ALS is brutal because you are never really sure what is helping. You can stack dozens of drugs, supplements, devices, and lifestyle changes and still wake up wondering if you have moved the needle at all.
But there are a handful of things I can point to and say, without hesitation, this made a difference. They have not cured me. They have not stopped progression. But they have made daily life more manageable, reduced symptoms, and given me back small pieces of function that ALS was trying to strip away.
These are not everything I take or do. My stack is larger and more complex, and I wrote about that complexity and why I built StackDat to help make it easier to structure and track my interventions.
I know some people give up hope and take nothing at all, but with all due respect, I think that is a crazy approach. Why not give yourself every possible chance?
What follows are the few things I can directly credit with symptom relief.
Magnesium
I started supplementing magnesium in mid-2024, before I even had a diagnosis. Back then, I was waking up like I had been hit by a truck overnight. Muscles sore, stiff, like I had done a heavy gym session in my sleep. Getting out of bed was a struggle.
I began taking 375mg of magnesium glycinate daily, hoping it would help muscle recovery. It did not work overnight, but after a few weeks the difference was clear. My muscles were not screaming every morning, and I could move with more ease. At the time I was only taking magnesium and vitamin D, so I credit magnesium as one of the earliest supplements that made a tangible dent in my symptoms.
I source my magnesium glycinate from Piping Rock, and like many of the other supplements and vitamins I take, even with shipping from the US to Australia, it works out much cheaper to buy in bulk than to use locally sourced brands.
CBD oil
Shortly after diagnosis, anxiety became a nightly companion. I would lie awake with my mind racing and my body on edge. I turned to broad-spectrum CBD oils: Humacology White and Black, morning and evening.
CBD did not just calm my anxiety. It also eased cramping and spasticity. Even without THC, these oils took the edge off nights that used to feel unbearable, and I still use them daily.
Nuedexta (Dextromethorphan + Quinidine)
Nuedexta is officially prescribed for pseudobulbar affect. That is not why I use it. I started it after reading anecdotes from people saying it improved their speech. For me, it did more than that.
Before Nuedexta, speaking felt like lifting weights. Every word was the last rep of a workout, pushing through exhaustion just to get it out. Within two days of starting it, my voice was noticeably easier, smoother, less of a battle. I have tested it by missing a day or two, and every time my speech deteriorates. For me, Nuedexta is the difference between fighting for every word and speaking with less strain.
I covered Nuedexta briefly in this article on supplements that may slow ALS progression, but it deserves to be here too because of its direct impact on symptoms.
Red light therapy (CeraThrive)
I use a CeraThrive red light therapy headband and gut panel. The science suggests red light can support mitochondrial function, and while it is hard to know if it slows overall progression, I did find one use case that made a huge difference.
I began holding one of the headband lights against my throat for 10 minutes a night. Before that, I had constant throat discomfort, cramps and sore muscles that felt like someone was squeezing my throat every couple of days. It did not affect swallowing, but it was deeply uncomfortable.
After about two weeks of using red light, the sensation disappeared. Months later, it has not returned. For me, that alone justifies using the device.
Others who own this device have reported it has helped with swallowing, and while my own experience has been more focused on throat muscle comfort, those reports are worth noting.
CeraThrive headband – The CERA System
Electric bed
Calf cramps were savage. Sometimes they would last a full minute and leave my legs so sore I could barely walk for days. Baclofen helped, but it left me groggy every morning.
My OT suggested raising my legs overnight. My electric bed made that possible, and the effect was immediate. With my legs elevated, they stay extended better, I do not involuntarily tuck them up and stretch out in the night, and the cramping is dramatically reduced.
Physiotherapy and massage
Physiotherapy and massage have been critical. They help reduce cramping, improve circulation, and keep my range of mobility as wide as possible. Passive stretching and targeted massage reduce stiffness, keep muscles more supple, and delay the secondary pain that comes from immobility.
Without physio and massage, my muscles would tighten faster, cramps would hit harder, and every other intervention would have less effect. These are not “nice to haves.” They help a lot, and they keep me moving.
Beyond these
There are other things I believe are helping, even if they are harder to directly pin to symptom relief. These are levers I am pulling that may not target specific symptoms but that I believe are improving my energy, lowering fatigue, and slowing the slope: high-dose B12, a ketogenic-style diet, Nicotinamide Riboside + Pterostilbene, respecting my circadian rhythm, and getting direct sunlight several times a week (daily as the weather warms).
ALS takes endlessly. I cannot cure ALS, but these things help me fight it every single day.
