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Chronic fatigue is a complex pathology that affects many body parts and functions. Have you ever felt as tired when you wake up in the morning as when you went to bed? Does the fatigue continue even after a nap? Does your body ache all over? If you have experienced any of these symptoms, and your fatigue persists for weeks and months, then you have chronic fatigue syndrome, clinically known as Myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS). As the fatigue progresses, you may experience brain fog, digestion issues, and all kinds of unexplained body aches.
Symptoms of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
Extreme exhaustion without any particular reason
Difficulty concentrating, reading complex information, and short-term memory problems
Pain throughout the body but mainly in joints and muscles
Unable to exercise due to exhaustion
Loss of interest and motivation
Sleep disturbance (unable to fall asleep, stay asleep)
Feeling tired after waking up in the morning or after a nap
What Causes Chronic Fatigue
- Infections. It’s possible to develop the condition after a viral infection
- Lymphedema. Lymphedema patients often experience extreme fatigue
- Mitochondrial insufficiency. Some people cannot convert fats and carbohydrates into energy. This condition can be genetic, triggered by a medical treatment such as chemotherapy, stress, or nutrient deficiency.
- Increased Oxidative Stress Some studies report chronic fatigue syndrome patients to have significantly increased oxidative stress, which plays a vital role in the etiopathogenesis of the disease. There is an increase in oxidative stress biomarkers like oxidized LDL and certain prostaglandins and, at the same time, a decrease in the amounts of antioxidants like glutathione.[44][45] The oxidative damage transforms the fatty acids and proteins into immunogenic targets.[46] The free radicals also damage the electron transport chain (causing impaired energy production) and mitochondria.[47] The mechanism underlying mitochondrial dysregulation is not entirely known (1)
- Emerging evidence shows a strong role the genetics play in the etiology of the condition
Chronic Fatigue Syndrome is not life-threatening, but it’s life-changing. It can make it difficult to get out of bed, go to work, be productive (cerebral activity can be impaired), and lead to total isolation due to the inability to socialize and engage in any activity.
Treatment
There is no medical treatment for chronic fatigue, but if the fatigue is caused by mitochondrial insufficiency, then it’s actually easy to treat. The syndrome happens most often to women, but men and children can also experience this condition. The solutions listed below are for adults ONLY.
The supplements listed below are best obtained for a health professional, such as a clinical nutritionist like myself (not a dietitian) or a functional medicine doctor. Your family doctor or OBG/YN cannot recommend supplements beyond vitamin D or B12.
Supplements for Chronic Fatigue
If you are in a hurry to find out what supplements you can take to alleviate your symptoms, below is a cheat sheet with dosage suggestions and how to take the supplements. I strongly recommend reading further below to understand what these supplements do and their role in health and healing.
- NADH – take 10 mg a day (1 or 2 capsules, depending on the brand). Always take on an empty stomach, 30 minutes before a meal or 2 hours after.
- CoQ10- take 200 to 400 mg/day. Take with or without food.
- Vitamin C – 1000-1500 mg/day
- Vitamin B complex – dosage will depend on the brand. This will include several vitamins and dosage will depend on the brand. Consult a nutritionist for the appropriate dose for you. Vitamin B and C may be taken with a meal or on an empty stomach with at least one cup of water
- Zinc – 5 to 15 mg/day
- Magnesium – Normally, 320mg/day is sufficient for women and 400 for men. But if you are very depleted, you may take up to 400 mg a day as a woman or 500 mg for men.
NOTE: Zinc, magnesium, and calcium should not be taken at the same time, unless you are taking a vitamin that includes both. If you are taking them as separate supplements, take them with one hour apart. Otherwise they will compete for absorption.
NADH. Derived from vitamin B3, NADH is a coenzyme present in all living cells and is essential for the conversion of macronutrients into energy in the mitochondria. Antidepressants are known to decrease vitamin B3 levels. If you are on antidepressants, you will benefit even more from NADH supplementation.
CoQ10, aka Coenzyme Q10. It’s synthesized in the body by the same enzyme that produces cholesterol. So, if you are taking any cholesterol-lowering medication, you need to supplement with CoQ10. This is a very important antioxidant that also plays a role in energy production. It is also attributed with cardiovascular health benefits.
Magnesium. Also used in the mitochondria for the energy production cycle, magnesium is used in over 300 biochemical reactions in the body. Magnesium deficiency will affect your energy level, ability to resist infection, slow wound healing, and poor sleep.
Vitamin C. The queen of antioxidants. It’s easy to absorb, it’s cheap to produce and is vital to human health. Vitamin C helps recycle glutathione so you can better detoxify; it protects the mitochondria from oxidation and energy production. It assists in iron absorption, wound healing, blood vessel formation, and immune system support. This is a very short list of all the tasks vitamin C performs for you.
Vitamin B complex
This is vital for energy production. If the mitochondria were a factory, vitamin B would be the electricity that powers the entire plant. The mitochondria need all these vitamins to run the Krebs cycle: B1 (thiamin), vitamin B2 (riboflavin), vitamin B3 (niacin), vitamin B6 (pyridoxine phosphate).
Zinc. A trace mineral, meaning you only need a tiny amount, but without it, the body can become impaired. Zinc is used to power up 100 enzymes; it’s essential in neurotransmitter synthesis, healing, and immune system support.
As usual, do not buy supplements from Amazon, GNC, or your grocery store. Supplements are not regulated and the ones you get from over the counter can have harmful ingredients, provide less than the dose indicated on the label of the nutrient you’re buying, and you may not see positive effects. Please read my previous article about supplements to understand how to buy the product that will give you the best results.
If you have a question or would like more information, I will be more than happy to give you a complimentary consultation to get you started on the path to recovery.