Hi, all.
For what it's worth, I'm going to suggest what has gone on biochemically in the scenarios you have been describing.
First, one of the features of ME/CFS is dysfunction of the HPA (hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal) axis. The result of this is that the body is not able to secrete cortisol in the proper amounts and with the right timing to cope with stress of all sorts. I have suggested a mechanism for this dysfunction that involves depletion of glutathione in the hypothalamus and pituitary. Dr. de Meirleir, on the other hand, has found that hydrogen sulfide production by dysbiotic bacteria in the gut is responsible for disrupting the operation of the hypothalamus and causing this dysfunction. Perhaps both of these mechanisms occur, we don't know yet.
If a person continues to undergo stress (and it could be physical stress from exercise as well as other kinds of stress) and the cortisol is not able to be secreted properly, then adrenaline (epinephrine) secretion will be substituted in its place to promote your survival. However, adrenaline does not substitute exactly for cortisol, so that this does not work very well. In addition, the extra adrenaline has to be metabolized (broken down or detoxed). Particularly in people who have inherited certain polymorphisms in the COMT enzyme and the GST enzymes, the metabolism of adrenaline can cause what is called redox cycling. This involves production of oxidizing free radicals, which raises the oxidative stress and further depletes glutathione.
Glutathione depletion in the astrocytes in the brain causes a partial block in the Krebs cycle in the mitochondria, and that lowers the production of ATP. ATP is needed to power the import of glutamate from the synapses, and its conversion to glutamine, for recycling to the neurons. Glutamate is the main excitatory neurotransmitter in the brain. The result of this is that too many glutamate molecules remain in the synaptic gaps between the neurons. They therefore stimulate the NMDA receptors on these neurons too much, and that is what produces the excitotoxicity.
The symptoms of excitotoxicity include the "wired" feeling you have described, as well as anxiety, insomnia, and hypersensitivity of the senses.
Dr. Amy Yasko has suggested a list of supplements that can help to calm excitotoxicity. These include GABA, theanine, magnesium, taurine, grape seed extract, pycnogenol, progesterone, Valerian root, and jujube. She is also coming out with a Glutamate/GABA spray in the future, that will combine some of these supplements.
In the long run, the solution to this problem is to raise glutathione, and in order to do that, it is necessary to lift the partial block in the methylation cycle. Information about this can be found at
www.cfsresearch.org
I hope this is helpful.
Best regards,
Rich
