Metabolic

Metabolic relates to metabolism, the chemical processes that occur within a living organism in order to maintain life. Metabolic disease is caused by some defect in the chemical reactions of the cells of the body.

Metabolic and ME/CFS

One current avenue in ME/CFS is investigating whether metabolic function is a cause of the energy production defect in ME/CFS.

Notable studies

• 2016, Metabolic features of chronic fatigue syndrome
• 2020, Comprehensive Circulatory Metabolomics in ME/CFS Reveals Disrupted Metabolism of Acyl Lipids and Steroids - (Full text)

2020, Letter to the Editor of Metabolites - (Full letter)

Learn more

• ME/CFS, a mathematical model by Paolo Maccallini via Wordpress

Many of my readers are probably aware of the attempts that are currently being made to mathematically simulate energy metabolism of ME/CFS patients, integrating metabolic data with genetic data. In particular, Dr. Robert Phair has developed a mathematical model of the main metabolic pathways involved in energy conversion, from energy stored in the chemical bonds of big molecules like glucose, fatty acids, and amino acids, to energy stored in adenosine triphosphate (ATP), ready to use. Phair, who is an engineer, determined the differential equations that rule this huge amount of chemical reactions and adapted them to the genetic profile found in ME/CFS patients.

• Chronic fatigue syndrome: Gradually figuring out what’s wrong by Harvard Health Publishing

In ME/CFS, research has shown that the cells have trouble both making and using energy. That is, people with ME/CFS feel they don’t have enough energy because their cells are not making enough, nor using what they make efficiently. The ability of cells to extract oxygen from the blood and use it to make energy appears particularly defective after physical and mental exertion.