How Gut Bacteria Is Helping To Unpack Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

[AndyPR]

It is a debilitating condition that you may have heard of once or twice. And, contrary to popular conception, it goes beyond fatigue.

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (also known as Myalgic Encephalomyetlitis) is a flu-like medical condition characterised not only by long-term fatigue but a whole host of other symptoms that limit a person's ability to carry out daily life.

Fatigue in itself is too common a symptom.

"The key defining feature is actually what's called post-exertional malaise. This involves a flu-like reaction following any form of exertion, trauma or activity that exacerbates stress," Chris Armstrong, researcher at the University of Melbourne's Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, told The Huffington Post Australia.

With no simple cure nor treatment -- and a tendency to misdiagnose -- it has tested physicians and scientists alike for decades.

"The disorder itself is really complicated. It has been a long time since any consistent studies have found anything worthwhile for ME/CFS. So we've been narrowing in," Armstrong said.

And so we turn to our evolving understanding of gut health -- dubbed the next big frontier in medicine -- to understand what causes and maintains this condition.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com.au/20...s-helping-to-unpack-chronic-fatigue-syndrome/

 

[Sasha]

"We might look at giving them more amino acids or more lipids in a metabolised form and seeing whether this aids them," Armstrong said.

"If we can induce improvement and notable changes in their bacteria and metabolism then we may develop markers and more importantly a system for monitoring and treating individual patients."

@ChrisArmstrong, are you able to tell us what these amino acids and lipids "in a metabolised form" are?

 

[Mary]

@Sasha - FWIW, branched chain amino acids (BCAAs) and l-glutamine markedly improved my PEM recovery time, basically cutting it in half. I started taking them 2 years ago last November, and continue to do so.

Unfortunately, as far as I can tell, they haven't increased my activity window. (But I'll take what I can get!)

 

[Sasha]

@Sasha - FWIW, branched chain amino acids (BCAAs) and l-glutamine markedly improved my PEM recovery time, basically cutting it in half. I started taking them 2 years ago last November, and continue to do so.

Unfortunately, as far as I can tell, they haven't increased my activity window. (But I'll take what I can get!)

Are those amino acids that are "in a metabolised form"? (This stuff is way over my head! )

 

[Mary]

Are those amino acids that are "in a metabolised form"? (This stuff is way over my head! )

Sorry, I don't know what "metabolized form" is either! However, with amino acids, I seem to have had no problem utilizing them. I'm wondering if @ChrisArmstrong was referring to lipids only, and not amino acids, in a metabolized form. I also wonder if by metabolized form he means something similar to vitamins in a bioavailable form - e.g., taking B6 in the form of P-5-P (pyridoxal-5-phosphate) as opposed to pyridoxine HCl.

 

[ash0787]

I don't think theres enough research produced on this topic to say that its 'helping', I know of one study which hasn't been replicated which said bacterial concentrations differed, but it seems to entirely be speculation as to whether that would have any effect on the body or how it could possibly sustain the disease, we know that heavily reduced food consumption does not produce an equivalent improvement in health.

 

[Murph]

I don't know what metabolised forms of lipids are but Chris is part of the research team that includes physician Don Lewis, who recommended to me Amino acids as a PEM preventer, which is discussed in these forums and which I am finding works actually quite well, especially if I also take beta blockers.

 

[goodellcl]

@ChrisArmstrong Were conjugated and unconjugated bilirubin levels examined during any of this research? I'm curious because I've fallen down a rabbit hole while trying to learn about the significance of alanine. In reading I found information about elevated bilirubin, which I have, and this led me to information about autoimmune hepatitis (AIH) in which I see that many with that disease also have elevations of alanine and bilirubin, as well as abnormal IgG levels. I have read that many with ME/CFS also have been diagnosed with GIlbert's Syndrome (benign elevation of bilirubin), as have I. Additionally I see there is a relationship between AIH and hypogammaglobulinemia, with which I'm also diagnosed. I underwent a liver biopsy about 12-13 years ago and nothing abnormal was found and no further investigation was conducted. I am curious whether or not this area has been studied in ME/CFS patients.