Oxidative stress is a major contributor to Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD) pathology. Nutraceuticals target inflammation and oxidative stress pathogenic pathways. Several nutraceuticals have anti-inflammatory or antioxidant properties and yield functional improvements.

Nutraceuticals with antioxidant properties seem to be helpful in DMD. Some antioxidant nutraceuticals that have been found to have potential role in managing DMD include coenzyme Q10, melatonin and preparations of traditional Chinese medicine.

CoQ10 can limit ROS accumulation in muscle. In DMD patients, CoQ10 has been shown to yield an increase in Quantitative Muscle Testing (QMT) scores. While CoQ10 may not replace corticosteroids for DMD patients, it may serve as a useful adjunct to help preserve muscle strength and function in patients experiencing side effects from corticosteroids.

Melatonin is another potential antioxidant, and preserves mitochondrial function in skeletal muscles. It is also known to regulate calcium homeostasis during muscle contraction. In a trial of 10 DMD patients who had been treated with prednisone for at least five years, melatonin administration led to significant reduction in the oxidative-to-reduced glutathione ratio compared to healthy-matched controls, after 3 months. Superoxide dismutase levels were also reduced to control levels after 3 months of treatment.Serum creatine kinase levels decreased in the melatonin-treated patients, pointing to less muscle damage. Melatonin treatment also reduced the markers of oxidative stress and pro-inflammatory cytokines including Il-1β, IL-2, IL-6, TNF-α and INF-γ.

Components of soybeans and taurine have also shown promising results. Therefore, nutraceuticals could serve as complimentary therapies that can counter the damaging effects of chronic inflammation or oxidative stress.