Are High Antioxidants a Cure for Fibromyalgia or Chronic Fatigue?
I personally struggle with the effects of fibromyalgia and Chronic Fatigue and a host of other related issues. After a 6 month treatment of Lupron, a medication I took to treat endometriosis, my symptoms started. My symptoms over time became severe enough that they impacted my ability to work and my entire life. For that reason I have gone from doctor to doctor searching for an answer, a solution, some way to recover. Unfortunately there is no perfect pill that solves all the problems of fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue. There are medications that can address some of the symptoms like Cymbalta, Lyrica, Ultram & Ultracet. In talking with others and with my own experiences with these medications, the concern remains that it is just masking the symptoms and not a cure for the disease.
At this time there is not much else that can be done except to take medication to mask the symptoms and to exercise when you are able as that has shown to reduce pain levels. I never expected I would be 45 and dealing with a chronic illness. I try to keep up with research on fibromyalgia hoping that someone finds a cure. In the meantime I thought it might help to lose weight so I started taking a high antioxidant X-protein meal shake. When I started taking the shake, I noticed a slight improvement in my symptoms. Over time I am noticing more of an improvement which makes we wonder, Can high antioxidants cure fibromyalgia?
I found some interesting information suggesting just that. As documented in Rheumatol Int. 2010 Apr 8 by Iqbal R, Mughal MS, Arshad N, Arshad M. “Oxidative stress has also been implicated in the pathophysiology of FM; therefore, supplementation with antioxidants may be important in modulation of the effects of ROS in patients with FM.” Firat University Division of Rheumatology also posted in Rheumatol In 2006 May 26 “Our results indicate that patients with FM are under oxidative stress. These findings represent a rationale for further research assessing the effect of free radical scavengers or antioxidant agents like vitamins and omega-3 fatty acids on peripheral and central mechanisms in FM” Mersin University Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Department also reported in Rheumatol Int. 2005 April 25th ” In conclusion, oxidant/antioxidant balances were changed in fibromyalgia. Increased free radical levels may be responsible for the development of fibromyalgia. These findings may support the hypothesis of fibromyalgia as an oxidative disorder”.
I am not a doctor, I am just a patient trying to get better. If you are like me, suffering with fibromyalgia or chronic fatigue, consider an antioxidant rich diet and see if it makes a difference for you. Since it can be difficult to consume the amount of antioxidants needed to get better, you may want to try a high antioxidant protein shake or a high antioxidant supplement such as Xocai healthy chocolate.