Vitamins & Nutritional Supplements for Raynaud's Disease

In a double-blind trial, supplementation with 12 large capsules of fish oil per day (providing 4 grams of eicosapentaenoic acid [EPA] per day) for 6 or 12 weeks reduced the severity of blood-vessel spasm in 5 of 11 people with Raynaud’s phenomenon. Fish oil was effective in people with primary Raynaud’s disease, but not in those whose symptoms were secondary to another disorder.

Inositol hexaniacinate—a variation on the B vitamin niacin—has been used with some success for relieving symptoms of Raynaud’s disease. In one study, 30 people with Raynaud’s disease taking 4 grams of inositol hexaniacinate each day for three months showed less spasm of their arteries. Another study, involving six people taking 3 grams per day of inositol hexaniacinate, again showed that this supplement improved peripheral circulation. People taking this supplement in these amounts should be under the care of a doctor.

Fatty acids in evening primrose oil (EPO) inhibit the formation of biochemical messengers (prostaglandins) that promote blood vessel constriction. A double-blind trial of 21 people with Raynaud’s disease found that, compared with placebo, supplementation with EPO reduced the number and severity of attacks despite the fact that blood flow did not appear to increase. Researchers have used 3,000–6,000 mg of EPO per day.

In one study, 12 people with Raynaud’s disease were given L-carnitine (1 gram three times a day) for 20 days. After receiving L-carnitine, these people showed less blood-vessel spasm in their fingers in response to cold exposure...