A Way Through Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

Causes
A number of hypotheses have been put forward as to the cause of chronic fatigue syndrome.
As of yet there is no definitive answer and no conclusive medical test available to confirm a diagnosis.

The World Health Organisation has classed the illness as physical because a number of abnormalities have been found.
Unfortunately not all sufferers show the same abnormalities.

Abnormalities in the nervous system and especially in a part of the brain called the hypothalamus have been noted.
The hypothalamus regulates things like sleep, temperature control and appetite.

Abnormalities have also been found in the immune system, in blood cells and within cellular level energy transfer.

There is continual research taking place to understand these abnormalities and their impact.
At the moment, though, the research tends to be underfinanced, piecemeal and uncoordinated as the task is so large.

Although chronic fatigue syndrome can be triggered by a number of things, the actual cause is not yet understood.

The most common things triggering the illness are:

• viral infections (see below)
• bacterial infection
• environmental toxin overload
• vaccinations
• injury or trauma from an accident or operation

The most common viral factors considered to trigger CFS are the human herpes virus-6 (HHV-6), which affects the nervous system, the human herpes virus-7 (HHV-7), Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) and persistant enteroviral infections of the stomach.
Epstein-Barr virus can cause infectious mononucleosis otherwise known as glandular fever or 'mono'.
The symptoms associated with this are sore throat, swollen lymph nodes and extreme fatigue.
XMRV is another virus linked strongly to CFS/ME.
XMRV Information

There is certainly a genetic predisposition to chronic fatigue syndrome, but the fact that this condition often occurs in groups, points to a source.

Possible Hypotheses

• An early hypothesis was one of a continuously mutating virus, where the immune system can’t 'dial in' to the infection. This is highly unlikely, though. XMRV is a more likely candidate.
• Longterm exposure to nerve agents such as organo-phosphates is another viable proposal.
• Another possibility and probably the most plausible is stress overload, both mental and physical leading to auto-immune dysfunction. This might be especially pertinent in the modern world with constant exposure to a huge array of chemicals, many of which can be toxic. Other factors like house dust or car fumes would simply add to the burden.
• An alternative hypothesis is that a trigger causes a person to become run down to such a degree that the digestive system begins to malfunction. The person then becomes sensitive to many foods. This then leads to poor nutrient absorption and even candida albicans overgrowth because of a lowered immune system. A detrimental cycle adding yet more abnormalities is thus created.
• Mitochondrial dysfunction was proposed, but this is more likely to be a symptom than a cause.

Further Information
Further research information can be found at:
meresearch.org.uk

Risk Factors
Risk factors are things that will worsen the illness and include the following:

• doing too much physically and mentally, even socially or lurching between being over and under active
• stressful situations of any kind
• chemical exposures of many kinds – from paint to hairspray and certainly pesticides
• eating unhealthily - drinking alcohol is probably not particularly helpful although thinning the blood may be helpful
• allergies and sensitivities from foods to house dust
• perhaps even lack of sunlight

Aerotoxic Syndrome parallels CFS/ME and may give a clue as to the type of source that causes such illness to occur.