Ive heard from alot of people with CFS that alcohol has a big negative impact how they feel. Ive noticed personally that when i drink more than 3 drinks at a time, it takes me at least 2 weeks to recover. Im not really sure what the exact cause of this is, but i have some ideas of what might be the cause.
Right now im doing the amy yasko protocol and the 3 thing ive found that really help me are charcoal pills, hydrox b12, and a special form of folate called folapro. Ive always known that detoxing really helps with my brain fog, which is my main symptom. So if amy yasko is correct and there is a problem with the methylation cycle in alot of cfs patients, then the chemical acetaldehyde might be one of the causes. Acteyaldehyde is the byproduct of alcohol that causes hangovers. This chemical is not dangerous in quantities that would be caused by alcohol consumption, but if a person with cfs has a problem with metabolic cycles that break down acetaldehyde, the ive read that chronic acteyaldehyde can cause fatigue brain fog and other chronic fatigue like symptoms. It is also metabolized by the anti-oxidant glutathione, so alcohol consumption could possibly use up already depleted store of glutathione.
Another thing that may contribute to a CFS patients alcohol intolerance may be oxidative stress. It is well established that alcohol use contributes to free radicals in the body. Increased levels of free radicals or decreased anti-oxidant protection from free radicals has shown to increase fatigue, and may even be on of the main causes of chronic fatigue syndrome. This is one of the theories that is gaining alot support in the CFS community.
Here is a good article about a research professor’s theory of how free radicals cause by different types of stressors could cause CFS.
Alcohol is sugar — bad for any immune dysfunction problem. It also is extremely hard on the liver, and depletes those b-vitamins so crucial in the yasko protocol…
Dan
hi,
ive had cfs for about 1yr and have suffered relaps before from too much alchohol and too much activity.i have been dooing really well for the past few months and after going to a party i had 1 drink, a corona, and i feel as bad as i did when i was at my worse, do you think this may have caused these feelings? will it get better?
Im not really sure what it is, but when i got out and drink t usually affects me for about a week or two after.
Uusually 1 drink doesnt affect me to much, but if i have 3 or more i get really sick after.
I was wondering if it had anything to do with glutathione and b12.
Glutathione and b12 get used up when detoxifying alcohol.
http://www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov/articlerender.fcgi?artid=1434362
so maybe if you already have a deficiency in these, then alcohol might cause more of a deficiency.
Just guess though, im not a dr.
I would be surprised if there was anyone with CFS who said they did not suffer detrimental effects from alcohol at anything above a couple of drinks. For me anything at 3 drinks and over, it would take me a week to get over it.
I describe CFS to people as like having a hangover day after day already. I suffer from chemical sensitivities, and alcohol is just another toxin an already stressed liver (not that it shows in LFT path. results) has to breakdown.
I find I tolerate celiac + draught beer + home brew beer better than regular cans or bottles.
Premixed spirits I find are worse than the straight alcohol probably because of the sugars. But going out and drinking in social situations and avoiding beverages without sugar (fruit juices are still high in natural sugar) is not easy.
For me the best tolerated alcohol drink has been ouzo, the good brands from Greece that are distilled with aromatic herbs + spices.
I find with Scotch + Wiskey I get extremly depressed after having a few drinks with these.
I have had ME for 12 years. Before this I found I could not tolerate any form of grain alcohol. I find that I can tolerate alcohol from grape or other fruit. Since having ME the same still applies. I have given wine up for periods of up to 6 months and it makes no difference to me at all. I do not drink beer lager whisky gin or vodka but then I know they will make me feel awful. I drink wine and find it improve my mood.
I have always had a low tolerance of alcohol. I always go bright red with the first drink and my temperature rises. Since having ME I have found that it really brings me down the following day, but at the time that I am having a drink, it seems like a huge relief and the only way to relax. It’s a vicious circle.
if you get flushed and red faced after you drink. It might be because you have inactive enzyme called aldehyde dehydrogenase 2. This is common in people with an asian background.
I have alcohol intolerance but it only developed after i got cfs.
IS THERE ANYTHING THAT I CAN DO ABOUT THE ALDEHYDE DEHYDROGENASE 2 ? I AM NOT ASIAN. THANKS, MELANIE
i found a book on it a few year ago. I wrote a post about it here
http://www.chronicfatiguetreatments.com/wordpress/treatments/acetaldehyde-toxicity-a-cause-of-chronic-fatigue-syndrome/
Im a patients with CFS and I can tolerate alcohol find. But this is because my udnerlying problem is actually hyperadrenergic Postural tachycardia Syndrome. Abnormal circulatory control accounts for around 90% of CFS patients and it accounts for most of their symptoms.
In most patients there is excessive vasodilation – add alcohol to this and you worsen the problem. In these patients there is usually also low blood volume (Dr.Bell) and sympathetic overactivity (vandebilt) which lowers blood volume further. Alcohol dehydrates so there is your answer – cause and effect.
I was at a drinking party almost 6 weeks ago, i am 34 years old however i have no experience with drinking, i used to drink red wine with my dinner and that’s all, that night i was drinking like crazy however i was not drunk, i went home and i was still fine, i wake up in the morning so dizzy and tired and here we go, 6 weeks now and nothing has been changed, i wake up everyday tired and dizzy and in a terrible shape, i went for blood pictures and MRI and all came back negative, i visited ENT and Neurologists and they can find nothing, is that what they call ”Chronic fatigue Syndrome” which might have been triggered by Alcohol?? or is it a Brain Damage or what?? i have Migraine even waking up from a good sleep, symptoms never change or get calm…everyday 24/7 i am dizzy sleepy tired having Migraines…any suggestions?
I have had Cfs for 6months and before that used to drink about 3-4 bottles of wine a week. I have cut down because I have read so much about how alcohol makes you worse but I feel bad whether I drink or not. Alcohol is never going to make you feel good in the morning even if you are fit and well but I find the relaxing effect that enjoying a couple of glasses even a bottle of wine, with my husband is more beneficial as it makes me feel normal just for a few hours.
I have started to think that I may have Cfs… I am consistently stressed, have had a very tough few years. I feel dizzy alot and cannot sleep through the night without aid. However, I find it really easy to sleep in cinema’s, infront of the tv and in situations like meetings where I cannot move. I have been put on anti-depressents, but find a couple of glasses of wine are better to help me relax. Problem is I often relax too much and am renound for passing out in strange places??? Comments appreciated…