I'm just beginning to think it's just like chronic fatigue-and if I tell other people I have chronic fatigue they don't look at me like I'm crazy. Anyway, I think that maybe the reason they haven't found a cure is because it's really a MIND problem-I learned that from the gupta programme-it's all very interesting, and I am going to continue to post on my progress until I am well.
Actually a lot of the confusion with chronic fatigue syndrome is that people want to think of it as a disease with a singular cause. But it is not a disease, it is a syndrome. Syndromes are not diseases, they are a group of symptoms that can have more than one cause. For example, AIDS (acquired immune deficiency syndrome) is a group of symptoms with multiple causes. But I hear doctors and even so-called "AIDS experts" incorrectly calling it a disease. The reason I bring this up is that this is the reason that they have no idea how to really address AIDS. They think of AIDS as a disease with a single cause, which is not true. I am not going in to a long explanation, but if you research the original definition of AIDS, HIV could not cause AIDS. This is why the definition of AIDS was changed in the early 80s to fit the virus. The problem therefore is that they are trying to use a one treatment fits all mentality for a syndrome that has multiple causes. Chronic fatigue syndrome is no different. Again, it is not a disease with a singular cause. It is a syndrome (group of symptoms) with multiple causes. For example, some things that can cause chronic fatigue can include viral infections, low thyroid, low adrenal function, various forms of anemia, congestive heart failure, COPD............
Anyway, through this forum I discovered Dr. Lam. I think he is really good-and he got me to a much more functional stage of adrenal fatigue. However,
a few months ago he told me I would never get better until my brain stopped signaling my body to produce adrenaline.
This really makes no sense since first of all strengthening the adrenals in the first place prevents the adrenals from over reacting to stress, and thus prevents over release of epinephrine (adrenaline). This is the basis for adaptogens. Although I do agree that some adaptogens are too stimulatory such as rhodiola (Arctic root), American licorice root (G. glabra) and Panax ginsengs. On the other hand there are adaptogens that are actually calming such as Chinese licorice root (G. uralensis), and ashwagandha. In fact, ashwagandha is a natural beta blocker. Beta blockers reduce the release of epinephrine from the adrenals.
There are other herbs that also support the adrenals even though they are not really classified as adaptogens. For example nettle leaf, which also has a calming effect as well as a strengthening effect on the nervous system. Nettle is also a great herb for people who suffer from anxiety since it covers the two most common anxiety triggers. Most cases of anxiety are triggered from high lactate levels, which is why people tend to hyperventilate when having an anxiety attack. The body is attempting to get more oxygen to reduce the lactate. Same reason as we continue to breathe heavy after we stop heavy exercise. During the exercise we need more oxygen to both help the muscles to generate more energy, and to keep lactate levels down. When we stop the muscles no longer need the extra oxygen for energy production, yet we still continue to breathe heavy. The body is getting more oxygen in to the bloodstream to remove the excess lactate that has built up. As the lactate levels decline so does our respiration. So the same thing happens during many anxiety attacks. The person hyperventilates as the body tries to get more oxygen to reduce the lactate that is inducing the anxiety. The second common cause of anxiety is excess epinephrine release with a lack of acetylcholine, which is the balance to epinephrine. Nettle leaf helps with anxiety by reducing blood lactate levels, preventing over reaction by the adrenals and by helping increase acetylcholine levels.
In addition, we have to keep in mind that we cannot simply stop epinephrine release. Epinephrine is necessary for several reasons, one of the most important to counter histamine and leukotrienes in allergic reactions by stimulating the increase of cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP). This is why everyone is exposed to "allergens", but not everyone has allergies. If the adrenals are producing and secreting sufficient levels of antihistamine and antileukotriene epinephrine and anti-inflammatory and immune modulating corticosteroids the body does not develop allergic reactions. This is why doctors give people with allergic conditions epinephrine and steroids to counter allergic conditions. They are substituting for what the adrenals are failing to put out in sufficient quantities. Therefore, simply suppressing production/secretion of epinephrine does not make sense, especially in adrenal fatigue where people are more prone to allergic conditions to begin with. The trick is to strengthen the adrenals so they not only produce sufficient levels of epinephrine, but also properly control its release.
I agree 100%. Adrenal Fatigue is the result....not the cause.
In fact, my testing from Integrative Psychiatry in the past has shown my Epinephrine is LOW, even though I still had lots of anxiety.
And again, excess epinephrine is not the only cause of anxiety as I pointed out.
And if we take this a step further anxiety can still be epinephrine induced despite low levels. Again the trigger is epinephrine not balanced by sufficient acetylcholine. It is like how women can develop estrogen dominance after menopause despite declining levels of estrogen. Even though there is lower levels of estrogen there is still insufficient levels of progesterone to balance the estrogen.
So than, how does one test for acetylcholine and how to balance this?
Testing of acetylcholine levels is not a standard test, so I don't know where this can be done off hand. Symptoms of low acetylcholine are one way of determining possible low levels. Symptoms can include age associated memory loss, muscle tremors and as pointed out anxiety. Low acetylcholine induced anxiety though would not induce the hyperventilation of lactate induced anxiety though, so there is a way of differentiating.
As for how to get acetylcholine levels up this is primarily through supplying the body with choline sources. Eggs, soy and sunflower seeds are examples of food sources. Lecithin granules are a rich source and there is also a supplement known as choline bitartrate.
Methylation is also needed for the production of acetylcholine. Here methyl donors such as trimethylglycine (TMG), dimethylglycine (DMG) or SAMe can be used or methyl donor precursors such as B6, B12 and folate. I prefer TMG for a number of reasons including very low cost, easy absorption and being more effective.
Choline itself is also a methyl donor and actually stronger than TMG, but it cannot be used in higher doses for cases such as undermethylaltors.
Thanks. Choline, part of the B vitamins?
Correct.
I seem to better with whole food suppliments. Thinking of Brewers yeast, but is this than not good for those with any candida problems?
If you want good sources of choline I would still go with lecithin sources such as soy, egg yolks or sunflower seeds for food sources. Chickweed is a good herbal source and is beneficial for other things as well such as intestinal issues and adrenal support.
If you do want to use a yeast for a B vitamin supplement then brewer's yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) is fine. S. cerevisiae is actually a prebiotic making it useful for fighting Candida overgrowth.
Other B vitamin rich herbs include nettle leaf and seaweeds.