The First Steps Toward Banishing Chronic Fatigue

If you, like thousands of other sufferers, have had your life put on hold by the bone wearying, can’t-get-out-of-bed exhaustion of chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS), the last thing you want to hear is some doctor telling you that your debilitating symptoms are all in your head.

Taking the first step

Despite the fact that chronic fatigue syndrome is now recognised by the Department of Health as a real, long-term disease many doctors still don’t take their patients serious when they complain about the draining and agonising symptoms of chronic fatigue syndrome, including loss of memory or concentration, feeling unrefreshed after a night’s sleep, chronic insomnia, muscle pain and frequent headaches.

While the treatment options for chronic fatigue syndrome can vary from patient to patient, there are some first steps you can take to help support your body… without having to listen to a doctor who thinks your symptoms are imagined.

The first thing you need to do is to support your immune system. This will help stabilise and improve your symptoms. A simple and effective way to this is with the botanicals Echinacea angustifolia and Echinacea purpurea. These are available from most high street natural health food stores in a tincture and should be used as directed on the label.

Another element of chronic fatigue is adrenal exhaustion that’s because patients with chronic fatigue syndrome may have weak or compromised adrenal function. To keep your adrenals in tip top shape try liquorice and Rehmannia glutinosa.

Finally, malic acid plays a vital role in improving overall muscle performance, reversing muscle fatigue following exercise, reducing tiredness and poor energy levels, as well as improving mental clarity. These actions can make it a beneficial treatment for sufferers of fibromyalgia and CFS (both these conditions involve muscle pain, joint tenderness and low energy levels).

According to Dr Jay Goldstein, Director of the CFS Institute in the US: “Malic acid is safe, inexpensive and it should be considered a valid therapeutic approach for patients with CFS”.

A six-month study was conducted by scientists working at the Department of Medicine, University of Texas Health Science Centre in the US, to examine the efficacy of 1,200mg of malic acid plus 300mg of magnesium a day on 24 fibromyalgia sufferers. Half of the patients were given the active treatment, while the other half only received placebo.

At the end of the study, all of the patients treated with malic acid and magnesium experienced significant improvements in their symptoms – including less pain, reduced muscle stiffness and a more positive mental outlook – without any side effects.

The recommended dosage for malic acid is 600mg capsules taken one to three times a day before food. There are no known contraindications or toxicity linked to malic acid.

Taking magnesium alongside malic acid seems to have a much more pronounced effect on muscle fatigue. The recommended dosage for magnesium citrate is 140mg capsules taken twice a day.

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Disclaimer: Bear in mind the material contained in this article is provided for information purposes only. We are not addressing anyone’s personal situation. Please consult with your own physician before acting on any recommendations contained herein.

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Sources:

Study Finds Brain Abnormalities in Chronic Fatigue Patients, med.stanford.edu

Russell IJ, Michalek JE, Flechas JD. J Rheumatol 1995, 22(5):953-958

Fernandes-Naglik L, Downes J, Shirlaw R. Oral Dis 2001, 7(5):276-280

Abraham G, Flechas J. J Nutr Med 1992, 3:49-59