I must have asked at least a dozen different specialists and others about a strange symptom of mine but nobody has so far been able to give me any kind of explanation as to its possible causes.
It all started a couple of years before getting ME. Doctors say it's got nothing to do with it but deep inside I'm convinced there's a link.
In essence, all fat soluble vitamins and 99% of antioxidants cause me more inflammation which is a paradox.
As far as I know they're supposed to help reduce inflammation. Its my tendons and joints that get inflammed (and may be other tissues inside the body but I'm not aware of).
It usually starts with my hands and unless I stop taking whatever supp it's causing it, then it spreads to wrists, elbows, neck and knees.
Not only I get this from synthetic fat-soluble vitamins (A, D, E, K) and antioxidant supplements (e.g. lycopene, green tea extract, curcumin, pycnogenol etc. ) but also foods rich in antioxidants, if too concentrated.
For e.g. a couple of carrots once in a while is fine but carrot juice is pro-inflammatory. Tomatoes are fine but tomato paste I also find has pro-inflammatory effects.
Sun exposure also raises inflammation in my joints but it's delayed by several hours or till next day, which I assume is due to the delayed activity of Vitamin D.
Foods with a strong colour are the worst. I usually avoid red cabbage (but white cabbage is fine), spices such as turmeric/curry, and I only have in small quantities things like apricots, pumpkins, melons, water melons, blueberries, etc.
One of the few antioxidant that has an actual anti-inflammatory effect on me is Resveratrol and Milk Thistle is also ok but that's about it.
If anybody has ever experience something similar or has any idea on what may be going on, I'd appreciate any input.
PS: One doc actually mentioned that the common link may be the liver. But all tests so far have never shown anything remotely wrong with it and I don't have any liver symptoms.
It all started a couple of years before getting ME. Doctors say it's got nothing to do with it but deep inside I'm convinced there's a link.
In essence, all fat soluble vitamins and 99% of antioxidants cause me more inflammation which is a paradox.
As far as I know they're supposed to help reduce inflammation. Its my tendons and joints that get inflammed (and may be other tissues inside the body but I'm not aware of).
It usually starts with my hands and unless I stop taking whatever supp it's causing it, then it spreads to wrists, elbows, neck and knees.
Not only I get this from synthetic fat-soluble vitamins (A, D, E, K) and antioxidant supplements (e.g. lycopene, green tea extract, curcumin, pycnogenol etc. ) but also foods rich in antioxidants, if too concentrated.
For e.g. a couple of carrots once in a while is fine but carrot juice is pro-inflammatory. Tomatoes are fine but tomato paste I also find has pro-inflammatory effects.
Sun exposure also raises inflammation in my joints but it's delayed by several hours or till next day, which I assume is due to the delayed activity of Vitamin D.
Foods with a strong colour are the worst. I usually avoid red cabbage (but white cabbage is fine), spices such as turmeric/curry, and I only have in small quantities things like apricots, pumpkins, melons, water melons, blueberries, etc.
One of the few antioxidant that has an actual anti-inflammatory effect on me is Resveratrol and Milk Thistle is also ok but that's about it.
If anybody has ever experience something similar or has any idea on what may be going on, I'd appreciate any input.
PS: One doc actually mentioned that the common link may be the liver. But all tests so far have never shown anything remotely wrong with it and I don't have any liver symptoms.
