Re: Fatty Acid Levels in CFS

[Guest guest]

Al

Thanks for posting that.

Here is some info on fatty acids that seems pretty good for the ones who are

interested.

http://qualitycounts.com/fpfats.htm

I wonder which oils are high in ARA?

Thanks

Nil

[CO-CURE] RES: Determination of fatty acid levels in erythrocyte

> membranes of patients with chronic fatigue syndrome

>

>

> > Determination of fatty acid levels in erythrocyte membranes of patients

> > with chronic fatigue syndrome.

> >

[Guest guest]

Hi, all.

This paper from China adds to previous research on essential fatty

acids (EFAs) in CFS. As you may know, this subject has been

somewhat controversial.

I'd like to present (1) a review I wrote of the past work on this

subject, then (2) mention the work of Drs. S. ,

Kane, and Neil Speight discussed in The Detoxx Book (2003), and then

(3) note the results of the work described in this most recent paper

from China by Liu et al. (2003). Then (4) I will draw some

conclusions from all of this.

(1) " The essential fatty acids (EFAs) are comprised of the omega-3

series based upon alpha linolenic acid and the omega-6 series based

on linoleic acid. They have two important functions in the body. The

first is to become part of the phospholipid structure of all

membranes and to confer fluidity and flexibility to them. This

affects the function of the various proteins in the membranes, and

also the passage of red blood cells through the capillaries. The

second important function of the EFAs is to serve as precursors for

synthesis of the eicosonoids, which include the prostaglandins.

These play roles in a variety of systems, including the female

reproductive cycle, the cardiovascular system, inflammatory

responses, and the causation of pain.

Behan, Behan, and Horrobin (1990) measured the

concentrations of fatty acids in the phospholipid fraction of the

red blood cell membranes of 63 postviral fatigue syndrome patients

and 32 normal controls. They found that the patients had

significantly reduced levels of total EFAs, especially the omega-6

series, and particularly arachidonic acid and adrenic acid, as

compared to the controls.

et al. (1992) reported that in their experience

deficiencies of EFAs in their CFS patients are quite common.

Behan et al. (1990) went on to carry out a three-month,

randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of EFA therapy on

patients diagnosed with postviral fatigue syndrome. There were 39

patients in the treatment group and 24 in the placebo group. The

treatment consisted of a mixture of evening primrose oil and fish

oil. The daily dosage included 288 mg gamma-linolenic acid (GLA),

136 mg eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), 88 mg docosahexaenoic acid

(DHA), and 2,040 mg linoleic acid. The placebo included 400 mg of

linoleic acid in liquid paraffin. They found that at one month, 74%

of the treatment group and 23% of the placebo group assessed

themselves as improved over the baseline, with the degree of

improvement (in terms of fatigue, myalgia, dizziness, poor

concentration, and depression) being much greater in the treatment

group. At three months, the corresponding figures were 85% and 17%

(p<.0001) because the placebo group had reverted toward their

baseline state, while those in the treatment group showed continued

improvement. The EFA levels in the red blood cell membranes of the

placebo group rose, but only the increases in adrenic acid and oleic

acid were significant. The EFA levels in the treatment group showed

substantially greater increases and were corrected to normal by the

end of the trial.

Simpson (1992, 1997) suggested that the beneficial effects

of EFAs in postviral fatigue syndrome are due to improvement in

blood rheology. He presented evidence of misshapen red blood cells

in patients with myalgic encephalomyelitis, and recalled earlier

work (Simpson, Olds, & Hunter, 1984) in which it had been shown that

the filterability of the blood of smokers had been improved by

taking evening primrose oil.

Gray and ovic (1994) briefly described treatment of a

case-series in a private general practice setting involving 29 CFS

patients and using a combination of dietary EFAs, graded

mental/physical activity/exercise, and psychotherapy. Twenty-seven

out of the 29 showed significant improvement in three months or

less, when only 2 of the 29 had shown any improvement over the

previous year. Twenty who had been unfit for full-time duties for

more than three years prior to treatment became fit for full-time

duties in an average of 111 days after beginning treatment. Twenty-

seven out of 28 who were followed out to 16 months were still

improved compared to pretreatment, and 20 of them had experienced

more improvement beyond that from the initial three months of

treatment.

Warren, McKendrick, and Peet (1999) attempted to replicate

the Behan et al.(1990) trial. They studied 50 patients who met the

Oxford criteria (Sharpe et al., 1991) and 25 age- and sex-matched

controls for the first 25 of the patients. The treatment was the

same as in the Behan et al. trial, but the placebo was sunflower

oil, containing linoleic acid, saturated fatty acids,

monounsaturated fatty acids, and a small amount of alpha linolenic

acid. It is not clear from the wording in their paper what the daily

dose of these was in the placebo group. Before the treatment, they

did not see any significant differences in the red blood cell fatty

acids composition between the patients and the controls. They also

did not see significant differences in posttreatment symptoms

between the treatment and control groups, nor did they see

significant differences in the fatty acids composition of the red

blood cells posttreatment. This lack of significant improvement may

not be inconsistent with the Behan et al. study, because Warren et

al. appear to have sampled a different subset of patients, based on

the different criteria and the different findings in initial red

blood cell EFA levels. Warren et al. noted that the Oxford criteria

(Sharpe et al., 1991), which they used, do not require the patient

to have suffered from a demonstrable viral illness, which was a

criterion in the Behan et al. (1990) study. Warren et al. also

pointed out that it is not clear whether the placebo they used had a

therapeutic benefit of its own, because the patients on the

sunflower oil placebo showed a trend toward greater improvement than

those in the treatment group.

Ozgocmen, Catal, Ardicoglu, and Kamanli (2000) conducted an

open-label, noncontrolled, single-blind study of omega-3 EFA

treatment in FM. They studied 12 female patients who met the ACR

criteria (Wolfe et al., 1990). The treatment consisted of four weeks

of 4.5 g of fish oil per day. The daily dose included 1,600 mg of

total omega-3 EFAs, of which 810 mg was EPA, and 540 mg was DHA.

Nine mg of vitamin E were also included. They found significant

decreases in total cholesterol, tender point counts, pain, fatigue,

and depression, and a significant increase in chest expansion.

(2) In The Detoxx Book by , Kane and Speight (2003), it is

stated in discussing their patients, many of whom have CFS,

that " More frequently an omega-6 depletion is noted. " This is in

agreement with the findings of Behan et al.(1990), presented above.

et al. recommend supplementing with a 4-to-1 mixture of omega-

6 to omega-3 fatty acids.

(3) In the most recent study by Liu et al.(2003), it was found that

both arachidonic acid (an omega-6 EFA) and docosohexanoic acid (an

omega-3 EFA) were significantly lower in the red blood cell

membranes of PWCs than in normal controls.

(4) I think that the preponderance of data shows that there are

deficiencies of essential fatty acids in many PWCs who have not

supplemented them. I think that the interpretation given by others,

i.e. that these deficiencies result from the condition of oxidative

stress in CFS, is probably correct. The essential fatty acids are

unsaturated, and unsaturated fatty acids are known to be more

vulnerable to oxidation by oxidizing free radicals. I think that it

is also true that not all PWCs have the same EFA status. Many have

supplemented either with omega-3 fatty acids (fish oil or flax oil)

or with omega-6 fatty acids (evening primrose oil or borage oil) or

both, in various ratios. , Kane and Speight emphasize the

importance of getting enough EFAs and also the importance of

adjusting them to the correct ratio. As always, the best approach

is to perform testing first to determine what the status is, and

then to supplement accordingly. Such testing is offered at

www.bodybio.com. Where this is not possible, I think that the

advice of , Kane and Speight would be beneficial to follow.

That is, to take a 4-to-1 ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 fatty acids.

This is based originally on the extensive work of Shlomo Yehuda and

coworkers in Israel.

Rich Van Konynenburg

>

> [CO-CURE] RES: Determination of fatty acid levels in

erythrocyte

> membranes of patients with chronic fatigue syndrome

>

>

> > Determination of fatty acid levels in erythrocyte membranes of

patients

> > with chronic fatigue syndrome.

> >

> > Journal: Nutr Neurosci. 2003 Dec; 6(6): 389-92

> >

> > Authors: Liu Z, Wang D, Xue Q, Chen J, Li Y, Bai X, Chang L.

> >

> > Affiliation: Department of Neurology, Beijing Friendship

Hospital,

> > Affiliated Hospital of Capital University of Medical Science, 95

Yong-an

> > Rd, Beijing 100050, China. mailto:liuzhandong99@s...

> >

> > NLM Citation: PMID: 14744043

> >

> >

> > Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) is an illness characterized by

persistent

> > and relapsing fatigue, often accompanied by numerous symptoms

involving

> > various systems of whole body. The etiology of CFS remains

unclear.

> > Literature reported whether the concentrations of the essential

fatty

> > acids in red cell membranes of CFS patients were decreased is

> > controversial.

> >

> > In our study, Forty-two patients who fulfilled the diagnostic

criteria

> > defined by Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Thirty-seven

> > age- and sex-matched controls were selected from healthy medical

staffs

> > and volunteers.

> >

> > After lipid analysis, we found that the levels of the

arachidonic acid

> > (ARA) and docosahexanoic acid (DHA) were decreased in patients

suffered

> > from CFS. However, the levels of the palmitic acid and oleic

acid were

> > increased.

> >

> > We speculated that there are two possible mechanisms--one of

which is

> > that oxidative stress has led to an excessive oxidation and

resulting in

> > the above fatty acids. Alternatively, insufficiency of ingestion

of fatty

> > acids might not be the major cause.

> >

> > ---------------------------------------------

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list.

> > ---------------------------------------------

[Guest guest]

> Hi, all.

>

> This paper from China adds to previous research on essential fatty

> acids (EFAs) in CFS. As you may know, this subject has been

> somewhat controversial.

>

> I'd like to present (1) a review I wrote of the past work on this

> subject, then (2) mention the work of Drs. S. ,

> Kane, and Neil Speight discussed in The Detoxx Book (2003), and

Hi Rich

Thanks so much for this, its just the sort of thing that I am trying

to understand and remedy. As mentioned I have had such an

improvement since doing some of Kane's protocol and it

seems to be sustained. Of course her protocol states that we need

more Omega 6 rather than the 3 we were always told about. I

therefore stopped taking Fish oil capsules when I started her

protocol. I do eat a small amount of kippers 3 times a week with

occasional salmon too so I felt that was enough Omega 3.

I have really been pushing myself physically everyday for over 2

weeks now without any ill effects apart from getting very tired.

However when I am tired I do not feel ill and after lots of sleep

(not more than 8 hours a night) I then am refreshed. This is what

is so different, before if I did too much I would feel dizzy and

ill, now I just get a little leg pain which goes when I rest and I

do not get the dizziness.

Also I have noticed that my bp is not dropping the way it used to

(it used to drop to 105/44 after a walk). It just stays normal and

this has continued even though I have been able to drop the

Prednisone to just 2.5mg. Maybe in a month I will try and come off

it altogether but I am not going to rush because it has helped me so

much with my recovery.

I still get very cold sensations within my legs on someday so I know

the problem isn't sorted but I guess it could take sometime and

maybe will never be 100%.

Thanks again Rich

Pam

[Guest guest]

Pam,

From which source you get your omega 6?

Thanks.

Nil

Re: Fatty Acid Levels in CFS

>

> > Hi, all.

> >

>

[Guest guest]

> Pam,

>

> From which source you get your omega 6?

> Thanks.

> Nil

Hi Nil

I take Borage Oil twice a day plus I eat lots of nuts and also flax

seeds.

Pam