Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

There are many theories about what may contribute to or cause Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS) or Chronic Fatigue Immune Deficiency Syndrome (CFIDS).

Chronic Viral Infection—there is some evidence that people with Chronic Fatigue are infected with a viral infection.  Many of these people recall getting a bad flu or illness that they “never fully recovered from.”  Use of immune supporting supplements, herbs and acupuncture techniques can help relieve the symptoms in these cases.

Chronic Yeast or Candida Infection—others are infected with yeast such as Candida, which challenges the immune system and releases toxins into the body.  These toxins cause many symptoms from “brain fog,” to gas and bloating, to fatigue and muscle pain.  A stool test can be performed to look for Candida, and certain dietary and supplement treatments can be followed.

Parasitic Infections—in some cases a parasite, such as Giardia, can be present in the intestines. There may be Gastrointestinal symptoms pointing to this infection, but not in all cases.  Some people with a parasite have fatigue as their only symptom.  A stool test can be performed to investigate this possibility.  Herbal medicines can be prescribed to kill the parasite and restore the health of the gut.

Digestive Disorders or Malabsorption—may result from Candida or parasites damaging the lining of the gut, or it may be due to poor functioning of one or more parts of the digestive process.  For example, low stomach acid or low pancreatic function can create poor digestion, lack of proper absorption of nutrients and resulting fatigue.  A test called the Complete Digestive Stool Analysis can be run to look at all parameters of the digestive process and determine if there are any areas of weakness.

Food Allergies and Intolerances—you may have read about or heard of people who suffer sudden, strong reactions to a particular food, such as peanuts.  These life-threatening food allergies can send a person to the emergency room.  However, there are less obvious manifestations of food allergies, which may not occur immediately after ingesting the offending food.  These “hidden food allergies”  can cause symptoms such as joint pain, muscle pain, fatigue, headaches, intestinal pain, difficulty concentrating and many others.  A two-three week hypoallergenic diet followed by food challenges is one way to investigate the possibility of hidden food allergies.  Another is to have your doctor order a blood test which will indicate which foods you have developed antibodies to.  Avoiding your allergens can be extremely helpful in improving your health and well-being.  

Endocrine Disorders—sometimes people have fatigue because one or more of their endocrine glands is not functioning properly.   For example, if the thyroid gland is not producing enough hormone, or if the body is not converting the inactive thyroid hormone to active hormone, then a person could experience fatigue, weight gain, dry skin, constipation and other symptoms.  A low functioning adrenal gland can often result from a lifetime of dealing with stress.  This can lead to a feeling of exhaustion, intolerance of hot and cold and an inability to exercise or recover from exercise.  Low ovarian or testicular function can also contribute to fatigue, lack of libido (sexual drive), and other symptoms. There are salivary, blood and urine tests which can determine if you are low in a certain hormone or hormones, or if one or more of your endocrine glands needs some support.  Your doctor can help you chose the best test to run in your case.  

Heavy Metal Toxicity—sometimes there are elevated levels of mercury, lead, cadmium, arsenic or other toxic metals which are contributing to fatigue, muscle aches, concentration difficulties, and other problems.  Your doctor can order a hair analysis test which determines if there are toxic metals accumulated at abnormal levels in your body.  If there are elevated levels of heavy (toxic) metals, then you can work with your doctor to remove them through a process called “Chelation.”  This is sometimes done by I.V. but your naturopath can also prescribe oral natural Chelating agents.  The test can also tell if there are adequate levels of nutritional minerals such as calcium, maganesium and selenium in your body.  

Liver Detoxification Problems—people with sluggish or insufficient detoxification pathways in their liver can have an accumulation of toxins and hormones in their systems.  If the first phase of liver detoxification is working and the second phase is not then toxic intermediaries can build-up.  The person may experience fatigue, pains, muscle aches, intolerance of certain smells such as perfumes, chemicals, or cleaning fluids.  This person may also report that they need to avoid medications or cut the dosage of medications way down or they will have strong side effects.  They may notice adverse effects of caffeine for a long time after drinking it.  A test can be run which determines how well each of several important detoxification pathways is working in your body.  If one or more pathways needs some help, then your doctor can prescribe nutrients or herbs that give the sluggish liver some support.  Speeding up the detox pathways can help you to clear toxins more efficiently and help you to recover your normal energy levels.  

Mitochondrial Fatigue—the mitochondria is a tiny organ inside of each of your cells.  It is the site of actual chemical energy production in your body.  Sometimes the mitochondria are not working up to speed and energy production falls.  There are certain supplements and dietary choices that your doctor can help you with to improve your mitochondrial energy production.

MULTI-FACTORAL CAUSATION—It is not uncommon for a person with Chronic Fatigue to suffer from more than one cause.  There are also other causes of CFS that have not been mentioned here.  If you are suffering, consider getting some help.  As a naturopathic doctor and acupuncturist, I can help you decide which causes are most likely in your case.  We can come up with a plan of action together.  I believe in working closely with the patient in a partnership style.  You should understand and consent to everything that is done in the interest of your health care. Therefore, I believe in education.  I do not throw medications at you.  I discuss what I think might help and why and together we will decide how to proceed.