Chronic fatigue syndrome

• Candidiasis
• Food intolerances
• Nutritional deficiencies, especially magnesium, B vitamins, carnitine
• Toxic overload.

There is evidence that Candida albicans infection of the mucous membranes depresses T cell and natural killer cell function. Similar abnormalities of immune system function occur in chronic fatigue syndrome. The author proposes that chronic intestinal candidiasis may lead to immune depression which results in chronic fatigue. Cater RE: Chronic intestinal candidiasis as a possible etiological factor in the chronic fatigue syndrome. Med Hypotheses 44(6):507-15, 1995.

Abnormalities in immune function are found in chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) which may be related to essential fatty acid metabolism. As many as 90 per cent of CFS patients treated with essential fatty acids have shown significant improvement within three months. Gray JB et al: Eicosanoids and essential fatty acid modulation in chronic disease and the chronic fatigue syndrome. Med Hypotheses 43(1):31-42, 1994.

The energy score improved in chronic fatigue patients treated with intramuscular magnesium injections, and red cell magnesium levels returned to normal. Cox IM et al: Red blood cell magnesium and chronic fatigue syndrome. Lancet 337(8744):757-60, 1991

Supplementation with the amino acid N-acetyl-cysteine can delay fatigue and increase muscle output by 15%. Reid MB et al: N-acetylcysteine inhibits muscle fatigue in humans. J Clin Investig 1994 94(6):2468-74, 1994.