| The Ultimate Fibromyalgia Recource Center |
| Do We Really Understand Our Treatment Options? Is there Middle Ground to be found between Western and Alternative Methods? |
Choosing The Right Treatment Protocol For Yourself
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| Searching For Treatment Options Can be Overwhelming and Confusing. Do any web-based search on "FM Treatment" and results will offer up multiple sites maintained by doctors claiming to have a proven effective treatment for FM based on Mitochondrial Dysfunction. It makes perfect sense, once explained, (that is, if you can wrap your mind around it all!) that the problems FM/CFS sufferers have are a result of basic hormonal imbalances and nutrient deficiencies that can be corrected. If it is so simple then one might ask why these protocols haven't been embraced by physicians practicing standard western medicine? We may never know the answer to that question. That line was drawn in the proverbial sand long ago and FM/CFS treatment protocols are not immune to it. The problem is that for FM/CFS sufferers, symptoms vary so greatly that there is no standard, "one-size fits all" treatment. Western practitioners often refuse to embrace and offer alternative methods and doctors offering treatment based on mitochondrial dysfunction are considered to be "alternative methodology"; we can only hope that at some point the two will work together to help us find a cure and effective treatment for FM/CFS. Those of us who suffer from these diseases are the ones who lose out in this situation, many being treated by one or the other and never finding relief for their symptoms in a manner effective enough to function in daily life. I personally, believe the answer is somewhere in the middle. I hope that anyone who is searching for FM/CFS treatment exercises caution and maintains realistic expectations in enrolling in any treatment protocol, whether it be western or alternative because the complicated nature of these diseases prevent any claim of a "cure" from being guaranteed for any of us who suffer from them. In other words, if you land on a website boasting claims of "Curing FM/CFS", you should immediately be cautious because if it could be done, believe me, the pharmaceutical industry would have already monopolized it! This is not to say that a practitioners' treatment protocol cannot prove helpful in managing or eliminating your symptoms and are not worthy of further investigation, only that with FM/CFS we simply must have realistic expectations. Remember that these programs are bottom line, businesses who need patients like you to make a profit. This is true in western medicine and alternative medicine. Don't forget that. Having said all of that, I would like to share all of the best information I could find about Mitochondrial Dysfunction here with you; including resource links. I hope you will find it helpful and useful in developing your own treatment protocol and that by presenting it here, I have saved you some time along the way. |
| Please click on the underlined terms for definitions to help you better understand their role in FM/CFS in the Mitochondrial Dysfunction Protocol. Please note that I am attempting to give a simplistic explanation to help make this complicated process understandable. The definitions at Wikipedia are helpful because you can also see which vitamins or supplements you can use to implement the protocol and how they work together. It is believed by many supporting this treatment protocol that FM/CFS patients are always in an "energy crisis" because of hormonal imbalances and mitochondrial dysfunction. Mitochondria are often referred to as our body's "little power plants" because of the role they play in producing energy called ATP on a cellular level. The molecular makeup of ATP includes adenine and ribose, which are responsible for transferring chemical energy between cells that use it. This is important information to know because in the mitochondrial protocol, ATP is increased through supplementing ribose levels. Studies have shown that supplementing adenine results in no improvement in FM/CFS; however it is a vital element in the cellular makeup of ATP, along with ribose. So, let's examine what we know so far and look at a doctor and program offering treatment using this protocol. There are many available but one of the leading doctors in this field is Jacob Teitelbaum, M.D., or “Dr. T”. He is the director of The Annapolis Center for Effective CFS/Fibromyalgia Therapies and author of the best selling book, "From Fatigued to Fantastic". (This great book is available in our site Library.) Dr. Teitelbaum supports the protocol that energy levels in FM/CFS patients can be greatly improved by supplementing ribose in their diet and offers ribose products on his website. Here are some links to further your research: About "Dr. T." Q & A with Jacob Teitelbaum, M.D.: Treating the Pain and Fatigue of FM and CFS Comprehensively Study information about Ribose ***It should be noted that there is information on this site recruiting patients for a Ribose study with the good doctor; however, when I contacted them about joining it, I received an email stating that the study had been placed on hold, along with purchase information if I wanted to buy their ribose product and try it own my own. Another critical element of mitochondrial dysfunction is HGH or Human Growth Hormone. FM patients have an abnormal sleep pattern involving stages 3 and 4 of non REM sleep. As GH is secreted predominantly during stages 3 and 4 of non-REM sleep, it was originally hypothesized that FM patients may have impaired GH secretion. IGF-1 and Cortisol levels are abnormally low in some fibromyalgia patients. Growth hormone deficiency in adults has been associated with many symptoms that are similar to those described by FM patients: low energy, poor general health, reduced exercise capacity, muscle weakness, cold intolerance, impaired cognition, dysthymia and decreased lean body mass. Studies have shown that by supplementing HGH in patients with FM/CFS, ATP levels are increased, resulting in reduced pain levels as well as more restorative sleep patterns. Testing FM/CFS patients for low HGH levels often produce misleading results, even normal; therefore, these labs prove ineffective for establishing a need for HGH supplementation. Given that HGH injections have few, if any, side effects, many are choosing to opt for it, rather than against it in an effort to reduce pain in FM/CFS patients. Here are some links where you can learn more about HGH and studies that have been done supporting the theory that FM/CFS patients benefit from supplementing HGH. An Overview of Human Growth Hormone by Daniel Rudman, MD. Diagnosis of HGH Deficiency by Daniel Rudman, MD. HGH Information at "The Analyst" A review of results of studies of the HPA and other neuroendocrine axiis in CFS, concluded, disturbance of the HPA axis may be important in the pathophysiology of chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) and fibromyalgia. Symptoms may be due to: (1) low circulating cortisol; (2) disturbance of central neurotransmitters; or (3) disturbance of the relationship between cortisol and central neurotransmitter function. Accumulating evidence of the complex relationship between cortisol and serotonin function, make some form of hypothesis most likely. The opioid system, and arginine vasopressin (AVP) may also be abnormal, though the growth hormone (GH) axis appears to be intact, in CFS. A novel hypothesis is that CFS is a subset and is a neurophysiological disorder focussing on the amygdala. The unconscious amygdala may become conditioned to be chronically sensitised to negative symptoms arising from the body. Negative signals from the viscera or physiological, chemical and dietary stressors, become conditioned stimuli and the conditioned response is a chronic sympathetic outpouring from the amygdala via various brain pathways including the hypothalamus (thus HPA axis). This cell assembly then produces the CFS vicious circle, where an unconscious negative reaction to symptoms causes immune reactivation/dysfunction, chronic sympathetic stimulation, leading to sympathetic dysfunction, mental and physical exhaustion, and a host of other distressing symptoms and secondary complications. A state of low cortisol might sensitise the HPA axis to development of persistent central fatigue after stress. The hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis (HPA or HTPA axis) is a complex set of direct influences and feedback interactions between: the hypothalamus, the pituitary gland, and the adrenal or suprarenal gland. The fine, homeostatic interactions between these three organs constitute the HPA axis, a major part of the neuroendocrine system that controls reactions to stress and regulates various body processes including digestion, the immune system, mood and sexuality, and energy usage. Is it all about the Hypthalamus Gland? Many seem to think so. The hypothalamus links the nervous system to the endocrine system via the pituitary gland and the responses of the nervous system are a result of the information sent to it from the pituitary gland, via the hypothalamus gland. In the mitochondrial dysfunction protocol, doctors believe that a defective hypothalamus gland is the root cause for many of the symptoms FM/CFS sufferers exhibit. Again, testing is of little help in diagnosing this as the tests lack the sensitivity to detect this central dysfunction. Many physicians offer treatment in the form of Cortisol supplentation since it's usage has few, if any side effects and offer a possibility of improved health and energy levels even when lab tests have indicated levels with normal or acceptable ranges. Here are some links for you to further your research on the hypthalamus gland, cortisol and the HPA Axis. David Mikel, MD explains why he believes the hythalamus gland is responsible for FM on video. Mikel Therapy: Dr. Mikel's Website Diagnosis and Treatment of HPA Dysfunction in Patients with FM/CFS by Dent Holtorf, MD The Holtorf Medical Group, Inc. (Lots of GREAT FM/CFS info!) One hypothesis of the cause of FM/CFS is in which either viral or bacterial infection induces one or more cytokines. These induce nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), (which are enzymes in the body that contributes to transmission from one neuron to another, to the immune system and to dilating blood vessels), leading to increased nitric oxide levels. Nitric oxide, in turn, reacts with superoxide radicals, to generate the potent oxidant peroxynitrite. Superoxide is biologically quite toxic and is deployed by the immune system to kill invading microorganisms. Multiple amplification and positive feedback mechanisms are proposed by which once peroxynitrite levels are elevated, they tend to be sustained at a high level. Such a vicious cycle mechanism has been proposed to explain the etiology of CFS, FMS and MCS. Stressors, acting primarily through the nitric oxide product, peroxynitrite, are thought to initiate a complex vicious cycle mechanism, known as the NO/ONOO- cycle that is responsible for symptoms in chronic illness. The role of peroxynitrite in the NO/ONOO- cycle also implies that such uncoupling is part of the chronic phase cycle mechanism such that agents that lower uncoupling will be useful in treatment. In English: Our bodies attack themselves over and over again! The role of oxidative stress in CFS is an emerging focus of research due to evidence of its' association with some pathological features of this syndrome. New data collectively supports the presence of specific critical points in the muscle membranes that are affected by free radicals and in view of these considerations, the possible role of skeletal muscle oxidative imbalance in CFS is considered. Here are some links for further research on NO/ONOO and the effects of Oxidative Stress: The NO/ONOO Cycle as a Cause of Fibromyalgia, By Martin L. Pall Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: Oxidative Stress and Dietary Modifications By Alan C. Logan, ND and Cathy Wong, ND Summary While researching this page and attempting to include all of this information in a manner that is understandable to "normal humans" I used all of the links I have included here as references. There is one particular resource that I found most useful and wanted to make mention of that fact. The Analyst This site offers an extensive explanation of FM and CFS, causes, treatments, etc. and would prove a valuable resource regardless of which dynamic of these diseases you are searching for information on. I highly recommend that you explore it. I hope that you find this information helpful in deciding which treatment protocol you use, or if you choose to use a combination of both, as I have. Microbiology is a very complicated field, difficult to understand for those outside the medical profession and can be overwhelming. I hope that my work here has made it easier for you to understand and will help you in some way. I make no claims here, as I am not a trained medical professional and I do not endorse any particular treatment protocol. Before you begin any medical treatment you should alway consult your physician for trained medical advice. Good luck and thanks for reading. Enjoy the site! |
Understanding the Basics of Mitochondrial Dysfunction
The Role of Human Growth Hormone in Mitochondrial Dysfunction
The Role of The HPA Axis in Mitochondrial Dysfunction
The O/ONOO Cycle of Oxidative Stress is Considered