Antioxidants may be pain relievers in pancreatitis patients: Study

Supplements containing selenium, beta-carotene and Vitamins C and E may alleviate pain in people suffering from pancreatitis according to a new study. In 127 patients with painful pancreatitis it was found that supplementing them with 600 mcg of selenium, 540 mg  vitamin C, 9,000 IU Beta-Carotene, 270 IU vitamin E (as d-alpha- tocopherol) and 2 g methionine reduced the number of days with pain significantly each month during the six-month long study period. They also found that 32% of the patients on supplements became pain free (vs. 13% in the placebo group). Moreover, there was a significant reduction in the number of analgesic tablets taken per month in the antioxidant group.