Anxoiusly anticipating

[JerryD]

I read an article that said that the AAN , on April 24th, will present the findings of a French study in which MS patients with progressive disease responded very positively to treatment with large doses of Biotin. The study only included 25 MS patients. Hence the cause of my anticipation. Anyone have anything to add?

[J-Bo]

I had heard something about this, Jerry, but not sure I heard about the results, which are (not going to use the "p" word) encouraging. I don't remember seeing such high percentages for any trial of anything before. Looks like they're already doing some placebo-controlled, double-blind trials.

Like you, I'm feeling cautious about getting my hopes up. But as you probably know, biotin is a readily available non-Rx supplement. I've seen it in 10 mg units as opposed to 100-300 mg used in this trial, but wow, what if it were true? Could they pull it off the market so they could charge people more than the average person's yearly salary? I guess maybe they could figure that out with all that potential $$$ at stake. Then again, nobody appears to have anything proven effective PPMS, so it's not like they actually have anything on the market that would lose out to this. I dunno...

[JerryD]

Thanks for your response, J-Bo. I was hoping that I wasn't 'spitting in the ocean'! I am 'hoping against hope' that this has some positive effectiveness. That's normal people talk for 'efficacy'. Keep hope alive. Maybe this Biotin treatment option will do something positive!

[J-er]

I have also seen , I believe on Bart's (?) that looks like the US and Europe have both put in patents against the amount of Biotin, and I think treatments with it. SO, does sound like something is brewing. I cant imagine they would do that if there wasn't some hope.

[JerryD]

So, while I have been anticipating good news, I have also thought about the possibility that the drug companies will 'rape' us users for this new medication. Then I am also pondering the possibility that this drug, used at the high doses that I've read about, must have some negative side effects. What could those side effects be? Maybe the user's skin turns orange. Or they have annoying stomach distress. But I still maintain my 'hopes' . Come on with it, AAN. I'm ready to hear the news.

[kelm10]

have you considered

Have you considered buying them and taking Bioten. It is available in supplements. Since it is a not a fat soluble suppliment, what ever your body does not need it would excrete it in your urine. Let us know.

[JerryD]

I have considered supplementing with OTC pills. The problem is that I don't know the dose that would be appropriate. The USRDA is the 'gold' standard and from what I read, the 'therapeutic' dose is hundreds of times larger than the RDA dose.

[J-Bo]

I have also seen , I believe on Bart's (?) that looks like the US and Europe have both put in patents against the amount of Biotin, and I think treatments with it. SO, does sound like something is brewing. I cant imagine they would do that if there wasn't some hope.

They can patent the amount? I realize that these companies live and die by patents, and I'm pretty sure that they have legions of attorneys who do nothing but patent law all day and night, but patenting an amount of a non-patented substance is one of the silliest things I've ever heard. It's like saying "Oh, I'm going to patent three gallons of water, so nobody but I can sell water in three gallon amounts from now on." Or "I'll patent selling eggs is nine-egg cartons so nobody else can do that." But I guess if they did it, that means they can. I'm sure they'll find some way to hoover up more money from desperate people.

[rdmc]

I have considered supplementing with OTC pills. The problem is that I don't know the dose that would be appropriate. The USRDA is the 'gold' standard and from what I read, the 'therapeutic' dose is hundreds of times larger than the RDA dose.

Hey Jerry,

From what I've read there is no RDA for Biotin.
http://www.mayoclinic.org/drugs-supp...n/drg-20062359

You can buy it in 300 mg tablets, rather inexpensive on amazon (seems the study used http://smile.amazon.com/ch/65-0803842
Make sure you're logged in - and save MSWorld, Inc. as your cause. Then make sure you bookmark http://smile.amazon.com 100-300 mg.)


Here's a link to an article about overdose, and side effects of overdose...but these are 5000 mg doses they're warning about.
http://www.livestrong.com/article/35...iotin-5000-mg/

I've always heard how biotin helps with nail and hair growth. They advise it for people who are balding prematurely. So even if it doesn't change the MS...your hair may be fuller, and your nails longer (sorry, this is good news if it pans out, but my brain went to the nails and hair scenario.)

[JerryD]

So, the AAN meeting was yesterday. I have been watching the AAN's press releases. I don't see anything pertinent to the French biotin study. What happened at that meeting? Any ideas?

[Seasha]

Jerry - Here's a link to what Marco posted yesterday http://www.msworld.org/forum/showthr...-Trial-Results

He gives a couple links that will help answer your questions - his last post!

[jreagan70]

The study of biotin was already published a while back as an open-acess research paper. This is the study done by the French company that the business articles are based on.

http://www.msard-journal.com/article...006-1/fulltext

[JerryD]

Thanks Seasha. Your post has brightened my day. Marco is always 'on point'!