Supporting the Joints and Muscles
Fibromyalgia
Dear Mike, I have been plagued by severe pain episodes, following a car accident last year. My energy levels have been low for several years, but now
I have intense pain in my neck, shoulders, and lower back. I recently was diagnosed with Fibromyalgia and have studied about the disease, but find little advice about nutritional elements. Can you help? Anna I., New Orleans Dear Anna, I can understand frustration at the lack of information regarding
nutritional support for fibromyalgia (FMS). I do applaud your efforts at seeking answers to this puzzling illness and offer a few suggestions to consider. Common symptoms of FMS include muscular
pain and morning joint stiffness, fatigue and disrupted sleep patterns, an irritable bowel, and anxiety/depression. Anna, you probably read that fibromyalgia sufferers overwhelmingly report trauma or injury
to the body, such as a car accident. It is important to note that symptoms of this disease are worse in cold or humid weather. Pain centers that seem to be most affected by FMS
include left and right sides of the body above and below the waist, either side of the skull and neck, and the muscles that run from the neck to the shoulder. You also might experience pain on the upper
surface of the rib, the elbows, and the hip and knee joints. If you can feel this pain by simple touching pressure, you may indeed be looking at a FMS situation. Typical FMS sufferers
tend to be young adults, mainly women. Fatigue association and patient demographic studies draw parallels to Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, the major difference being fatigue versus pain. Recent studies indicated
that 25-27% of persons afflicted had pain so intense they could not go to work. There are also marker symptoms of anxiety and depression, which may accompany the pain. FMS patients often experience
a condition known as "foggy brain", in which memory lapses, dyslexia, and the inability to concentrate are pronounced. This suggests the body is in circulatory crisis, due to reduced blood flow and
lack of adequate energy production. This biochemical abnormality may account for poor growth hormone production and poor repair of muscle tissue.
Fibromyalgia Treatment Programs and Nutritional Considerations
Many treatments have been
considered for FMS, including manual therapy, stress reduction, breathing/bodywork, acupuncture, hydrotherapy and medication. You specifically asked about nutritional support, but I encourage you to consider
a holistic approach. Consider incorporating bodywork, cardiovascular exercise, acupuncture, and good meditative conditioning in your program. Also consider other conditions that may be affecting you, such as
allergies, anxiety, under-active thyroid, and sleep disturbance. Nutritionally, consider first if you are, or have, suffered from a yeast or viral condition. Consider if you have any
sort of bowel dysfunction, like constipation, diarrhea, gas, or bloating. These could be the most important factors in a return to healthy balance. Here are a few dietary tips:
(1) Drink more water. Studies indicate that FMS and adjunct disorders may be positively influenced by larger quantities of water. The majority of our population, according to
researchers, is dehydrated and we should all be encouraged to drink more (2) Eat a diet rich in raw foods, or "living foods" such as veggies, some fruits, seeds and nuts, foods
that still contain good nutrients and enzymes. Also explore soy for a protein source easy on your bowels. Eat more meals during the day, in smaller portions, for a more constant protein source. (3) Eat cold-water fish, like salmon, tuna, halibut or trout. These protein sources are rich in essential fatty acids, needed for tissue development and repair. (4) Limit
simple carbohydrates, like sugar, refined flour and refined starches. Keep foods from your diet that increases bowel fermentation and congestion. Excess sugars turn to alcohol in the GI tract, which
increases the potential for fungal or yeast growth. (5) Limit vegetables from the nightshade group. These include tomatoes, eggplant, white potatoes, and some peppers. These contain
solanine, which interferes with enzymes needed for muscle growth. Solanine is also responsible for creating inflammation in joints and muscles. Smokers have a higher content of solanine than
non-smokers do; tobacco is also a nightshade.
This type of diet may accomplish two things. First, it will keep the digestive tract in better shape. So many people have a compromised digestive system, usually through chronic misuse of foods and
drugs. Switching to a higher protein diet, limiting simple sugars, and adding raw vegetables may help eliminate the environment conducive to yeast or viral development. Secondly, by adding more
nutrient-dense foods to your system, you increase your food source of vitamins and minerals needed for better sleep, better circulation, and better nutritional aid in muscle growth and repair.
Some Supplements May Be Helpful
Finally, consider supplementing your diet to support affected systems. A program of supplements should include a multivitamin, a multimineral, essential fatty acids, and antioxidants. To further aid the
bowel, consider a probiotic formula, with lactobacillus acidophilus and bifidobacteria. Also, you need a fiber program to support bowel elimination and yeast containment. Studies indicate that FMS
sufferers generally are deficient in magnesium and B vitamins. Magnesium is a crucial mineral for sleep and muscle function. Magnesium is one of the most essential minerals that the body uses everyday. It is
needed for protein and fatty acid formation, generation of new cells, activating B vitamins, relaxing muscles, clotting blood, and forming ATP. It also plays an important role in bone formation, as well as
blood pressure regulation. Malic acid is present in all living cells and is essential for manufacturing ATP, your body's energy source. Malic acid supports proper muscle function, and sparks the
Krebs cycle for efficient energy production. Malic acid supports the removal of compounds that build up under hypoxic conditions and inhibit ATP production. Furthermore, malic acid acts as a catalyst to the
Krebs cycle where fats and glucose are converted into energy. In a report published in the December 1999 issue of the Annals of Internal Medicine, the American College of Physicians
and American Society of Internal Medicine listed malic acid among nutrients recommended for Fibromyalgia. Health care professionals using a nutritional approach to this disorder are recommending malic acid
for the chronic muscle soreness and fatigue experienced by most patients. They have found that patients using a combination of malic acid and magnesium hydroxide report improvements with reduction of muscle
pain and tiredness. Try a supplement that contains magnesium and malic acid in combination, which will help support the muscles, energy metabolism and will also help with sleep, the
lack of which is a common symptom of Fibromyalgia. Certain B vitamins play a role in brain serotonin development, as well as cognitive thought and may be helpful as well. I would also
suggest CoQ10 and grape seed extract. Deficiency of essential fatty acids is linked to many health problems seen by clinical nutritionists. Although many people have excess amounts of harmful fats, many
individuals fail to receive sufficient ranges of the essential fatty acids required by various body systems. Since energy is a great concern with FMS sufferers, I always recommend a
special product containing a substance known as NT Factor. This product contains essential fats for the body, known as phosphoglycolipids. These fats nourish the energy-producing area of every cell in the
body and studies show that it can actually increase the body's energy stores. These fats also have the ability to prevent cell death and disease, helping the muscles and all other cells of the body to
function properly. For more information about NT Factor, click here. Anna, I am happy to discuss how nutrition plays a role in your disorder. You can contact me
for a consultation or e-mail me your question. I would also recommend you consider the protocol of products I have available to help you feel stronger and healthier, which may go a long way toward you feeling like you have FMS under control.
Mike Casso, R.Ph. Click for Related Products
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