Omega 3 fish oil EPA and chronic fatigue syndrome the real science
Health & Fitness → Nutrition & Supplement
- Author David Mcevoy
- Published January 16, 2006
- Word count 927
Since the publication of a book called ‘Beat Chronic
Fatigue The Natural Way’, many people are turning to the
natural substance omega 3, and in particular pure ethyl
EPA, to help treat the debilitating condition known as
chronic fatigue syndrome.
What is chronic fatigue syndrome ?
We all get tired. Many of us have felt depressed at times.
But the mysterious chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) is not
like the normal ups and downs we experience in everyday
life. The early sign of this illness is a strong and
noticeable fatigue that comes on suddenly and often comes
and goes – sometimes, it never stops. You sometimes feel
too tired to do normal activities or are easily exhausted
with no apparent reason. Unlike the mind fog of a serious
hangover, to which researchers have compared CFS, the
profound weakness of CFS does not go away with a few good
nights of sleep. Instead, it slyly steals your energy and
vigour over months and sometimes years.
Who gets chronic fatigue syndrome?
Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) affects both men and women,
and its incidence cuts across wide strata of age as well as
racial and socio-economic groups. It was first described in
the 1930s; CFS received a flurry of publicity in the
mid-1980s when the syndrome was erroneously associated with
the Epstein-Barr virus. In the early to mid-1990s it was
being described as ‘yuppie flu’.
Symptoms of chronic fatigue syndrome
• muscle aches and pains, especially after physical exertion
• feeling depressed and emotional
• poor sleep, difficulty getting off to sleep, frequent wakings, and not feeling refreshed after sleep
• nausea and loss of appetite
• a recurrent sore throat, feeling of enlarged glands in
the neck which come and go
• running a slightly high temperature for no apparent
reason
• feeling of faintness and dizziness
Omega 3 fish oil EPA and chronic Fatigue syndrome
The most recent study that has been performed was published
in the journal Acta Psychiatrica Scandinavica. In the
study, doctors from London found that in the brains of
people with chronic fatigue syndrome there are high levels
of two key chemicals, choline and creatine.
Choline is important for controlling fat levels in brain
cells while creatine provides energy.
The doctors said the findings suggested CFS patients had
abnormal phospholipid metabolisms. Phospholipids are
special types of fats which are an essential component of
cells. They are protected by certain types of fatty acids.
The London doctors believed fatty acid supplements could
help to restore the chemical imbalance in the brain and
alleviate the symptoms of CFS. EPA, which is found in omega
3 fish oil supplements, may be particularly useful.
The leader of the study said: "This study suggests that if
patients with CFS take a high-EPA fatty acid supplement,
then this should have a beneficial action on the chemical
imbalances in the brain which we have identified."
Since this study was published further advances have been
made, and the findings released by a leading professor in
the United Kingdom state clearly that he considers Chronic
Fatigue Syndrome to be a genuine physical illness. The
professor describes how he came to conclude that CFS could
be successfully treated by supplementation with essential
fatty acids, specifically ultra-pure EPA (eicosapentaenoic
acid) and virgin evening primrose oil.
The professor describes the changes in the immune system
seen with CFS, as a reduction in natural killer cell
activity and a shift from TH1 cell activity toward
increased TH2 cell activity, known as a type 2 immune
response. He believes that this is best explained by the
presence of a pre-existing, long-term, viral infection to
which the immune system is reacting.
Using MRI scanning to carry out neurospectroscopy
examinations of people with CFS, in order to obtain
information about the chemistry of the living brain, the
professor demonstrated a clear difference between the
brains of people with CFS and ‘normal’ volunteers; the
results indicated a very significant change in the turnover
of fatty acids in the cell membranes of CFS sufferers.
Essential fatty acids - linoleic acid (omega-6) and alpha
linolenic acid (omega-3) – are known as such because they
must be acquired from food and cannot be manufactured by
the body. The professor explains how viruses can cause the
symptoms of CFS by inhibiting a crucial enzyme in the
chains that convert these essential fatty acids into other
fatty acids required by the body, including GLA
(gamma-linolenic acid), EPA and DHA (docosahexaenoic acid).
This leads to a deficiency in these fatty acids. He
believes the resulting lack of EFAs in the body leads to
many of the symptoms familiar to CFS sufferers, including
tiredness, poor immune response and painful joints.
The professor concluded by saying that by giving patients
large amounts of GLA and EPA the effects of the virus can
be circumvented and how CFS patients taking high-dose
supplements reported improvements in symptoms within 12
weeks. Crucially, the supplement should be DHA-free, which
means that the majority of fish oil supplements, which
contain both EPA and DHA, are not suitable. The Professor
also strongly believes that the type of DHA found in most
fish oil supplements inhibits some of the beneficial
actions of EPA.
Conclusion
Since both these sets of findings were released, more and
more people are turning to high grade ethyl EPA fish oil to
help with this debilitating condition. Whether this will
lead to a mainstream treatment for chronic fatigue
syndrome, and whether it will work for all sufferers,
remains to be seen. However, a large majority of people who
are trying this as a form of treatment are reporting some
very interesting and very good results.
Dave McEvoy: A great resource for high grade ethyl EPA with
a concentration strength of 90% and no DHA visit
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