Chronic Fatifue Syndrome

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS)
by Majid Ali, MD

This article was provided by:
Aging Healthfully Magazine

Note: The information on this website is presented for educational purposes only.
It is not a substitute for the advice of a qualified professional.

For years, most physicians dismissed chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) as an all-in-the-head problem. And most victims of CFS suffered the indignity of being told that they were hypochondriacs, and that they merely imagined their three main symptoms: (1) disabling fatigue; (2) persistent muscle and joint pain; and (3) severe problems of brain fog, irritability and depression.Many doctors poured salt on the wounds of their patients by labeling their condition as "shirker's syndrome", "yuppie syndrome", and a "syndrome created by the media". Fortunately that is all changing rapidly now.

What Is CFS?
Chronic fatigue syndrome is an epidemic that affects our children, adolescents, adults and the elderly. By some estimates, more than ten million Americans are partially or totally disabled by CFS and its twin sister, fibromyalgia. CFS is a progressive immune disorder which affects all body organs and ecosystems. Thus, in addition to the three major symptoms of fatigue, muscle pain, and brain fog, most persons with severe CFS suffer from almost all of the following symptoms: (1) abdominal bloating, flatulence, and cramps (caused by battered the bowel ecology); (2) digestive and absorptive problems (caused by damaged the gastric ecology); (3) dizziness, lightheadedness, sweating, and weakness (due to oxidative stress on the blood ecology caused by used by sugar-insulin-adrenaline roller coasters); (4) dry mouth, thirst and a sense of "toxicity" (caused by excessive detox stress on the liver ecology); (5) cold hands and feet, weight gain, and loss of hair (due to a sluggish thyroid); (6) chronic stress, irritability, and anxiety (due to relentless stress on the adrenal gland); (7) hypoglycemic symptoms (due to the instability of the pancreas); (8) PMS, menstrual irregularities, lack of sex drive, and premature menopause (due to imbalance of sex hormones); (9) heart palpitations, low blood pressure, dizziness on sudden change of posture (due to oxidative stress on the cardiovascular system); (10) severe problems of mood, memory, and mentation problems (due to disruptions of neurotransmitters); and (11) air or oxygen hunger due to sluggish oxygen transport and utilization).

What Causes CFS?
In 1993, the author published an article in the Journal of Advancement of Medicine (1993;6:83-96) in which I proposed that CFS is caused by accelerated oxidative injury to human enzyme systems. (Oxidation is the process of decay, loss of energy [electrons]. Enzymes are natural substances that facilitate life processes in the body.) In 1994, the author published The Canary and Chronic Fatigue and presented extensive evidence to support my theory. Since then hundreds of scientific studies have validated the author's theory. Accelerated oxidative injury causes three basic problems for victims of CFS: (1) oxygen transport to tissues is impaired; and (2) oxygen utilization in cells is sluggish; and (3) toxic organic acids (lactic, oxalic, tartaric, furoin and others) accumulate in and poison cells. Research by our group and by others has established that all three problems are caused by oxidative injury to energy and detox enzymes.

3 Rs of CFS:
(1) Chronic fatigue syndrome is Real;
(2) chronic fatigue syndrome cannot be Reversed with drugs, though limited use of drugs for pain control, sleep and other symptoms may become necessary; and
(3) chronic fatigue Syndrome is Reversible in the vast majority of patients with integrated and holistic therapies that restore the body's damaged ecosystems though the recovery in advanced cases may be painfully slow.

Excessive oxidative injury in CFS is caused by undiagnosed mold allergy and food intolerance, sugar overload, denatured foods, antibiotic abuse, pesticides, environmental pollutants, abusive drug prescriptions, and lifestyle stressors. What's the proof of all that? Direct microscopic examination of a drop of blood of the patient performed with a special type of microscope called high-resolution phase-contrast microscope with darkfield optics. Blood samples of persons with CFS almost always show: (1) a large number of dead and dying red and white blood cells; (2) pine needle-like forms of solidified blood plasma (fibrin needles); (3) minute curdles of blood plasma (microclots); (4) irregular masses clotted plasma with entrapped damaged blood cells (microplaques); (5) clumped platelets; (6) excessive numbers of bacteria; and (7) overgrowth of peculiar yeast-like microbes which I call primordial life forms.

3 Important Issues in CFS: (1) genetic predisposition; (2) total, cumulative load of microbes and toxins; and (3) the last trigger that brings on the full-blown fatigue, such as a sever viral infection or a major chemical exposure. The most common mistake made here is that clinicians and patients devote most energy to the last trigger and fail to adequately address all the factors which cause cumulative load on the patient's oxygen transport and utilization, antioxidant and detox enzyme systems of the body.

TWO IMPORTANT FACTS FOR UNDERSTANDING CFS

Oxidative Coagulopathy
Oxidative coagulopathy (coag-lau-pathy) is a term for formation of microscopic blood clots in the circlating blood. Blood clots and unclots at all times. Just as culture addede to milk turns it into yogurt curdles, microbes in the blood plasma also turn fluid plasma into curdles that entrap blood cells, grow, and clog blood vessels. In health, microscopic clots formed in the blood are readily dissolved so that such clots are seen infrequently in freshly prepared blood smears. When such clotting is speeded up by microbes and other factors listed above, microclots are lodged in tiny blood vessels, choke the blood supply, and cause cellular damage. Thus, coagulopathy causes fatigue, muscle pain, brain fog and other symptoms. (Ref: Ali M, Ali O. AA Oxidopathy. The Journal of Integrative Medicine 1997;1:6-112.)

Oxidative Lymphopathy
Lymphopathy (lymph-au-pathy) is a term for formation of microscopic clots in lymph, the pale-white fluid that flows in lymphatic channels. Like circulating blood, circulating lymph also clots and unclots at all times. In CFS, lymph microclots cause blockage of lymph channels and stagnation of toxic fluid in tissues. Thus, oxidative lymphopathy adds to fatigue, muscle pain, brain fog, and other symptoms of CFS. (Ref: Ali M. Oxidative regression to primordial cellular ecology. The Journal of Integrative Medicine 1998;2:4-49.)

SUGGESTED GUIDELINES FOR NUTRITIONAL SUPPORT FOR CHRONIC FATIGUE SYNDROME

CFS should be managed by clinicians experienced in integrated therapies. The following Institute guidelines should not be considered a substitute for professional care. Rather, the guidelines are furnished to provide information about therapies that the Institute physicians have found to be both effective and necessary. The essential elements are: (1) diagnose and treat food intolerance and mold allergy; (2) Optimal choices in the kitchen: avoid sugar-insulin-adrenaline roller coasters; (3) Nutrient support: antioxidant vitamins and minerals. TPM, pantetheine, Protein and peptide formulas, Essential oils, Intramuscular and intravenous nutrient protocols (see Institute monograph for composition of protocols); (4) support for the bowel ecosystem: seed, feed and weed approach; herbs: echinecea, astragalus, burdock root, goldenseal, Pea D'Arco, artemisia; antifungal drugs such as Nystatin and Filfucan; (5) support for the blood ecosystem: Hydrogen peroxide, ozone and EDTA chelation therapies; chromium 400-600 mcg; selenium 400-600 mcg; molybdenum 400-600 mcg; (6) support for the liver ecosystem: glutathione 600-800 mg; N-Acetylcysteine 600-800 mg; MSM 1,000 to 1,500 mg; lipoic acid 300 to 500 mg; 600-800; Milk thistle, schizandra, liver and gall bladder flush (under professional supervision); (7) support for the troubled thyroid: natural thyroid, kelp, hawthorne, and others used in light of the lab test results; (8) support for the sluggish adrenal: licorice tincture, schizandria, Rehmania, DHEA, pregnenolone, androstenedione and others used in light of the lab evaluation; (9) support for the weakened pancreas: hypoglycemic diets and pancreatic enzymes; (10) support for the pituitary-sex hormones-neurotransmitter trio: natural hormone and phytohormone prescriptions based on lab test results; (11) exercise: Prayerful, gentle, non-competitive, non-goal-oriented exercise; and (12) stress control: Prayer, meditation, spiritual surrender.

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