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Multivitamin mineral supplementation in patients with chronic fatigue syndrome.

Ecoclimber

Senior Member
Messages
1,011
Med Sci Monit. 2014 Jan 14;20:47-53. doi: 10.12659/MSM.889333.
Multivitamin mineral supplementation in patients with chronic fatigue syndrome.
Maric D1, Brkic S1, Tomic S1, Novakov Mikic A2, Cebovic T3, Turkulov V1.
Author information
Abstract

Background
Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) is characterized by medically unexplained persistent or reoccurring fatigue lasting at least 6 months.

CFS has a multifactorial pathogenesis in which oxidative stress (OS) plays a prominent role. Treatment is with a vitamin and mineral supplement, but this therapeutic option so far has not been properly researched.

Material and Methods
This prospective study included 38 women of reproductive age consecutively diagnosed by CDC definition of CFS and treated with a multivitamin mineral supplement. Before and after the 2-month supplementation, SOD activity was determined and patients self-assessed their improvement in 2 questionnaires: the Fibro Fatigue Scale (FFS) and the Quality of Life Scale (SF36).

Results
There was a significant improvement in SOD activity levels; and significant decreases in fatigue (p=0.0009), sleep disorders (p=0.008), autonomic nervous system symptoms (p=0.018), frequency and intensity of headaches (p=0.0001), and subjective feeling of infection (p=0.0002). No positive effect on quality of life was found.

Conclusions
Treatment with a vitamin and mineral supplement could be a safe and easy way to improve symptoms and quality of life in patients with CFS.
 

wdb

Senior Member
Messages
1,392
Location
London
Treatment is with a vitamin and mineral supplement, but this therapeutic option so far has not been properly researched.

And unfortunately it still hasn't, it's so frustrating, yet more research with subjective measures and no placebo control :bang-head:, why do they even bother. How hard would it have been to do it properly.

The only interesting result is SOD activity which I presume it is an objective measure ? But then without proof that that is related to well-being it's not all that interesting.
 

Tito

Senior Member
Messages
300
I don't understand
Results
[...] No positive effect on quality of life was found.

Conclusions
Treatment with a vitamin and mineral supplement could be a safe and easy way to improve symptoms and quality of life in patients with CFS.
So, it improves quality of life or not?
 

Little Bluestem

All Good Things Must Come to an End
Messages
4,930
How can you have less fatigue, better sleep, decreased autonomic nervous system symptoms, fewer and less intense headaches, and decreased feeling of infection and NOT have improved quality of life???
 

Tito

Senior Member
Messages
300
How can you have less fatigue, better sleep, decreased autonomic nervous system symptoms, fewer and less intense headaches, and decreased feeling of infection and NOT have improved quality of life???
It all depends on what is measured.
According to the article, the scale used is the SF36. I googled it and I found this:
maruishslide1.jpg

So it could be possible that while sleep is improved, patients accomplish less or take more time to accomplish something. So the positive on one side is lost by a negative on the other side, and the global outcome is zero.
Unfortunately, the summary does not give any clues about the negatives.
This is consistent with the findings in other studies where patients had increased their physical activities to the detriment of other activities, such as reading, socialising, etc.