Chronic Fatigue Syndrome & Related Disorders

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS) is not a disease as such, but a characteristic and complex array of symptoms that mimic other illnesses. The symptoms can resemble those of flu and other viral infections, so it is often mistaken for other disorders. It is also often diagnosed as hypochondria or depression, because routine medical tests do not detect any problems. Symptoms may include aching muscles and joints, anxiety, depression, poor memory and concentration, headaches, low blood pressure, intestinal problems, mood swings, nasal congestion, candidiasis, sleep disturbance, sore throat, swollen glands and often debilitating fatigue.
 

The syndrome primarily affects young adults between the ages of twenty and fifty. The causes of CFS are not altogether well understood. Some experts believe it is linked to infection with the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) and/or cytomegalovirus (CBV), because many people affected with CFS have high levels of EBV antibodies in their blood, but this has not been conclusively proven.

Other proposed causes of CFS include anemia, mercury poisoning from amalgam dental fillings, hypoglycaemia, hypothyroidism, intestinal parasites, poor diet, nutritional deficiencies and stress as all can compromise the immune system and the energy producing systems (Kreb’s cycle) of the cellular mitochondria.

The major criterion used to distinguish CFS is:

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

• The presence of other chronic clinical conditions, including psychiatric disorders, should also be ruled out.
  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 by far exceed the normal lethargy and tiredness associated with a stressful and hardworking lifestyle.1

There are a number of tests, dietary approaches and nutritional supplements that can be utilized to assist with restoring balance and quality of life to CFS sufferers. We recommend that you make an appointment with a Naturopath who can tailor a restorative program specifically to your needs. We currently have two experienced naturopaths at our Go vita Smithfield and Cairns stores.

On the topic of nutritional supplements and CFS, it is worth noting that in recent years, considerable scientific interest has been devoted to amino acid supplementation and its role in regulating muscle metabolism and energy production in health, ageing and disease. 2 This is why formulas like TOP Nutrition’s Reviva and its scientifically formulated blend of amino acids, vitamins and minerals are proving to be clinically effective in the treatment of CFS and related illnesses.

According to Professor Tim Roberts at the University of Newcastle, School of Environmental and Life Sciences, who has been studying Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, Fibromyalgia, Rheumatoid Arthritis and Autism for over 18 years, such conditions are precipitated and generated by a chronic catabolic state in the body. This results in people not gaining the necessary building blocks from their food and so are malnourished at the cellular level. In metabolism some substances are broken down to yield energy for vital processes while other substances, necessary for life, are synthesized. There are two major states of human metabolism: ANABOLIC STATE and CATABOLIC STATE. The catabolic state is usually a short term acute response to an activation of the immune system in response to an infection or a trauma (the body responds to stress hormones, turning down the blood flow to the gut and the digestive processes, and relying on breakdown of muscle proteins for amino acids to be used for energy and also for making protective proteins such as cytokines, interleukins and antibodies).