Can Overtraining Syndrome cause ME/CFS?

[Omri]

Hello all, it's been a few years since this thread was made. Just wanted to bump this thread to see if anyone else is in the same boat as me. Basically my onset of CFS followed this path Overtraining/Over Exertion --> Bowel Problems --> Chronic Fatigue Onset.

I've been through various internal specialists, done tons of tests (blood work, heart stress test, emg for muscles, 24 hour blood pressure monitoring, etc.) and my doctor is stumped.

Same for me.

 

[Research 1st]

Can Overtraining Syndrome cause ME/CFS?

Answer:

No, but it may trigger it, depending on what you class 'it' as, as ME/CFS doesn't exist any more legitimately than MS/CFS. So to answer accurately you'd have to decide yourself what your ME or your CFS is, to be able to develop it!

Honestly, the simplistic question is as answerable as asking: can eating more than the average person make you fat? It all depends on your initial BMI, type of food ingested, calories, genetic profile, hormone levels etc.

So with ME or CFS it also depends as both have no diagnostic test.

Taking hypothetically:

*Exercise when run down can cause immunity to weaken
*Infection and subsequent autoimmunity are linked.

Now add the components, including genetics, required to develop ME

Then yes, if your own ME or CFS is caused by persistent infection triggering autoimmunity, then theoretically yes.

If not, then no!

The same would apply for MS. If you were hammering yourself into the floor with exercise, and had an infection such as chronic EBV, that for reasons not known to science may be involved with CNS infiltration, HERV activation and so forth. Then theoretically with the right bad set of circumstances, infection mediated MS, may be triggered by overtraining syndrome in which a certain causative pathogen is able to take hold.

On a relevant topic many with severe ME were sporty first, and developed ME, or over-trained their sick bodies with GET (via CBT) and became permanently worse. If you have a mitochondrial infection and try and carry on with your life, even this becomes a state of over training, in the chronic metabolically injured.

 

[ScottTriGuy]

I was a high level triathlete for over a decade before my first lapse with m.e. - my 2 subsequent relapses occurred during the 'off' season when my training was in the 'get fat and slow' phase.

 

[IreneF]

I think training/working out/competing won't cause CFS/ME, but won't prevent it, either.

The bio-social-psych folks tend to blame it on deconditioning plus "faulty illness beliefs." If that were so, then no athletes would ever get it, as I think someone already pointed out.

 

[butterfly7]

Well this thing is full on, I forget and get excited and started dancing to some music like i used to then i thought ill just pick up those light weights and do a few sit ups ,i thought i was going to die honestly ,i think ive got it now ,i also have salicylate and amine intolerances ,live off 10 foods, ate some fish the other day and again so debiltated, so all said and done shine like the sun people and love like a rainbow......what choice do we have but make the best of it ,and yeah was bedridden for 5 mths least i can walk about 50mtres now somedays......

 

[OfcourseYouCanRevover]

Lo

Can Overtraining Syndrome lead to ME/CFS?

Hello everyone, I am new to the board.

For the past 3.5 years, I've been struggling with irritable bowel (diarrhea), post exertional malaise and fatigue. My symptoms started to show up after I decided to join a weekend rec hockey league after many years of inactivity. I pushed myself really hard in the first game and noticed a change in my bowel habits after. Thinking it was nothing, I continued on for another 1.5 months (4 more games). I finally stopped when I noticed my bowel habits weren't improving. At first I didn't really notice fatigue or PEM, all I knew was that any sort of physical activity/exertion would worsen my bowel symptoms. But as time went on, fatigue and PEM started to creep up on me and I've noticed that worsening of my bowel symptoms were linked to fatigue. The more fatigued I am, the worse my D.

My GI specialist thinks my irritable bowel is caused by an infection, but it was not something I believed in. I always felt my symptoms showed up after I started playing hockey. After much research, I've come across Overtraining Syndrome, which has changed bowel habits as one of their symptoms. Then PEM and fatigue research led me to ME/CFS. For the first time, I've found something out there that explains my symptoms.

I haven't been officially diagnosed with ME/CFS but am in the process of seeing a doctor to get some tests done because my symptoms are getting worse. At the moment, I am trying to get as much research done as possible. One big question I have is, can Overtraining Syndrome become or cause ME/CFS? I've read through some of the posts on this forum and noticed a few members mentioned that their ME/CFS started off with Overtraining Syndrome, maybe they can chime in on this thread some more if possible? Thanks for all your input.

lol you playing a sport probably wasnt making your ibs worse. Why dont you try taking all emotional, physicaly and chemical stress out of your life