Nutritional deficiencies in ME/CFS

ME/CFS is a neurological disease that mostly common occurs immediately after a virus, and is not caused by poor eating habits or malnutrition, and cannot be healed by dietary or nutritional interventions&mdash;there is no known cure. Patients with ME/CFS have been found to experience a number of nutritional deficiencies which cannot explained by patients' diet. Nutritional supplements have been recommended to reduce some ME/CFS symptoms, but no particular dietary approach has found to be effective.

Deficiencies found
Nutritional deficiencies or reduced levels of certain nutrients that have in studies of ME/CFS patients include some B vitamins, especially vitamin B1, vitamin C, magnesium, sodium, zinc, L-tryptophan, carnitine, coenzyme Q10, and essential fatty acids.

Diet
Common nutritional deficiencies or lower levels of nutrients found in ME/CFS are not caused by diet. No particular diet has been shown to be effective in ME/CFS, the general recommendation is for a healthy, balanced diet although some dietary supplements may be helpful in addressing certain symptoms. A number of clinicians that specialize in ME/CFS recommend certain diets based on personal experience, or certain dietary supplements. The Canadian Consensus Criteria states that the nutritional principles in Travell & Simons (1999) are helpful.

Nutritional deficiencies as a differential diagnosis
Before a diagnosis of ME/CFS can be made a number of tests must be run including tests to detect common nutritional deficiencies known to cause of fatigue or pain. Standard tests for these can identify:
 * Anemia including iron deficiency anemia
 * Electrolyte imbalances (magnesium, potassium, and sodium)
 * folate deficiency
 * Iron overload
 * Vitamin B12 deficiency

Once after any nutritional deficiencies have been treated, and any other alternative possible causes for symptoms have been ruled out, a diagnosis of ME/CFS can be made in people meeting the diagnostic criteria.

Notable studies

 * 2021, Life-Threatening Malnutrition in Very Severe ME/CFS - (Full text)
 * 2019, Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS): Suggestions for a nutritional treatment in the therapeutic approach - (Full text)
 * 2017, Role of dietary modification in alleviating chronic fatigue syndrome symptoms: A systematic review - (Full text)
 * 2017, Vitamin and mineral status in chronic fatigue syndrome and fibromyalgia syndrome: A systematic review and meta-analysis - (Full text)
 * 2010, Alternative medical interventions used in the treatment and management of myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome and fibromyalgia - (Full text)
 * 2005, Nutrient intake is unrelated to nutrient status in patients with chronic fatigue syndrome - (Full text)
 * 2000, Nutritional Strategies for Treating Chronic Fatigue Syndrome - (Full text)

Books

 * 1999, Travell & Simons' Myofascial Pain and Dysfunction: Upper half of body

Related categories

 * Potential treatments
 * Diets
 * Amino acids
 * Herbs
 * Supplements