Since the publication of a book called ‘Beat Chronic

Fatigue The Natural Way’, many people are turning to the

natural substance omega 3, and in particular pure ethyl

EPA, to help treat the debilitating condition known as

chronic fatigue syndrome.

What is chronic fatigue syndrome ?

We all get tired. Many of us have felt depressed at times.

But the mysterious chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) is not

like the normal ups and downs we experience in everyday

life. The early sign of this illness is a strong and

noticeable fatigue that comes on suddenly and often comes

and goes – sometimes, it never stops. You sometimes feel

too tired to do normal activities or are easily exhausted

with no apparent reason. Unlike the mind fog of a serious

hangover, to which researchers have compared CFS, the

profound weakness of CFS does not go away with a few good

nights of sleep. Instead, it slyly steals your energy and

vigour over months and sometimes years.

Who gets chronic fatigue syndrome?

Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) affects both men and women,

and its incidence cuts across wide strata of age as well as

racial and socio-economic groups. It was first described in

the 1930s; CFS received a flurry of publicity in the

mid-1980s when the syndrome was erroneously associated with

the Epstein-Barr virus. In the early to mid-1990s it was

being described as ‘yuppie flu’.

Symptoms of chronic fatigue syndrome

• muscle aches and pains, especially after physical exertion

• feeling depressed and emotional

• poor sleep, difficulty getting off to sleep, frequent wakings, and not feeling refreshed after sleep

• nausea and loss of appetite

• a recurrent sore throat, feeling of enlarged glands in

the neck which come and go

• running a slightly high temperature for no apparent

reason

• feeling of faintness and dizziness

Omega 3 fish oil EPA and chronic Fatigue syndrome

The most recent study that has been performed was published

in the journal Acta Psychiatrica Scandinavica. In the

study, doctors from London found that in the brains of

people with chronic fatigue syndrome there are high levels

of two key chemicals, choline and creatine.

Choline is important for controlling fat levels in brain

cells while creatine provides energy.

The doctors said the findings suggested CFS patients had

abnormal phospholipid metabolisms. Phospholipids are

special types of fats which are an essential component of

cells. They are protected by certain types of fatty acids.

The London doctors believed fatty acid supplements could

help to restore the chemical imbalance in the brain and

alleviate the symptoms of CFS. EPA, which is found in omega

3 fish oil supplements, may be particularly useful.

The leader of the study said: "This study suggests that if

patients with CFS take a high-EPA fatty acid supplement,

then this should have a beneficial action on the chemical

imbalances in the brain which we have identified."

Since this study was published further advances have been

made, and the findings released by a leading professor in

the United Kingdom state clearly that he considers Chronic

Fatigue Syndrome to be a genuine physical illness. The

professor describes how he came to conclude that CFS could

be successfully treated by supplementation with essential

fatty acids, specifically ultra-pure EPA (eicosapentaenoic

acid) and virgin evening primrose oil.

The professor describes the changes in the immune system

seen with CFS, as a reduction in natural killer cell

activity and a shift from TH1 cell activity toward

increased TH2 cell activity, known as a type 2 immune

response. He believes that this is best explained by the

presence of a pre-existing, long-term, viral infection to

which the immune system is reacting.

Using MRI scanning to carry out neurospectroscopy

examinations of people with CFS, in order to obtain

information about the chemistry of the living brain, the

professor demonstrated a clear difference between the

brains of people with CFS and ‘normal’ volunteers; the

results indicated a very significant change in the turnover

of fatty acids in the cell membranes of CFS sufferers.

Essential fatty acids - linoleic acid (omega-6) and alpha

linolenic acid (omega-3) – are known as such because they

must be acquired from food and cannot be manufactured by

the body. The professor explains how viruses can cause the

symptoms of CFS by inhibiting a crucial enzyme in the

chains that convert these essential fatty acids into other

fatty acids required by the body, including GLA

(gamma-linolenic acid), EPA and DHA (docosahexaenoic acid).

This leads to a deficiency in these fatty acids. He

believes the resulting lack of EFAs in the body leads to

many of the symptoms familiar to CFS sufferers, including

tiredness, poor immune response and painful joints.

The professor concluded by saying that by giving patients

large amounts of GLA and EPA the effects of the virus can

be circumvented and how CFS patients taking high-dose

supplements reported improvements in symptoms within 12

weeks. Crucially, the supplement should be DHA-free, which

means that the majority of fish oil supplements, which

contain both EPA and DHA, are not suitable. The Professor

also strongly believes that the type of DHA found in most

fish oil supplements inhibits some of the beneficial

actions of EPA.

Conclusion

Since both these sets of findings were released, more and

more people are turning to high grade ethyl EPA fish oil to

help with this debilitating condition. Whether this will

lead to a mainstream treatment for chronic fatigue

syndrome, and whether it will work for all sufferers,

remains to be seen. However, a large majority of people who

are trying this as a form of treatment are reporting some

very interesting and very good results.