Integrix Functional Medicine • Online by Secure Video
Functional Medicine for Peripheral Neuropathy
Numbness, burning and tingling are signals, not the whole story. Functional medicine asks why your nerves are under stress, then builds a food, lifestyle and nutrient plan around your labs and genetics.
The root-cause map
What Puts Nerves Under Stress?
Nerves are long, hungry cells. They need steady blood sugar, B vitamins, oxygen and low inflammation. When any of these runs short for long enough, the longest nerves, the ones to your feet, struggle first.
Blood sugar and insulin
Diabetes is the most common cause of neuropathy, and nerve changes can start during prediabetes.1 Fasting insulin often rises years before glucose does.
B12, folate and methylation
Low B12 damages the nerve's protective coating. Long-term metformin use is linked to B12 deficiency,2 and acid blockers lower absorption.
Thyroid
A slow thyroid is a known, often missed contributor to numbness and tingling.
Alcohol and toxic load
Alcohol is directly toxic to nerves and drains B vitamins. Some chemical and metal exposures add to the load.
Gut absorption
Celiac disease and other gut problems can block the nutrients nerves depend on, even with a good diet.
Inflammation and energy
Chronic inflammation and strained mitochondria (the cell's power plants) make nerves more fragile and slower to recover.
What we review
Labs Worth Looking At for Neuropathy
Standard labs often come back "normal" while nerves are still struggling. We look at where your numbers sit within the range, and how they fit together.
| Lab | Why it matters for nerves |
|---|---|
| Hemoglobin A1c and fasting insulin | Average blood sugar and early insulin resistance. |
| Vitamin B12 with methylmalonic acid (MMA) | B12 can read "normal" while MMA shows the cells are still short. |
| Folate and homocysteine | How well the B-vitamin (methylation) pathway is working. |
| TSH and free T4 | Thyroid function, a common hidden contributor. |
| Vitamin D | Low levels are common in the North and linked to nerve pain. |
| CMP and CBC | Kidney and liver function, and red blood cell size (a B12 and folate clue). |
| hs-CRP | Body-wide, low-grade inflammation. |
Lab review is educational. Abnormal results are shared with your treating physician.
What you can do
Daily Habits That Support Healthy Nerves
Steady your blood sugar
Build meals around protein, vegetables and fiber. Cut sweet drinks first. Walk 10 minutes after your biggest meal.
Move most days
In people with diabetic neuropathy, a 10-week aerobic and strength program reduced nerve pain and improved small nerve fiber branching in the skin.3
Check B12 before supplementing
Test first, then choose the right form and amount. This matters even more if you take metformin or an acid blocker.
Limit alcohol
Even moderate, regular drinking adds to nerve stress. Less is better.
Check your feet daily
Numb feet do not warn you about blisters or cuts. Look at the tops, soles and between the toes every day.
Protect your sleep
Nerve pain is worse after short sleep, and short sleep makes blood sugar harder to control.
How it works online
Your Path to a Personal Neuropathy Plan
1. Free screening
A 5-minute Neuropathy Screening Questionnaire, based on the Michigan Neuropathy Screening Instrument.6
2. Free Discovery Call
A 30-minute call to review your answers and decide on the right next step.
3. Health and Lifestyle Consultation
A 60-minute video consultation with Dr. Bekkum: full history, symptom questionnaire, lab review and a written lifestyle plan built around your focus areas.
Live in the Fargo-Moorhead area?
Pinched nerves at the wrist, elbow, hip or ankle need hands-on care. Pair this online work with in-clinic neuropathy treatment in Moorhead, MN.
See a doctor right away if
weakness or numbness spreads over days, a foot suddenly drops, you lose bladder or bowel control, a foot sore will not heal, or symptoms appear on one side of the face or body (call 911).
Questions
Frequently Asked Questions
Can functional medicine help with neuropathy?
Functional medicine looks for the reasons nerves are under stress: blood sugar and insulin, low B12 or folate, thyroid function, alcohol, medicines that drain nutrients, gut absorption and inflammation. When one of these is found and changed, symptoms often stop getting worse and sometimes improve. Integrix Health does not diagnose or treat disease; we help you find and act on these lifestyle and nutrition factors alongside your physician.
Do I need to live near Moorhead to work with you?
No. The functional medicine side is done online by secure video, with labs drawn near you. If you live in the Fargo-Moorhead area, you can also add hands-on care at our Moorhead clinic. See Neuropathy Treatment in Moorhead, MN.
Which lab tests matter most for neuropathy?
The most useful starting labs are hemoglobin A1c and fasting insulin (blood sugar), vitamin B12 with methylmalonic acid, folate and homocysteine (the B-vitamin pathway), TSH and free T4 (thyroid), vitamin D, a CMP and CBC, and hs-CRP (inflammation). Your physician may add others based on your history.
What supplements have research for neuropathy?
Alpha-lipoic acid has the strongest trial data in diabetic neuropathy.4 Vitamin B12 helps when levels are low, which is common with long-term metformin or acid-blocker use.2 Supplements can interact with medicines, and alpha-lipoic acid can lower blood sugar, so review any change with your physician first.
How does genetics fit in?
Some people carry common gene variants, such as in MTHFR, that change how they process folate and B12. Genetic results do not cause neuropathy on their own, but they can explain why one person needs a different form or amount of a nutrient than another. We use them to personalize food and nutrient choices, not as a diagnosis.
How do I get started?
Take the free Neuropathy Screening Questionnaire. It takes about 5 minutes and leads you to a free 30-minute Discovery Call, where we decide together whether online functional medicine, in-clinic care in Moorhead, or a referral to another provider is the best next step.
References
- Pop-Busui R, et al. Diabetic Neuropathy: A Position Statement by the American Diabetes Association. Diabetes Care. 2017;40(1):136-154. PubMed
- Aroda VR, et al. Long-term Metformin Use and Vitamin B12 Deficiency in the Diabetes Prevention Program Outcomes Study. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2016;101(4):1754-1761. PubMed
- Kluding PM, et al. The effect of exercise on neuropathic symptoms, nerve function, and cutaneous innervation in people with diabetic peripheral neuropathy. J Diabetes Complications. 2012;26(5):424-429. PubMed
- Ziegler D, et al. Oral treatment with alpha-lipoic acid improves symptomatic diabetic polyneuropathy: the SYDNEY 2 trial. Diabetes Care. 2006;29(11):2365-2370. PubMed
- Feldman EL, et al. A practical two-step quantitative clinical and electrophysiological assessment for the diagnosis and staging of diabetic neuropathy. Diabetes Care. 1994;17(11):1281-1289. PubMed
Medically reviewed by Dr. Paul M. Bekkum, DC, CCEP. Last reviewed October 22, 2026.