Solutions for Fatigue and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome There's something in this report for everyone

Pyridoxyl-5-phosphate 50mgs (this is present in the BioCare multivitamin)

Phosphatidyl Serine 200mgs (100mgs twice daily) - BioCare

These should be taken in addition to my basic package of supplements, namely multivitamins, Mineral Mix, essential fatty acids, vitamins C and D - these are the supplements I like all people to take on a regular basis. See Nutritional Supplements - what everybody should be taking all the time even if nothing is wrong

Problems with starting this package of treatment

Rich van Konynenburg has been in contact with patient and support groups and about 60 so far have gone through this regime. He seems to see two categories of effect - firstly sometimes a quite rapid and profound improvement in some of the common symptoms, or secondly symptoms worsening or new symptoms arise because in getting the methylation cycle going one suddenly starts to get detox and die off symptoms. The reason for this is that when the methylation cycle was not working the body was unable to detox properly and unable to produce cell mediated immune responses to get rid of chronic infections. Once the methylation cycle is up and running, suddenly the body can swing into action with respect to detox and cell mediated immune responses and this can make the person much worse. The reasons for this are fairly obvious - as soon as one starts to detox one mobilises chemicals and toxins into the blood stream, this makes people ill. Secondly, remember that it is not viruses and chronic infections that make one ill, it is the immune reaction against them. Cell medicated immune responses make you feel sick! So it is really important to go into this regime gently, be mindful that it may make things worse initially but see this as a good sign.

Rich tells me that the following symptoms of CFS have been reported to have been corrected and so I have taken his list and repeated it at length so you can see the sort of things to expect. PWC means People With Chronic fatigue syndrome.

"The following symptoms of CFS have been reported to have been corrected by various PWCs on this treatment. Note that these are gathered from reports from many PWCs, so that not all have been reported by a single person.

Improvement in sleep (though a few have reported increased difficulty in sleeping initially).

Ending of the need for and intolerance of continued thyroid hormone supplementation.

Termination of excessive urination and night-time urination.

Restoration of normal body temperature from lower values.

Restoration of normal blood pressure from lower values.

Initiation of attack by immune system on longstanding infections.

Increased energy and ability to carry on higher levels of activity without post-exertional fatigue or malaise. Termination of "crashing."

Lifting of brain fog, increase in cognitive ability, return of memory.

Relief from hypoglycaemia symptoms.

Improvement in alcohol tolerance

Decrease in pain (though some have experienced increases in pain temporarily, as well as increased headaches, presumably as a result of detoxing).

Notice of and remarking by friends and therapists on improvements in the PWC's condition.

Necessity to adjust relationship with spouse, because not as much caregiving is needed. Need to work out more balanced responsibilities in relationship in view of improved health and improved desire and ability to be assertive.

Return of ability to read and retain what has been read.

Return of ability to take a shower standing up.

Return of ability to sit up for long times.

Return of ability to drive for long distances.

Improved tolerance for heat.

Feeling unusually calm.

Feeling "more normal and part of the world."

Ability to stop steroid hormone support without experiencing problems from doing it.

Lowered sensation of being under stress.

Loss of excess weight.

The following reported symptoms, also gathered from various PWCs trying this simplified treatment approach, are those that I suspect result from die-off and detox:

Headaches, "heavy head," "heavy-feeling headaches"

Alternated periods of mental "fuzziness" and greater mental clarity.

Feeling "muggy-headed" or "blah" or sick in the morning.

Transient malaise, flu-like symptoms.

Transiently increased fatigue, waxing and waning fatigue, feeling more tired and sluggish, weakness.

Dizziness.

Irritability.

Sensation of "brain firing: bing, bong, bing, bong," "brain moving very fast".

Depression, feeling overwhelmed, strong emotions.

Greater need for "healing naps."

Swollen or painful lymph nodes.

Mild fevers

Runny nose, low grade "sniffles," sneezing, coughing.

Sore throat.

Rashes.

Itching.

Increased perspiration, unusual smelling perspiration.

"Metallic" taste in mouth.

Transient nausea, "sick to stomach"

Abdominal cramping/pain.

Increased bowel movements.

Diarrhoea, loose stools, urgency.

Unusual colour of stools, e.g. green.

Temporarily increased urination

Transiently increased thirst.

Clear urine.

Unusual smelling urine

Transient increased muscle pain.

Related Articles

Nutritional Supplements - what everybody should be taking all the time even if nothing is wrong

Related Tests

Organic acids present in urine (Metabolic Analysis Profile)

What to do if you're not getting better

If you are still struggling then there must be another cause of fatigue that has not been addressed. Remember, fatigue is just a symptom! There are many parallels between chronic fatigue syndrome and autism and many of these ideas have already been used in the treatment of autistic children with excellent results. This work has been pioneered by Dr Amy Yasko N.D., Ph.D. in America. Please see Dr Amy Yasko's website

For further information go to:

Glutathione Depletion - Methylation Cycle Block: A Hypothesis For the Pathogenesis of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

IS GLUTATHIONE DEPLETION AN IMPORTANT PART OF THE PATHOGENESIS OF CHRONIC FATIGUE SYNDROME? by Richard Van Konynenburg (Independent Researcher)

Chronic fatigue syndrome and autism

Townsend Letter for Doctors and Patients, Oct, 2006 by Richard A. Van Konynenburg

Suggestions for Treatment of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS) based on the Glutathione Depletion - Methylation Cycle Block Hypothesis for the Pathogenesis of CFS: The Simple Approach by Richard A. Van Konynenburg, Ph.D.

Dr. Amy's Forum Parent Discussion Group

Detoxification - the oil filters, catalytic converter to keep the car clean

As part of normal metabolism, the body produces toxins which have to be got rid of, otherwise they poison the system. Therefore, the body has evolved a mechanism for getting rid of these toxins and the methods that it uses are as follows:

▪ Antioxidant system – for mopping up free radicals. See ANTIOXIDANTS

▪ The liver – detoxification by oxidation and conjugation (amino acids, sulphur compounds, glucuronide, glutathione, etc) for excretion in urine.

▪ Fat soluble toxins can be excreted in the bile – the problem here is that many of these are recycled because they are reabsorbed in the gut.

▪ Sweating – many toxins and heavy metals can be lost through the skin.

▪ Dumping chemicals in hair, nails and skin, which is then shed off.

This system has worked perfectly well for thousands of years. Problems now arise because of toxins which we are absorbing from the outside world. This is inevitable since we live in equilibrium with the outside world. The problem is that these toxins may overwhelm the system for detoxification (such as alcohol), or they may be impossible to break down (e.g. silicone, organochlorines), or they may get stuck in fatty organs and cell membranes and so not be accessible to the liver for detoxification (many volatile organic compounds).

We all carry these toxins as a result of living in our polluted world. However, much can be done to get rid of them or release our load and the mechanisms that we can employ are as follows:

STONE AGE ORGANIC DIET – reducing the toxic load from pesticides or food additives is obviously essential. Increasing the fibre content of food and the bacterial numbers in the gut also facilitates detoxification. Just not being constipated is helpful!

VITAMINS AND MINERALS – if the body becomes deficient in a mineral such as zinc, it will grab hold of another mineral that looks a little bit like zinc. Typically nickel or cadmium fits the bill. If one is deficient in selenium, then mercury or aluminium is “used” by the body instead. So being deficient in an essential micronutrient will encourage the body to accumulate toxic ones. Vitamin C strips out many heavy metals. Vitamins and minerals also act as essential co-factors to allow liver detoxification - see NUTRITIONAL SUPPLEMENTS.

PROBIOTICS - Taking probiotics encourages the good bacteria which have lived in harmony within the gut for thousands of years and facilitate detoxification of chemicals and production of essential nutrients. See PROBIOTICS (KEFIR)

EXERCISE – mobilises toxins from fat through generation of heat and through generation of far infrared light. This literally shakes up the molecules so that those not well stuck on are mobilised and available for detoxing. Exercise also facilitates sweating and all toxins can be eliminated through the skin, either by sweating, or by mobilisation onto the fatty layer on the surface of the skin, which can then be washed off.

SPA THERAPY, SHOWERS AND WASHING – this is an essential part of exercise or far infrared saunaing. Having mobilised toxins from subcutaneous fat onto the surface of the skin, they then need to be washed off. However, beneficial minerals can be absorbed through the skin and this is the basis of spa therapy. People have worked out from practical experience over hundreds of years

which spas are suitable for different medical conditions. For example, Epsom spa, which is full of Epsom salts (magnesium) is an excellent treatment for arthritis and joint pains. See TREATING MAGNESIUM DEFICIENCY

SAUNA – I have now done several tests on tens of people before and after saunaing where the tests prior to saunaing demonstrate the toxic load of either pesticides, volatile organic compounds, heavy metals, or whatever. When I have re-tested, in every single case every parameter has been improved. This only applies currently to eighteen patients, but because the results are so positive, I can now be confident that saunaing is a good way of detoxing. The important thing to remember is that saunaing does not just get rid of the nasty toxins, it also gets rid of beneficial minerals, so it is very important to re-hydrate with water containing these minerals. See FAR INFRARED SAUNA

CHELATION THERAPY – in chelation a large molecule such as DMSA, DMPS, or EDTA is used either orally or intravenously to chelate out toxic minerals. There is no doubt that this technique is effective at increasing urinary excretion of these metals. Some people do not tolerate the chelating agent very well, although most do. There have been concerns about chelation therapy that perhaps it is mobilising metals from outside the brain into the brain, which is obviously undesirable. However, I have no evidence to support this assertion; it is just something to be mindful of. This is why more recently I have moved over to saunaing instead of chelation therapy. See MERCURY DETOXIFICATION

LIPID EXCHANGE – the idea here is to replace contaminated fats in cell membranes and fatty organs with clean fats. This technique has been pioneered by Patricia Kane in America, who uses intravenous organic phospholipids in patients with problems such as Parkinson’s disease, autism, motor neurone disease, or whatever to flush out neurotoxins stuck in fats in brain cells. She sees remarkable success. Similar results can be achieved by taking fats by mouth, but they are not quite so dramatic. Oral therapy would include high dose organic phospholipids such as lecithin and egg yolk, combined with essential fatty acids from the Omega 3 and 6 series. I use VegEPA. See LIPIDS (Fats, Membranes, the Healthy Brain and Mitochondria), VEGEPA

COLONIC IRRIGATION – this will have a marked short term benefit of reducing the toxic load in the gut for obvious reasons.

METHYLATION CYCLE – also centrally involved in detoxification! Chronic Fatigue Syndrome is a symptom, not a diagnosis, and the name of the game is to identify the underlying causes. In fatigue syndromes we don’t see macro-pathology, we see micro-pathology – that is to say the problems are bio-chemical and occur at the molecular level.

There are several cycles, which I now know to be centrally important in causing fatigue. All these cycles interlink with each other like Olympic rings and getting one cycle going will drive another. The important cycles which I know to be major players include blood sugar wobbles, allergy problems, sleep cycles, mitochondrial function, anti-oxidant status, the NO/OONO cycle, thyroid and adrenal hormones cycles and de-toxification. I am greatly indebted to Rich van Konynenburg for updating me on a new player which interlinks with many of the above, namely the methylation cycle. See METHYLATION CYCLE. (refer to website or phone in for handout) Probably others!

In a clinical setting, common chelating agents for lead, arsenic, and other metals include meso-dimercaptosuccinic acid (DMSA), dimercaptopropanesulfonic acid (DMPS), and 2,3-dimercaprol (BAL).15 These chelates—termed after chela, or “claw,” a Greek-derived Latin word—are often used in combination with vitamins and other antioxidants structured to bind more effectively with the metal while enhancing metabolic pathways for the metals’ removal. While DMSA and DMPS are the most widely used chelates for lead and arsenic, studies have found them incompatible with mercury removal, where more custom chelates are typically used.16

There are many foods that naturally have some limited chelation properties. Cilantro,17 chlorella,18 and lemons19 have all been identified as agents with some effectiveness for reducing heavy metal toxicity, while foods like garlic20 can reduce levels of oxidative stress. It has also been found that citrate, cysteine, glutamate, ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA), and yeast extract (particularly effective against copper toxicity) bind and remove certain metals.21 (Although it must be noted that yeast extract is a common form of MSG, an excitotoxin with its own health concerns.)

In research conducted in 2010, Taiwan researchers found that lemon and orange peel could aid in the removal of heavy metal ions, particularly copper and nickel, which highlights the importance of consuming fruits and vegetables daily, as their benefits are extraordinary. Activated carbon (charcoal) is also very effective at neutralizing and removing metal toxins.22

Lack of exercise and sweating causes heavy metals to accumulate over time

The body’s mechanisms for excretion also play an important role in detoxification; in studies, sweating in particular has been shown to remove heavy metals in vastly higher quantities than are expelled through urination. Endurance exercises and use of infrared saunas have been successfully used to sweat out toxins, in many cases surpassing the level of toxins removed through urination.23,24

Several essential nutrients, which can be obtained from foods or by vitamin supplementation, play an important role in defusing the effects of mercury. This means you can, to some extent, eat your way to natural mercury elimination. The original research I have conducted at the Natural News Forensic Food Lab shows that fresh, raw strawberries, when eaten in conjunction with mercury-tainted meals, bind with and capture over 90 percent of dietary mercury during digestion, effectively “locking up” the mercury in fibers that pass through the body undigested.158

The use of detoxifying foods, nutrients, and activities that support the elimination of heavy metals may be necessary for those concerned about the buildup of significantly high levels. Regular ongoing, long-term detox efforts to encourage the elimination of toxins through sweat and excretion may be among the safest and most effective methods. Chelation has proven to be effective as well but should only be pursued under the direction of qualified, licensed chelation practitioners with significant experience in the art.

Outside the body, several well-known compounds demonstrate strong affinity for mercury, including activated carbon charcoal, sulfur, and selenium. Activated charcoal—based around oxygen-treated carbon—is used widely to effectively remove toxins (and other materials) in a vast array of potential bodily infiltrators due to its sizable surface area.159 Air and water filters, as well as oral consumption, are used to administer carbon as a purifier element. Of course, charcoal has long been used to intervene in cases of poisonings and drug overdoses of all kinds.

Many important sulfur compounds have a particularly strong affinity for binding with mercury. These include sulfhydryl-containing thiols, which attract many heavy metal ions—including mercury, cadmium, lead, chromium, zinc, and arsenite—and allow chelation from the body through metabolic pathways.160 Thiol solutions have also been used successfully to remove mercury from scrubber tanks in coal-fired power plants.161 Important sulfhydryl compounds in various bodily processes involving antioxidant protection and DNA transcription include the sulfur-containing amino acids cystine, cysteine, methionine, and taurine.162,163

Mercury also binds to glutathione, perhaps the most important form of cysteine in the body, which some doctors have referred to as “the mother of all antioxidants,” allowing for significant heavy metal removal.164 Glutathione, which regenerates other oxidated antioxidants such as vitamins C and E, is critical to a fully functioning, healthy immune system. Whey protein has been identified as an important dietary source of glutamine, the primary precursor to glutathione.165

Both cysteine and glutathione are effective at detoxifying heavy metals but are also depleted by heavy metals’ presence and may require supplementation. Although normally recycled in the body, glutathione becomes depleted when toxic loads become too great, rendering a person unable to rid their body of toxins and opening them up to free radical damage, illness, infections, and cancer. Selenium, by the way, is a necessary dietary mineral for glutathione production. Thus, maintaining proper levels of selenium through a well-balanced diet remains imperative to maintaining proper health, as well as in reducing heavy metal toxicity.

Recommended is a diet that helps optimize liver function, including garlic, cilantro, Brazil nuts, pumpkin seeds, and ground flaxseed. In studies, garlic has been effective against methylmercury-induced cytotoxic (toxic to living cells) effects.171

The therapeutic compounds BAL, DMPS, and DMSA have all been shown to chelate mercury. Researchers at the University of Lisbon’s Research Institute for Medicines and Pharmaceutical Sciences found selenite helped detoxify cells and make these chelators more effective.172

Researchers who exposed mice to mercuric chloride pesticide were able to ward off oxidative stress and liver cell damage using propolis, the resinous botanical mixture honey bees mix with their beeswax to glue their hives together. A treatment for inflammatory disease and infections, propolis was found to protect antioxidant defenses against mercury poisoning in the mice.173

Eliminating lead quantities through chelation and natural health remedies

The good news is that research has shown several foods, vitamins and nutrients, and chelating techniques can help rid the body of toxic lead deposits.

Vitamins B1 (thiamine) and B6 (pyridoxine) have both been shown to aid in reducing lead toxicity, with B1208 reportedly shown to lower lead levels in the liver and kidneys, and B6209 acting as an antioxidant and moderate chelator of the heavy metal. Vitamin C not only works to help chelate lead, but it can also prevent oxidative cells. Researchers at the Wuhan University Department of Toxicology found that when vitamin C was supplemented in combination with vitamin B1, it actually reverted some of the oxidative stress as well as DNA damage to the liver caused by lead, undoing overall damage.210 The antioxidant vitamin E has also been shown in research to detoxify by scavenging free radicals, thus undoing lead-related cell damage.211 In that same study, garlic oil was found to have similar effects on counteracting lead damage.

Several bioflavonoids, the polyphenic compounds synthesized by plants, also help to undo lead damage and chelate lead from the body. Quercetin, found in grapefruit, onions, apples, and red wine, has not only been shown to stabilize free radicals to prevent lead damage,212 but it is also a lead chelation agent.213 Alpha-lipoic acid, or thioctic acid, is an organosulfur compound found in vegetables such as beets, carrots, and spinach. This antioxidant has the power to restore other antioxidants, such as vitamins C and E, both of which help fight lead damage. In short, alpha-lipoic acid is an oxidative stress-fighting powerhouse.

Some foods have also been shown in studies to reduce lead in the body. Across several studies, the principal substance in turmeric, curcumin, has been found to chelate lead from the body and significantly reduce lead burden in many organs including the brain.214,215 (Be careful with consuming turmeric to acquire more curcumin, however. Nearly all common sources of turmeric are contaminated with lead and sourced from India. In my lab testing, it is rare to find a turmeric raw material that isn’t significantly contaminated with lead. The only way to find low-lead turmeric is to ask the manufacturer or retailer for scientific lead test results on that particular batch. Sadly, virtually no one in the industry tests their turmeric for lead.) Garlic oil has also been proven to reduce lead within the soft tissues.216,217 Researchers at the School of Veterinary Medicine at Shahrekord University found that the administration of both fresh garlic and garlic tablets led to a significant lead-burden decrease in blood, kidneys, liver, and bones, with little difference in powerful health benefits between each type (fresh or tablet). Sesame seed oil, which contains the natural antioxidant sesamol, has been found to work as a chelator against liver and kidney lead poisoning without adverse effects.218

A lot of research has focused on the binding of lead for removal through dimercaptosuccinic acid (DMSA) chelation therapy. DMSA has been shown to be a potent lead chelator in both animal and human studies, especially in combination with other vitamins and minerals, such as vitamin C and calcium.219 A 2012 study even revealed that metals chelated and removed with DMSA reduced behavioral effects in autistic children.220 The research on DMSA is so promising, scientists at the University of Birmingham City Hospital declared it to be an effective antidote for lead poisoning in 2009.221

In terms of lead binding during digestion, my laboratory research allowed me to develop an ion-exchange lead binder made from dehydrated seaweed and seawater extract that shows a near-100 percent efficacy at binding with free lead.

Chelation can help eliminate aluminum from the body’s tissues, but aluminum can be one of the more difficult metals to chelate. Professionals warn that chelation therapy should only be attempted with expert guidance after a hair strand test or similar test for aluminum content has first determined someone is carrying dangerously high aluminum levels. Naturopathic doctor Marty Milner of the Health Sciences Institute studied the effects of malic acid on chelating aluminum in his fibromyalgia patients. Using hair strand tests, Milner was able to determine that malic acid dramatically lowered aluminum levels in their tissues.262