Fatigue is a debilitating symptom that can be caused by various factors, including deficiencies in essential vitamins, particularly vitamin B12 and vitamin D. In this blog, we will discuss the vitamin status in chronic fatigue syndrome, the vitamin deficiencies that cause fatigue, and the effect of supplements.
About Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
Chronic fatigue syndrome, or CFS, is a complex disease that includes fatigue and long-term disability in occupational, educational, social, or personal activities. Prolonged fatigue is often accompanied by typical symptoms, including muscle/joint pain or headaches, recurrent sore throat, tender lymph nodes, significant problems with concentration, sleep, and memory, and extreme weakness after physical activity.
Causes of chronic fatigue syndrome
CFS is a neurological disorder that commonly occurs immediately after a virus. Chronic fatigue causes do not include malnutrition or poor eating, and there is no known cure. Patients suffering from CFS have been found to experience several nutritional deficiencies that are hardly resolved by improving a patient’s diet. Certain vitamin and mineral supplements have been recommended to reduce CFS symptoms, but no dietary approach has been found to be effective in eliminating the symptoms of fatigue.
Diet
Lower levels of nutrients are not possibly caused by diet. As mentioned above, no diet has been shown to be effective in patients with CFS. However, the general recommendation for a healthy, balanced diet is often considered, and certain dietary supplements are beneficial in addressing certain symptoms. Healthcare specialists who are experts in treating CFS recommend certain diets along with certain dietary supplements.
Diagnosis
There is no proper diagnostic laboratory test, which is why the disease is difficult to diagnose. CFS diagnosis is recommended for a condition with a history of at least six months and can only be identified after other causes of fatigue have been excluded.
The syndrome often gives rise to severe functional limitations. CFS can also be called postviral fatigue syndrome, chronic fatigue immune dysfunction syndrome, or myalgic encephalomyelitis. The disease has its highest impact on women rather than on men. Numerous factors, including environmental and immunological issues and a wide range of CFS symptoms, have recently been reported. In some cases, a vitamin deficiency is behind the problem. Vitamin deficiency and fatigue may come hand in hand. It might be worthwhile to fix an appointment with a healthcare professional to check a few vitamin levels, such as those listed below:
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- Vitamin B12: Many patients with CFS exhibit vitamin B12 deficiency. Despite having normal or increased serum B12 levels, low vitamin B12 fatigue occurs and is often associated with a concurrent deficiency in vitamin B2, which is important for the proper utilization of B12. Therefore, it is important to address vitamin B12 deficiency symptoms first, and then initiation of B12 supplementation is considered effective in alleviating fatigue in these patients. Vitamin B12 supplementation is commonly effective in resolving fatigue; its effectiveness in individuals without overt B12 deficiency or advanced neurological diseases is uncertain. Research has found no improvement in depressive symptoms, cognitive function, or idiopathic fatigue with B12 supplementation alone or along with other B vitamins.
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- Vitamin D: Vitamin D deficiency fatigue has affected around one billion people across the world, regardless of age and gender. In fact, a severe deficiency can contribute to significant fatigue, depression-like symptoms, personality changes, immune dysfunction, and chronic sleep disorders. Research demonstrated that the elderly with fatigue often have lower levels of vitamin D than those who don’t have fatigue, which often suggests a direct association between fatigue severity and levels of vitamin D. Additionally, supplements have been found to be effective in alleviating vitamin D deficiency symptoms of fatigue in patients with low vitamin D levels. Vitamin D is a part of proper immune function and inflammation regulation. A deficiency of vitamin D can affect immune responses and cause chronic inflammation, which is related to persistent fatigue. Also, it affects the central nervous system, potentially affecting energy levels and the sleep cycle.
- Iron deficiency and tiredness: Anemia occurs when there are not enough red blood cells to fulfill the body’s requirement for oxygen or when these cells do not carry enough of an important protein called hemoglobin. Anemia is the first symptom associated with vitamin deficiency tiredness. A blood test can help determine the number of blood cells and the amount of hemoglobin and diagnose if one has anemia. To meet the needs of the body’s iron supply, it is best to eat iron-rich foods (rice, beans, eggs, and red meat) or take supplements under the guidance of a healthcare specialist.
- B Vitamins, Vitamin C: B vitamins (B1, B2, B3, B6, B8, and B9), vitamin C, zinc, and magnesium play an important role in energy metabolism, oxygen transport, DNA synthesis, and neural function. Deficiencies of these vitamins can contribute to mental and physical tiredness. Deficiencies in these vitamins are commonly found in patients with chronic fatigue syndrome and can give rise to symptoms of the disease.
- Vitamin E: Researchers have found that vitamin E concentrations are extremely low in patients with CFS. This may be due to elevated oxidative stress in these patients, according to researchers. However, the evidence linking this vitamin deficiency with CFS and associated clinical parameters is not constant, and the use of supplements does not consistently result in improvements.
Conclusion:
Vitamin B12 and vitamin D deficiency are closely linked to fatigue. However, there is not enough evidence to demonstrate that vitamin deficiencies play a crucial role in the pathophysiology of CFS and that supplement use is effective in these patients. However, in most cases, addressing these deficiencies with appropriate supplements under the supervision of healthcare professionals can help alleviate symptoms. Furthermore, the effectiveness of supplements varies from one person to another, and more research is needed to understand vitamin status in fatigue and develop comprehensive treatment solutions.
