Fatigue and Nutrition — Nutritional Supplements

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Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS) is not a disease as such, rather a characteristic and a complex array of symptoms that may mimic other illnesses. The symptoms of CFS may include aching muscles and joints, anxiety, depression, difficulty concentrating, poor memory, headaches, etc., but most of all, an extreme and often disabling fatigue. Immunologic abnormalities that show up on various diagnostic tests are common as well.

CFS is often difficult to diagnose. The symptoms of this syndrome resemble those of flu and other viral infections, so it is often mistaken for these other disorders, and is often mistaken for hypochondria, psychosomatic illness, or depression because routine medical tests do not detect any problems. The syndrome is three times more prevalent in women than in men, and primarily affects young adults between twenty and fifty years of age.

The cause or causes of chronic fatigue syndrome are not well understood. Some experts believe it is linked to infections with the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) and/or cytomegalovirus (CMV), both members of the herpes virus family that also cause mononucleosis. This belief is based largely on the fact that many people with CFS have been found to have high levels of EBV antibodies in their blood, and that many people date the onset of symptoms to a prolonged bout with viral infection. However, no connection between EBV and CFS has ever been conclusively proven. Also, it is now known that many people have high EBV antibody levels without any apparent ill effects on their health, and that many case of CFS can occur without any know preceding infection.

A poor diet, nutritional deficiencies, allergies, thyroid dysfunction, Candida, anemia, and stress all compromise the immune system, and can contribute to CFS.

Even though CFS is not life-threatening, it cannot be cured, and it can result in serious damage to the immune system. Some people appear to recover spontaneously, but once you have had this condition, it can recur any time, usually following a bout with another illness or during times of stress.

The major criteria used to distinguish CFS are:

Persistent fatigue that does not resolve with bed rest and that is severe enough to reduce average daily activity by at least 50 percent for at least six months.

The presence of other chronic clinical conditions, including psychiatric disorders, have been ruled out

Some research points to chemical and/or food sensitivities and hypoglycemia as possible causes of chronic fatigue. When you consider that people living in the past fifty years have been exposed to more difference chemicals in their food and environment than all of the rest of humankind combined, it is not wonder that some people have become sensitive to chemicals.

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome should not be confused with the results of overwork and stress. With CFS a normal, active level of life is impossible to maintain and the symptoms far exceed the normal lethargy or tiredness one may experience as a result of a stressful or hardworking lifestyle.

References

Jesse A. Stoff, M.D., coauthor of the book Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, believes that CFS is a hidden epidemic, affecting more than 4 million people in the United States.

A study at John Hopkins University Hospital in Baltimore identified a link between chronic fatigue and a problem in the body’s mechanism for regulating blood pressure. In this study, twenty-two out of twenty-three subjects with chronic fatigue were found to have a syndrome in which the body response inappropriately to periods of prolonged standing—the heart rate slows and blood pressure drops, resulting in lightheadedness, followed by a feeling of weakness and exhaustion that can persist for days afterward. A significant percentage of those in the study experienced an improvement when they were treated for the blood pressure problems.

Research findings published in The Lancet, a renowned British medical journal, showed a dramatic improvement in a small group of people with this illness, through supplemental magnesium. The journal reports a case study which found that 20 patients suffering from chronic fatigue had slightly lower red-cell magnesium concentrations than did 20 healthy subjects matched for age, sex and social class. In a subsequent clinical trial involving 32 patients with chronic fatigue syndrome, 15 patients were randomly given intrasmuscual injections of magnesium sulfate every week for six weeks and 17 were given shots of water. Twelve of the 15 patients treated with the magnesium said they had benefited and reported higher energy levels, better emotional states and less pain: just three patients who received the dummy shots claimed any improvement. Yet to be determined is why magnesium levels were so low in these patients and if this is the case in the majority of chronic fatigue patients. Doctors have only recently started to take chronic fatigue syndrome seriously after years of dismissing it as little more than a figment of a patient's imagination.

Prescription for Nutritional Healing by Phyllis A. Balch, CNC, and James F. Balch, M.D.

The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), a part of the National Institutes of Health, provides current information on Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.

Recommendations

Eat a well-balanced diet of 50 percent raw foods and fresh “live” juices; the diet should consist mostly of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains, plus raw nuts, seeds, skinless turkey, and some deep-water fish; these quality foods supply nutrients that renew energy and build immunity

Add some form of acidophilus to your diet, and regularly consume soured products such as yogurt and kefir; acidophilus helps to keep Candida under control

Consume plenty of water—at least eight 8-ounce glasses a day—plus juices, preferably freshly made vegetable juices; drink a full glass of water every two to three hours as water flushes out toxins and aids in reducing muscle pain

Do not eat shellfish, fried foods, junk foods, processed foods; stimulants such as coffee, tea, and soft drinks; sugar; and products containing yeasts and/or white flour, such as bread and pasta; you may find this difficult—people with CFS generally have cravings for sugar and carbohydrate products, and may also develop a craving for alcohol—this it is important that you avoid these types of foods

Make sure that you move your bowels daily, and add fiber to your diet

Do not smoke, and avoid secondhand smoke as this can make symptoms worse

The herbs Astragalus and Echinacea both enhance immune function and are good for cold and flu symptoms (caution: do not use Astragalus if you have a fever)

Ginkgo Biloba improves circulation and brain function

Supplement your diet with one or more of the following nutrients—to learn more about them or to buy, click the link:

Acidophilus—To replace necessary “friendly” bacteria; also fights Candida infection (chronic fatigue and candidiasis often occur together)

Chromium—Aids in controlling hypoglycemia

Coenzyme Q10—Enhances effectiveness of the immune system and protects the heart

L-Carnitine—Transports fatty acids into the mitochondria where it is used to make ATP (Adenosine TriPhosphate, a chemical compound [nucleotide] occurring in living organisms that provide most of the energy required by cells during its conversion to another nucleotide, ADP or Adenosine DiPhosphate), thus increasing energy levels

Lecithin Granules or Capsules—Promotes energy and enhances immunity

Magnesium—Often deficient in people with CFS, magnesium is needed for ATP synthesis to produce energy

Manganese—Influences the metabolic rate by its involvement in endocrine function

Bromelain—As a proteolytic enzyme it will help to reduce inflammation and improve absorption of nutrients, especially protein which is needed for tissue repair

Vitamin A—Powerful free radical scavenger that protects the cells and enhance immune function to fight viruses

Beta Carotene—Also assists to enhance immune function as a precursor to vitamin A

Vitamin E—Powerful free radical fighter; use d-alpha-tocopherol form

Vitamin C with Bioflavonoids—Has a powerful antiviral effect and increases the energy levels

Free-Form Amino Acid-Complex—For tissue and organ repair; use a formula that contains all the essential amino acids; Nutrina’s Amino Max is an excellent choice

For a more in-depth discussion of the causes of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and its recommended nutritional treatment, consult Prescription for Nutritional Healing by Phyllis A. Balch, CNC, and James F. Balch, M.D.

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