Dr. Sarah Myhill’s CFS Treatment
Dr. Sarah Myhill is a specialist in fatigue related illnesses and has worked in healthcare for over 20 years. I recently came across some of her papers that sum up what she believes is happening in CFS patients.
Dr. Myhill thinks that chronic fatigue patients have mitochondrial dysfunction. She states that “CFS is a symptom of mitochondrial failure“. She also says that the cognitive impairment many experience, be due to low blood (and oxygen) supply to the brain. There is a problem of reoccuring mitochonidrial damage must be put to a stop by providing the elements that they need to function.
Dr. Myhill sees all the symptoms of CFS as a result of low energy output from the mitochondria in all of the cells. The energy molecules ATP and NAD arent being created as efficiently and there is reduced blood flow from the heart as a result of this state of low energy. This causes the body’s organ systems like the heart, liver, skin, and muscles to slow down functioning to reduce strain on the body.
The muscles dont have the energy to run, because there is less oxygen available. They muscle produce lactic acid (an alternative when ATP runs low) to keep up with low availablility of ATP, resulting in aches and pains.
The brains of chronic fatigue patients (pictured left) often have lower than normal blood supply. This may be why many complain of severe concentration and memory problems. Dr. Myhill believes that this is a temporary symptom and can be reversed if mitochondrial function is restored.
The fatigue that people with CFS experience is because they have less ATP and NAD being produced in the mitochonidria. ATP and NAD are the molecules that are used by every cell in the body. Dr. Myhill believes that there is a “slow recycling of ATP“. This slow recycling and switch from ATP to a chemical ADP (which cannot be recycled) may be responsible for the delayed fatigue that patient experience after exercise. It can take the body a few days to make more ATP if the body is in low supply.
She recommends these supplements to increase the output of ATP in the cells.
The supplements are as follows:
Co-Q 10: 300 - 360mg daily.
L-Carnitine: 2000 - 3000 mg daily.
D-Ribose: 15 grams daily.
Magnesium: 400 – 800 mg daily.
Niacinamide: 500 mg daily