Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Blog

One of the main symptoms of CFS is cognitive dysfunction. Also known as “brain fog”, this symptom is believed to be caused by lowered cerebral blood flow.(1)

One study showed that up to 80% of chronic fatigue patients had lower than normal cerebral blood flow.

A 2005 study showed that reduced blood flow was not confined to specific regions, but was present in broad areas throughout the brain. These blood flow patterns were not consistent with depression which would show reduced prefrontal cortex activity, but seemed to have generalized lower blood flow throughout large areas.

I recently read about a hypothesis of hydrogen sulfide exposure causing chronic fatigue. This theory suggests that exposure to the chemical hydrogen sulfide(H2S) is causing mitochondrial dysfunction in patients and leading to a state of low energy production.

Hydrogen sulfide is found naturally in the body (in small amounts), but also found in the environment in sewers and car exhaust. At high levels it is extremely toxic, but at lower levels it actually functions as a signaling molecule that can influence blood pressure, the HPA axis, and the NMDA receptor.