Where does chronic fatigue come from and how to beat it

2024 Author: Malcolm Clapton | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:44

Sometimes it is enough just to open the vents more often.

Constant fatigue is the scourge of many. It seems that you take care of your health, and it’s not that you overexert yourself, and even drink vitamins, but you still feel like a fly in amber: you would cover yourself with a blanket and not look at anyone.

What is chronic fatigue

There can be an abundance of reasons for fatigue. For example, it is often prolonged psychological stress, sometimes overwork and associated burnout.

As a rule, the recipe for cheerfulness in this case sounds nice and simple. It is enough to sleep off, go on vacation, set aside time for rest and hobbies - and hurray, you are cheerful and full of energy again. But simple recipes don't always work. And if even the vacation did not help, you should be on your guard.

If fatigue does not go away not for a week or two, but for months, then the problem is more serious than we would like.

In such cases, doctors talk about chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS). In the United States alone, ME / Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Awareness Day affects up to 2.5 million people. As a rule, the main symptom is lack of strength for three weeks or more. This is a key feature, but not the only one.

Chronic fatigue symptoms

In addition to constant fatigue and a categorical reluctance to crawl out from under the blanket even where you really want to, there are at least a few more signs of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome:

1. Memory and concentration problems.
2. Frequent headaches or dizziness.
3. Insomnia, intermittent sleep, or, conversely, constant sleepiness.
4. Sore throat.
5. Muscle discomfort.

Is it about you? Well, modern science still has a poor idea of what to do with you. The exact spectrum of the causes of chronic fatigue has not yet been described, and therefore there is no clear treatment protocol for Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. Chronic fatigue is one of the disorders that physicians most often try to correct with proper nutrition, exercise, cognitive behavioral therapy and do not always achieve sustainable positive results.

But there is good news: in 2017, Australian doctors found out that the syndrome is associated with certain defects Impaired calcium mobilization in natural killer cells from chronic fatigue syndrome / myalgic encephalomyelitis patients is associated with transient receptor potential melastatin 3 ion channels of cell receptors. And this confirms the already new version that chronic fatigue is the result of problems with energy metabolism Metabolism in chronic fatigue syndrome in cells.

Among these energy problems, three of the most common can be identified:

1. Cells lack nutrition.
2. Cells cannot release energy.
3. The cells lack oxygen.

What to do if cells lack nutrition

Normally, cells work like this: glucose, amino acids, fatty acids and other nutrients enter their energy block (mitochondria) from the blood. Mitochondria are real small furnaces: they burn (oxidize with oxygen) the incoming food to carbon dioxide and water, and in the process they receive energy - the very one that allows the cell to function, and the body as a whole - to breathe, move, think. But it happens that there is food in the blood, but it cannot enter the cell. And starving cells, organs and tissues manifest themselves as chronic fatigue.

What's happening

The reason may be, for example, Signs of Insulin Resistance. The hormone insulin is a kind of butler that informs the cells about what to eat. To receive this information, cells have special connectors - receptors. Insulin binds to such a receptor (like a USB flash drive), sends a signal: "Food!" - and the cell includes mechanisms for pumping nutrients inside. This is normal.

If the connector for some reason rusted (became resistant), insulin simply cannot reach. It becomes more and more in the blood, unclaimed glucose and fatty acids are stored in the form of excess adipose tissue - in general, type II diabetes begins to develop. And the cell remains hungry and feels more and more tired.

Another option: everything is in order with insulin resistance, the cell sees food, but cannot pump it into itself. Because the permeability of Membrane transport membranes, through which food enters, has decreased. Membrane permeability is impaired by Mitochondrial Disease:

1. Viral infections.
2. Dehydration and / or prolonged fasting.
3. Extreme heat or frost.
4. Paracetamol.
5. Some antidepressants.
6. Dishes with monosodium glutamate (almost all processed foods that can be found on supermarket shelves).
7. Cigarette smoke.

How to deal with it

Take a biochemical blood test, checking glucose tolerance and a number of indicators that record the state of energy metabolism (in particular, creatine kinase and its fractions). Discuss results with a therapist.

To minimize harmful factors: for a while, stop an unnecessarily rigid diet, adjust the water regime, abolish alcohol, quit smoking. Refuse paracetamol. It is better to take ibuprofen instead: it is safer than IBUPROFEN VS PARACETAMOL).

What to do if cells cannot release energy

If insulin resistance and mitochondrial disorders mean that the cell does not receive food in the required amount, then hypothyroidism means that the cell cannot give off energy as expected.

What's happening

One of the reasons for this is the breakdown of another cell connector - the thyroid hormone receptor. A thyroid hormone called T3 (triiodothyronine) requires stored energy from the cell. But since the connector does not work well, the cage does not hear, thinks that no one needs it, and wearily falls asleep.

How to deal with it

Get tested for the T3 hormone and closely related T4, TSH and seek advice from an endocrinologist.

What to do if your cells lack oxygen

Oxygen is involved in oxidative processes in mitochondria. And a lot depends on him.

What's happening

If there is little oxygen, then the cells simply cannot efficiently process the same glucose in the blood into energy.

How to deal with it

To breathe fresh air. And as much as possible. Walking for at least an hour a day - and preferably in the park, not city streets. Regular airing is also required. Yes, it's hard to believe that opening a window on time can relieve chronic fatigue. But perhaps this is exactly your option?

And as a bonus

Many people know how important vitamins A, B, C, E are for well-being … But vitamin D is often neglected. Meanwhile, it is this vitamin that takes an active part in the regulation of Vitamin D energy metabolism.

Vitamin molecules cling to receptors perceiving them on the cell membrane, and the atoms of essential substances in the blood (in particular, calcium) - to the tail of the molecule exposed to the outside. The binding of calcium with vitamin D and its receptor on the membrane acts as a kind of magnetic rod, and the whole chain of other essential elements and amino acids contained in the blood, together with this rod, is drawn into the cell. Of course, this is a very crude picture, but nevertheless it describes the process quite accurately.

There is a deficiency of vitamin D, which means constant fatigue is possible. Talk to your therapist about this.