Oxygen

Oxygen is an odorless and colorless gas that comprises a major component of air and is critical to animal and plant life.

ME/CFS

A 1995 study found oxygen delivery to muscles in ME/CFS was impaired and that there was a 20% reduction in oxidative metabolism.

ME/CFS patients have lower VO2 max scores.

Studies

• 2019, Peak Oxygen Uptake in Chronic Fatigue Syndrome/Myalgic Encephalomyelitis: A Meta-Analysis.

See also

• Hyperbaric oxygen therapy
• Ozone

Further reading

• “ Dr. Cheney’s Change of Heart: Low-Dose Nocturnal Oxygen in Myalgic Encephalomyelitis”

VO2 Max (VO2max) - the maximum amount of oxygen the body can utilize during a specified period of usually intense exercise (Volume of O2 Maximal)

myalgic encephalomyelitis (M.E.) - A disease often marked by neurological symptoms, but fatigue is sometimes a symptom as well. Some diagnostic criteria distinguish it from chronic fatigue syndrome, while other diagnostic criteria consider it to be a synonym for chronic fatigue syndrome. A defining characteristic of ME is post-exertional malaise (PEM), or post-exertional neuroimmune exhaustion (PENE), which is a notable exacerbation of symptoms brought on by small exertions. PEM can last for days or weeks. Symptoms can include cognitive impairments, muscle pain (myalgia), trouble remaining upright (orthostatic intolerance), sleep abnormalities, and gastro-intestinal impairments, among others. An estimated 25% of those suffering from ME are housebound or bedbound. The World Health Organization (WHO) classifies ME as a neurological disease.