Chronic Fatigue Syndrome - Supplements

You can defeat chronic fatigue syndrome. With no single known cause, this syndrome largely remains a mystery. According to research or other evidence, the following self-care steps may be helpful.

Gradually increase exercise
Even if you must begin with only a few minutes at a time, exercise can help you feel better
Check out L-carnitine
Take 1 gram three times a day to provide a nutrient important for energy production
Try NADH
10 mg per day of the active coenzyme form of vitamin B3 (nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide) may help your body produce more energy
Consider vitamin B12 injections
Consult a doctor for a trial of 2,500 to 5,000 mcg every two or three days for several weeks to make up possible deficiency
Consult an expert
Find an experienced professional to help manage the symptoms of this challenging disease
Get stress-reduction counseling
For coping strategies, find a qualified counselor experienced in helping people with chronic fatigue syndrome

Also indexed as:

CFS,
chronic fatigue,
chronic fatigue syndrome,
fatigue syndrome,
myalgic encephalomyelitis,
tiredness syndrome

About this treatment

What Are "Star" Ratings?

a7_3star Reliable and relatively consistent scientific data showing a substantial health benefit.

a7_2star Contradictory, insufficient, or preliminary studies suggesting a health benefit or minimal health benefit.

a7_1star For an herb, supported by traditional use but minimal or no scientific evidence. For a supplement, little scientific support.

Our proprietary “Star-Rating” system was developed to help you easily understand the amount of scientific support behind each supplement in relation to a specific health condition. While there is no way to predict whether a vitamin, mineral, or herb will successfully treat or prevent associated health conditions, our unique ratings tell you how well these supplements are understood by the medical community, and whether studies have found them to be effective for other people.

For over a decade, our team has combed through thousands of research articles published in reputable journals. To help you make educated decisions, and to better understand controversial or confusing supplements, our medical experts have digested the science into these three easy-to-follow ratings. We hope this provides you with a helpful resource to make informed decisions towards your health and well-being.

Supplement	Amount	Why
L-Carnitine	1 gram three times daily	L-carnitine is an important nutrient for energy production. Supplementation can make up for a possible deficiency.
L-Carnitine 1 gram three times daily L-carnitine is required for energy production in the powerhouses of cells (the mitochondria). There may be a problem in the mitochondria in people with CFS. Deficiency of carnitine has been seen in some CFS sufferers.³ One gram of carnitine taken three times daily for eight weeks led to improvement in CFS symptoms in one preliminary trial.⁴ Supplementation with 6 grams of L-carnitine per day for four weeks also improved fatigue in a preliminary study of patients with advanced cancer.⁵ Similar improvements were seen in another study of patients with advanced cancer given up to 3 grams of L-carnitine per day for one week.⁶ What Else Is This Supplement Used For? See Drug Interactions

Supplement	Amount	Why
Magnesium	Refer to label instructions	Some researchers have reported that magnesium deficiency is common in people with chronic fatigue syndrome. Supplementing can help make up for a deficiency.
Magnesium NADH (nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide) helps make ATP, the energy source the body runs on. In a double-blind trial, people with CFS received 10 mg of NADH or a placebo each day for four weeks.⁷ Of those receiving NADH, 31% reported improvements in fatigue, decreases in other symptoms, and improved overall quality of life, compared with only 8% of those in the placebo group. Further double-blind research is needed to confirm these findings. Magnesium levels have been reported to be low in CFS sufferers. In a double-blind trial, injections with magnesium improved symptoms for most people.⁸ Oral magnesium supplementation has improved symptoms in those people with CFS who previously had low magnesium levels, according to a preliminary report, although magnesium injections were sometimes necessary.⁹ These researchers report that magnesium deficiency appears to be very common in people with CFS. Nonetheless, several other researchers report no evidence of magnesium deficiency in people with CFS.¹⁰^{, 11}^{, 12} The reason for this discrepancy remains unclear. If people with CFS do consider magnesium supplementation, they should have their magnesium status checked by a doctor before undertaking supplementation. It appears that only people with magnesium deficiency benefit from this therapy. What Else Is This Supplement Used For? See Drug Interactions

Supplement	Amount	Why
NADH	10 mg daily	Supplementing with NADH may help your body produce more energy.
NADH 10 mg daily NADH (nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide) helps make ATP, the energy source the body runs on. In a double-blind trial, people with CFS received 10 mg of NADH or a placebo each day for four weeks.¹³ Of those receiving NADH, 31% reported improvements in fatigue, decreases in other symptoms, and improved overall quality of life, compared with only 8% of those in the placebo group. Further double-blind research is needed to confirm these findings. What Else Is This Supplement Used For?

Supplement	Amount	Why
Potassium-Magnesium Aspartate	1 gram of aspartates is taken twice per day	Potassium-magnesium aspartate has shown benefits for chronically fatigued people in some trials.
Potassium-Magnesium Aspartate 1 gram of aspartates is taken twice per day The combination of potassium aspartate and magnesium aspartate has shown benefits for chronically fatigued people in double-blind trials.¹⁴ ^{, 15} ^{, 16} ^{, 17} However, these trials were performed before the criteria for diagnosing CFS was established, so whether these people were suffering from CFS is unclear. Usually 1 gram of aspartates is taken twice per day, and results have been reported within one to two weeks.

Supplement	Amount	Why
Vitamin B12	Consult a qualified healthcare practitioner	Vitamin B12 deficiency may cause fatigue, but B12 injections have been reported benefits even without deficiency. A doctor should evaluate deficiency and whether B12 injections may help.
Vitamin B12 Consult a qualified healthcare practitioner Vitamin B12 deficiency may cause fatigue. However, some reports,¹⁸ even double-blind ones,¹⁹ have shown that people who are not deficient in B12 have increased energy following a series of vitamin B12 injections. Some sources in conventional medicine have discouraged such people from taking B12 shots despite this evidence.²⁰ Nonetheless, some doctors have continued to take the limited scientific support for B12 seriously.²¹ In one preliminary trial, 2,500 to 5,000 mcg of vitamin B12 given by injection every two to three days led to improvement in 50 to 80% of a group of people with CFS; most improvement appeared after several weeks of B12 shots.²² While the research in this area remains preliminary, people with CFS considering a trial of vitamin B12 injections should consult a doctor. Oral or sublingual B12 supplements are unlikely to obtain the same results as injectable B12, because the body’s ability to absorb large amounts is relatively poor. What Else Is This Supplement Used For? See Drug Interactions

Supplement	Amount	Why
Asian Ginseng	Refer to label instructions	Adaptogenic herbs such as Asian ginseng have an immunomodulating effect and help support the normal function of the body’s hormonal stress system.
Asian Ginseng Adaptogenic herbs such as Asian ginseng and eleuthero may also be useful for CFS patients—the herbs not only have an immunomodulating effect but also help support the normal function of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis, the hormonal stress system of the body.²³ These herbs are useful follow-ups to the six to eight weeks of taking licorice root and may be used for long-term support of adrenal function in people with CFS. However, no controlled research has investigated the effect of adaptogenic herbs on CFS. What Else Is This Supplement Used For?

Supplement	Amount	Why
DHEA	Refer to label instructions	DHEA is a hormone that has been found to be low in some people with chronic fatigue syndrome.
DHEA DHEA (dehydroepiandrosterone) is a hormone now available as a supplement. In one report, DHEA levels were found to be low in people with CFS.²⁴ Another research group reported that, while DHEA levels were normal in a group of CFS patients, the ability of these people to increase their DHEA level in response to hormonal stimulation was impaired.²⁵ Whether supplementation with DHEA might help CFS patients remains unknown due to the lack of controlled research. DHEA should not be used without the supervision of a healthcare professional. What Else Is This Supplement Used For? See Drug Interactions

Supplement	Amount	Why
Eleuthero	Refer to label instructions	“Adaptogenic” herbs such as eleuthero have an immunomodulating effect and help support the normal function of the body’s hormonal stress system.
Eleuthero Adaptogenic herbs such as Asian ginseng and eleuthero may also be useful for CFS patients—the herbs not only have an immunomodulating effect but also help support the normal function of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis, the hormonal stress system of the body.²⁶ These herbs are useful follow-ups to the six to eight weeks of taking licorice root and may be used for long-term support of adrenal function in people with CFS. However, no controlled research has investigated the effect of adaptogenic herbs on CFS. What Else Is This Supplement Used For?

Supplement	Amount	Why
Fish Oil	Refer to label instructions	In one study, patients with chronic fatigue syndrome reported an improvement in their symptoms after taking a supplement containing the essential fatty acids EPA and DHA.
Fish Oil In a preliminary study, four patients with chronic fatigue syndrome reported an improvement in their symptoms after taking an essential fatty acid supplement daily for at least 12 weeks.²⁷ The amount used was 10 to 18 capsules per day, and each capsule contained 93 mg of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), 29 mg of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), and 10 mg of gamma-linolenic acid. Because there was no placebo group in this study and, because fatigue often improves after treatment with a placebo, additional research is needed to confirm this report. What Else Is This Supplement Used For? See Drug Interactions

Supplement	Amount	Why
Licorice	Refer to label instructions	A case report described a man with CFS whose symptoms improved after taking 2.5 grams of licorice root daily.
Licorice One case report described a man with CFS whose symptoms improved after taking 2.5 grams of licorice root daily.²⁸ While there have been no controlled trials to test licorice in patients with CFS, it may be worth a trial of six to eight weeks using 2 to 3 grams of licorice root daily. What Else Is This Supplement Used For?

References

Last Review: 05-11-2011

Learn more about Aisle7, the company.

The information presented in Aisle7 is for informational purposes only. It is based on scientific studies (human, animal, or in vitro), clinical experience, or traditional usage as cited in each article. The results reported may not necessarily occur in all individuals. Self-treatment is not recommended for life-threatening conditions that require medical treatment under a doctor's care. For many of the conditions discussed, treatment with prescription or over the counter medication is also available. Consult your doctor, practitioner, and/or pharmacist for any health problem and before using any supplements or before making any changes in prescribed medications. Information expires June 2011.

© 1995-2011 Healthwise, Incorporated. Healthwise, Healthwise for every health decision, and the Healthwise logo are trademarks of Healthwise, Incorporated. This information does not replace the advice of a doctor. Healthwise, Incorporated disclaims any warranty or liability for your use of this information. Your use of this information means that you agree to the Terms of Use. How this information was developed to help you make better health decisions.

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