or effectiveness before they are sold [173], and the government does not regularly test what is in them [175]. A few habits help:
- Look for a third-party seal. Groups such as USP, NSF International and ConsumerLab.com award their own seals. To earn one, a product must be made following good manufacturing practices, contain what the label says, and not contain harmful levels of things that do not belong, such as lead [175]. A seal is about quality, not proof that a supplement works.
- Take the dose on the label, no more. Some ingredients can be harmful in high amounts or over a long time [173], and more is not better [175].
- Remember that “natural” does not mean safe [173].
- Tell your doctor and pharmacist about everything you take, because some supplements interact with medicines [174]. Always tell them before any surgery [177].
- Be wary of hype. Sound health advice is usually built on research over time, not a single study [173].
- If you notice side effects, stop taking the supplement and contact your doctor [176].
Vitamin D
Worth checking: test your level
Why it might help. People with CMT have about a 1.5-fold higher risk of fractures not caused by osteoporosis [143], and too little vitamin D can lead to weak bones and fractures [140].
What studies show. No trials of vitamin D treatment in CMT were found. In older adults living at home who are not deficient, supplements do not prevent falls, and the US Preventive Services Task Force advises against taking them for that [142]. So the sensible route is to test your level and treat a deficiency if one is found.
Safety. The safe upper limit for adults is 4,000 IU (100 mcg) a day, and problems almost always come from taking too much vitamin D from supplements [162]. Ask your doctor which amount is right for you [162].
Omega-3 (fish oil)
Possible: weak evidence, none in CMT
Why it might help. Omega-3 has been studied as a way to protect nerves from damage [138]. The hope is that this could carry over to CMT2C, but it has not been tested in CMT.
What studies show. In a trial of 57 people having paclitaxel chemotherapy, 70% of those taking omega-3 did not develop nerve damage, compared with 40.7% on placebo [137]. Reviews rate the evidence for chemotherapy nerve damage as low certainty [138] and find there may be little or no benefit in diabetic neuropathy [139]. No studies in CMT were found.
Safety. Side effects are usually mild, such as an unpleasant taste, bad breath or an upset stomach [160]. If you take a blood thinner, check with your doctor first, because omega-3 may interact with medicines that affect blood clotting [161].
Creatine
Mixed: helped in muscle diseases, not shown in CMT
Why it might help. Creatine improved strength in muscle diseases [67], and CMT2C causes muscle weakness [6], so the hope is that it could support strength, especially alongside exercise.
What studies show. In muscular dystrophies, a Cochrane review of 14 trials found it improved strength by a mean of 8.47% [67]. In CMT, two small placebo-controlled trials found no benefit for strength or function: one in 39 people taking it without exercise [92], and one in 20 people during 12 weeks of resistance training [62]. A Cochrane review of CMT treatments agrees [94]. CMT weakness comes from the nerves rather than the muscle, which may be why the results do not carry over.
Safety. A typical daily amount is 3 to 5 g [163]. In healthy people, up to 30 g a day for five years was found safe and well tolerated, and the only consistent side effect is weight gain [163]. If you have kidney disease, check with your doctor first [163].
Coenzyme Q10
Untested: CMT trial results never published
Why it might help. Cells use coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) to make energy [165]. In a CMT2C model, mitochondria, the parts of the cell that make that energy, were affected [26], so it makes sense to test CoQ10.
What studies show. A trial in CMT (600 mg a day for up to 48 weeks) was completed in 2013, but no results have been published [70]. CoQ10 is a proven treatment only for primary CoQ10 deficiency, a separate genetic condition [71].
Safety. No serious side effects have been reported; some people get mild trouble sleeping or an upset stomach [164]. If you take warfarin or insulin, check with your doctor first, as CoQ10 may interact with them [164].
Alpha-lipoic acid
Largely negative in diabetic neuropathy; untested in CMT
Why it might help. It has been tested widely for nerve pain in diabetes, where some studies suggested it might help [161].
What studies show. A 2024 Cochrane review of 816 adults with diabetic neuropathy concluded it “probably has little or no effect on neuropathy symptoms” at six months [72]. No studies in CMT were found.
Safety. A 2020 review of 71 studies found it safe in healthy people and in people with several conditions, including neurological disorders [161]. The most common side effects are headache, heartburn and nausea [161].
NAD+ precursors (nicotinamide, NR, NMN)
Early: animal studies only
Why it might help. Nerve fibers have a self-destruct program driven by SARM1, an enzyme that destroys NAD+ (a molecule cells need to make energy) [32]. Supplements that raise NAD+ aim to help nerve fibers survive. This has not been tested in CMT2C.
What studies show. In rats, nicotinamide riboside (NR) prevented and reversed a sign of chemotherapy nerve damage, according to the manufacturer’s summary [74]. A human trial in chemotherapy nerve damage has not reported results [75]. No human data in CMT were found.
Safety. Nicotinamide does not appear to cause the side effects of niacin, a related form [166]. Human trials of NMN at 100 to 2,000 mg a day suggest it is generally safe, though its long-term safety still needs study and there is no set upper limit [167].
Urolithin A (Mitopure)
Mixed: small trials in healthy adults
Why it might help. In a fruit fly model of CMT2C, mitochondria traveled poorly along nerve fibers [26]. Urolithin A is marketed to help cells recycle worn-out mitochondria [68], so it might support healthier mitochondria, though this has not been tested.
What studies show. In a trial of 66 older adults taking 1,000 mg a day for four months, the main goals were not met, although muscle endurance improved at two months [69]. The human trials were funded by the manufacturer or run with its staff [68]. The FDA’s 2018 “no questions” letter on its use as a food ingredient is not an approval or a finding that it works [80]. No studies in CMT or other neuropathies were found.
Safety. At 500 to 1,000 mg a day for up to four months, it was well tolerated with no serious side effects [69]. The brand’s maker has questioned the content of some other urolithin A products sold online, so where you buy it matters [81].
Curcumin
Early: mouse studies in other CMT types
Why it might help. It helped mouse models of CMT1B and of a PMP22 mutation, where a misfolded myelin protein is trapped inside the cell [76]. That problem is not part of TRPV4 disease, so any benefit in CMT2C is a guess.
What studies show. No human CMT trials were found.
Safety. Ordinary turmeric or curcumin is likely safe in recommended amounts for up to two or three months, and side effects are mostly digestive, such as nausea, reflux or an upset stomach [168]. Liver problems have been reported with some “high-absorption” forms: if you take one and notice tiredness, dark urine or yellowing skin, stop and talk with your doctor [168]. Turmeric supplements may not be safe in pregnancy [168].
Magnesium
Negative for cramps
Why it might help. It is often taken for muscle cramps [78].
What studies show. A Cochrane review found it “unlikely that magnesium supplementation provides clinically meaningful cramp prophylaxis to older adults”, and found no trials in disease-related cramps [78].
Safety. Side effects are not common, because the body removes extra magnesium [170]. The adult upper limit from supplements is 350 mg a day; above that, diarrhea and stomach cramps are more likely [161]. If you have kidney problems, check with your doctor first [170].
Vitamin C
Negative: six trials in CMT1A
Why it might help. There is little reason to expect it to help CMT2C. It was tried in CMT1A, a different type, after it looked promising in mice [77].
What studies show. It then failed in six randomized trials. Cochrane concluded: “High-quality evidence indicates that ascorbic acid does not improve the course of CMT1A in adults” [77]. A supplement can be safe and plausible and still not work.
Safety. Serious side effects are very rare, because the body does not store vitamin C [169]. Above 2,000 mg a day it can upset the stomach and, rarely, cause kidney stones [169].
Vitamin B6: check your labels
Too much vitamin B6 can itself cause nerve damage.
- The adult recommended intake is 1.3 to 1.7 mg per day, and the US upper limit is 100 mg per day [58].
- Taking 1 to 6 g per day for 12 to 40 months “can cause severe and progressive sensory neuropathy”, and there are reports of neuropathy at doses below 500 mg per day [58].
- In 2023 the European Food Safety Authority set a much lower upper limit of 12 mg per day for adults [58].
- A 2023 systematic review of medicines in CMT found no studies showing B6 causes extra harm specifically in CMT, so this caution rests on its general nerve toxicity [36].
Practical step: check the labels of every multivitamin, B-complex, energy product and “nerve support” blend you take, and add up the B6.
Medications to be cautious with
The current list from the Charcot-Marie-Tooth Association (CMTA) has two drugs of concern, vincristine and paclitaxel [35]. The Muscular Dystrophy Association also advises consulting your physician before starting any new prescription and avoiding excess alcohol [83]. See Medication cautions for details.
What I personally take
This is my own list as of October 2026. I share it for transparency, because people ask. None of these have been shown to treat CMT2C, and the evidence above applies to my choices too. Please talk to your own clinician before starting any supplement.
- Alpha-lipoic acid, 600 mg daily
- Nicotinamide, 500 mg daily (my interest is the NAD+ and SARM1 axon-survival pathway)
- Coenzyme Q10, the standard dose on the label
- Urolithin A, liposomal (Perpetua.Life), one capsule daily
- Creatine monohydrate, 3 g daily (Pristine’s capsules, NSF Contents Certified)
- Curcumin phytosome (Meriva)
- Magnesium glycinate, the standard dose on the label, at night
- L-theanine
- Vitamin D3, 5,000 IU, twice a week (about 1,400 IU a day on average)
- Vitamin K2 (MK-7), twice a week, on the same days as the vitamin D3
I review this list with my care team, and again whenever new evidence appears.