Organic Acids Tests and Hair Metals Test Analysis have been used to look at the
metabolism in CFS
HMTA has shown that each individual with CFS has a deficiency in either Iodine,
Selenium and/or Molybdenum
Studies on over 700 individuals have shown all have functional B2 deficiency
Functional B2 deficiency results in functional B12 deficiency.
Functional B2 deficiency leads to poor energy conversion from fat, sugar and
protein, contributing to Constant Fatigue The
defining characteristic of the condition is reduced cycling of Methyl B12 and
hence the under-production of creatine. Over 40% of S-Adenosyl-Methionine (SAM) produced in the body is involved in the
production of Creatine. Lack
of Creatine production results in prolonged lack of energy, with prolonged
over-usage or underproduction eventually leading to the subject being
chronically fatigued (CFS)
Reduced production of Creatine has been associated with many conditions including dementia,
Parkinson's disease, Autism, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.
Reduced methylation due to functional B12 deficiency results in depression,
anxiety and poor sleep - common symptoms in CFS
Reduced methylation due to functional B12 deficiency, results in lower
production of melatonin and poor maturation of the gut Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS) or Myalgic Encephalomyalitis
(ME) is an ill defined disease that is characterized by a post exercise
tiredness or malaise. The condition usually lasts for more than six months and
in affected individuals is very disabling. Symptoms include muscle soreness,
inability to concentrate (brain fog), headaches and severe mental and physical
fatigue. In addition these symptoms may be accompanied by sensitivity to light,
sounds and smells, digestive disturbances, depression, painful and often
slightly swollen lymph nodes, and it may also be accompanied by cardiac and
respiratory problems.
A variety of tools have been used to determine what metabolic deficiencies are
present in CFS and to determine if these can be caused by dietary lack of
nutrients, particularly Iodine, Selenium and Molybdenum. Hair Metals Test
Analysis, primarily using data from Doctors Data, has also been used to see if
there is any credible evidence of heavy metal contamination being the cause of
the condition. The HMTA data has been correlated with the metabolic analysis of
metabolites in urine, using the urinary Organic Acids Test (primarily from Great
Plains Laboratories). Previously, a
wide variety of immune, endocrine, cardiovascular and central nervous
abnormalities have been reported in CFS.
Among the causes suggested for CFS
include damage to parts of the brain governing cognition, memory, mood, energy
and perception, an altered stress response, an unbalanced immune system, a
hidden chronic infection, excessive production of free radicals, reduced
intracellular glutathione, abnormal sympathetic nervous system activity, cardiac
dysfunction and others. Many CFS sufferers are found to have sub-normal levels
of vitamin D in their serum. Several researchers believe that CFS is a
mitochondrial disease in which excessive, uncontrolled production of nitric
oxide damages proteins in the mitochondria, and particularly in the electron
transport chain. Whilst the exact cause of CFS may vary, a major group of CFS
sufferers have also been found to have one or more mutations in the enzymes
responsible for methylation. In these individuals it would appear that whilst
they were able to exist as relatively healthy individuals, often not knowing
that they had methylation associated mutations, some initiating factor such as a
prolonged infection, combined with low vitamin D levels resulted in gradual loss
of their vitamin B12 supplies leading to the CFS symptomatology being apparent,
and the subsequent discovery of their methylation status. A recent study by
Russell-Jones (2022) has shown that every individual studied had a deficiency in
functional vitamin B2. This deficiency appears to have been caused by an
inadequate intake of Iodine, Selenium and/or Molybdenum, which in turn resulted
in lower activation of vitamin B2. The functional vitamin B2 deficiency, in
turn, resulted in gradual inactivation of vitamin B12. Individuals were found to
be deficient in both Adenosyl and Methyl B12, yet serum vitamin B12 levels were
normal or elevated. Arguably the main cause of CFS is functional vitamin B12
deficiency, however, vitamin B12 levels may be normal or higher than normal and
present as Paradoxical B12
deficiency.
Synthesis of melatonin requires methylation of N-AcetylSerotonin.
Synthetic pathway for Melatonin
Lack of vitamin B12 pushes the pathway to both degradation of serotonin, but
also to the metabolic destruction of high levels of intracellular tryptophan
with increased in KA and QA. In addition, the lack of B12 also results in
reduced production of melatonin, contributing to poor gut health - often seen in
CFS and also to poor sleep patterns, also characteristic of CFS. Not only is there reduced production of melatonin and adrenalin in vitamin B12
deficiency, because of the requirement for methylation, there is also reduced
production of CoQ10 and creatine, which are arguably the main contributing
factors to the chronic fatigue seen in CFS, as these result in poor energy
conversion, and gradual loss of stored muscle creatine.
The reduction in the rate of
methylation also reduces the transfer of homocysteine into the sulphation cycle
thereby resulting in lower production of Glutathione and increased production of pyroglutamate
The primary reason
for the chronic fatigue seen in CFS is the reduced production of creatine, the
energy transfer molecule within the cytoplasm of the cell. Given that over 40%
of all methylation goes to the production of creatine, this would be consistent
with this mechanism (see
https://b12oils.com/creatine.htm). Mutations in the enzyme GAMT are
associated with conditions such as autism. Deficiency in GAMT activity has been
associated with conditions such as epilepsy, mental retardation and
pyrimidal movement disorders
Iron Deficiency and CFS Contributing to
lower energy in CFS can be lower levels of iron, as this will reduce the amount
of oxygen that can be used in oxidative phosphorylation, further it reduces the
efficiency of the Electron Transport Chain (ETC). Of greater significance,
though, is the uncoupling of the enzyme aconitase, the major enzyme involved in
the metabolism of citrate in the citric acid. As ferritin levels drop below 70
ug/L, aconitase starts to reduce it ability to metabolize citric acid with the
result that energy (as unmetabolized citrate) appears in urine. As ferritin drops
to around 20 ug/L as much as 80-90% of citrate can be lost into urine. Optimal
levels of iron, therefore should be with ferritin >70 ug/L, Haemoglobin >14.5
and Haematocrit >0.45.
Genetic Linkage Recently it has been found that CFS may be related to
defects in either folate metabolism and/or the methylation cycle, with a high
incidence of sufferers have genetic mutations in the MTHFR, MTR, MTRR, MTS
and/or SHMT genes. In addition many CFS individuals have genetically similar
vitamin D receptor genes. It is possible that CFS sufferers have had these
"inborn errors of metabolism" for much of their life, without experiencing any
significant problem until some precipitating event such as stress or a chronic
infection has triggered chemical changes inside the body thereby resulting in
CFS.
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Russell-Jones, GJ 2022 Functional vitamin B12 deficiency in CFS. Int J.
Psychiatry 27 Jul 2022
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Russell-Jones, GJ 2022 Paradoxical vitamin B12 deficiency
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Research Into CFS
Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
(CFS) or Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (ME)
Research into CFS
Paradoxical
Vitamin B12 deficiency in
CFS
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