Fatigue Can Have Many Causes

Fatigue is a very common complaint that can take many forms and have many causes. Some people have Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS), which is characterized by new onset fatigue that has lasted longer than 6 months and is severe enough to impair activity by 50% or more. Other criteria for CFS include fever, sore throat, muscle pain or weakness, joint pain, enlarged lymph nodes, sleep disturbances, and mood or neurological disturbances. Most people who experience fatigue, even if it is chronic, do not have CFS. They have fatigue that may be chronic. This article will discuss treating fatigue that is not CFS. CFS treatment is beyond the scope of this article.

Fatigue can have many causes, including low thyroid or adrenal gland function, anemia, infection, heart disease, lung disease, physical inactivity, chemical toxicity, and diet. Anemia is a common cause of fatigue, but it is commonly tested and treated, so it will not be discussed in this article. Infection and heart and lung disease are also beyond the scope of this article.

The most common cause of fatigue that I see in my practice by far is diet. Diet can cause fatigue in a variety of ways. The most common is from eating too many high glycemic foods. High glycemic foods cause the blood sugar to spike because they either contain too much sugar or they are rapidly converted to sugar by the body. This includes grains, potato, and alcohol. On the glycemic index scale, which goes from 0 to 100 (with 100 equal to pure sugar), white bread is a 95 and baked potato is a 90. For all practical purposes these foods are the same as sugar to your body. Even whole grain breads, however, are about an 80, which is still high. Low glycemic foods include proteins (beans, nuts, soy, dairy, eggs, meat, fish, poultry), vegetables, and even most fruits which contain a different type of sugar than most other foods.

The human body didn't evolve with high glycemic foods in our diet - that came with agriculture. As a result, our bodies are not equipped to handle these kinds of foods. Eating too many of these foods can eventually result in insulin resistance, which then prevents the sugar in the blood from getting into the cell where the mitochondria turn them into energy. Fatigue is therefore a very common effect of eating too many of these high glycemic foods, as is depression, weight gain, and hypoglycemia.

Another common dietary cause of fatigue is food allergies. While most people think of a food allergy as an immediate reaction to peanuts or strawberries resulting in difficulty breathing, a far more common reaction is delayed and more insidious. It can take the form of fatigue, headaches, eczema, irritable bowel, asthma, seasonal allergies, and many other conditions. Most people with this type of delayed allergy are unaware they are allergic. The most common allergens are dairy, eggs, and gluten (a protein found in wheat and other grains). Other common allergens include yeast, beans, peanuts, and almonds. Food allergies can be identified by blood testing or by a trial elimination of the above (and possibly other) foods.

Hormonal causes of fatigue are also fairly common. People with low thyroid function have a low body temperature and are often tired, depressed, constipated, and overweight. People with low adrenal function are generally tired, they may have mood problems, and they often suffer from allergies and inflammation. Both of these conditions can be diagnosed by checking hormone levels.

Chemical toxicity is pervasive in our modern world. In a 2004 study performed by the Environmental Working Group, 10 newborn babies were checked for levels of 413 toxic chemicals. An average of 200 toxic chemicals were found in these babies, which get passed to them through cord blood from their mothers. Because many of these toxic chemicals damage the mitochondria that produce our energy; fatigue, low body temperature, weight gain, depression, allergies, headaches, and/or chronic pain often result.

Lastly, physical inactivity is a common cause of fatigue, as well as weight gain and depression. The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) recommend a minimum of 30 minutes of moderate intensity physical activity, most days of the week. Optimal, rather than minimum, levels of physical activity are 45-60 minutes daily. 

Source: Bernie Noe, ND 

Preventive Health Services Now Covered Without Co-pay

Laugh - It's Good for Your Heart

How do you fit four elephants in a Volkswagen bug?* You may or may not laugh at the answer (at the end of this article) but you might be healthier if you actually snicker a little.

In a small, carefully controlled study at the University of Maryland School of Medicine, laughter was shown to actually improve blood flow by expanding blood vessels and making blood flow easier.

The study used healthy volunteers and subjected them to 15-minute segments of funny or disturbing movies. Ultrasound  measurements made just before and shortly after the volunteers watched the stress-provoking (disturbing) movie showed that they had restricted blood flow - as much as 35 percent.

After watching the laughter-producing (funny) movie, the participants' blood flow was 22 percent higher than it was before they started watching the movie.

Stress reactions caused vasoconstriction (contraction) of the lining of the blood vessels, reducing blood flow. Laughter caused a dilation or expansion of the lining in the blood vessels. Previous studies have also shown a relationship between stress and narrowing of blood vessels.

Implications

The changes brought about by sustained laughter were similar to those experienced in physical activity. The researchers concluded, "We don't recommend that you laugh and not exercise, but we do recommend that you try to laugh on a regular basis. Thirty minutes of exercise three times a week, and 15 minutes of laughter on a daily basis is probably good for the vascular system."

So, it can be in the best interest of your heart to make sure you smile and laugh some each day. In addition to funny movies and TV shows, joking with friends, playing with your children, or reading a humorous book could work for you. Those with pain or disease might not feel much like laughing, but it could be even more important for them find something to laugh about.

* Two in the front, and two in the back. (Even a groaner like this could make you laugh or smile a little.)

Source: University of Maryland School of Medicine study shows laughter helps blood vessels function better. University of Maryland School of Medicine. © Wellsource, Inc., used with permission

The Research Says...

Sleep Loss Decreases Testosterone, Increasing Health Risks

A small study has concluded that young men who sleep less than five hours a night for eight days experience an average reduction of 10 to 15 percent in their testosterone levels, with the lowest levels occurring between 2pm and 10 pm, and that these lower levels increase the risk of low-testosterone-related health effects. (Testosterone levels very gradually diminish with age, about one to two percent per year, but especially low levels can cause symptoms such as reduced bone and muscle mass, as well as decreased energy, erectile dysfunction, mood problems, fatigue, sleep disturbance, and low sex drive.) The men in the study, whose average age was 24, were rigorously screened to rule out any endocrine, psychological, or sleep problems. They slept 10 hours a night for three days, then five hours a night for eight days, and testosterone was measured after each phase. Also, the participants reported reduced mood, vigor, and sense of well-being, worsening with each day of the reduced sleep phase. This study was published in the June 1, 2011 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Associations. It is accessible online now at http://bit.ly/iNYIFs with subscription or fee.

Two Natural Compounds, When Combined, Fight Colon Cancer

A study has concluded that two grape compounds, one found in the skin and another found in the seed, work synergistically to force colon cancer cells to self-destruct while not harming healthy cells, making the whole seeded red or purple grape a perfect colon-cancer-fighting food. Scientists have known that the grape skin compound resveratrol may prevent colon cancer cells from growing; and that compounds in grape seed extract do the same. However, this is the first research to show that, working together, the skin and seed compounds destroy colon cancer cells. Precise dosages required to fight a specific colon cancer case might be delivered via supplements that have been coated with pectin, a substance (a polysaccharide) often extracted from citrus fruits. Pectin is not digested in the upper gut but is broken down in the colon where the grape supplement becomes available. Research is needed to determine whether these compounds also kill cancer stem cells; if cancer stem cells are left behind, colon cancer is more likely to recur. Published in the June 1, 2011 issue of Frontiers in Bioscience, this study is available online now at http://bit.ly/iWGv9S with subscription or fee.

Lower-Carb Diet Reduces Belly Fat

Researchers have found that - compared to a lowered-fat diet - a diet that includes a modest reduction in carbohydrates and a slight increase in fat results in a four percent greater weight loss, a greater loss of fat tissue versus lean, and an 11 percent greater reduction in visceral or deep belly fat, changes that lower the risk of type 2 diabetes, stroke, and coronary artery disease. All participants lowered calorie intake by 1000. However, the control group adopted a standard weight loss diet in which carbohydrates, fat and protein comprised 55, 27, and 18 percent of total calories, respectfully. The test group adopted a diet in which carbohydrates, fat and protein made up 43, 39, and 18 percent of total calories, respectfully, and contained low-glycemic foods, which do not cause excessive blood sugar spikes. The belly reducing effect was found among whites, but not among blacks; whites have a greater amount of deep abdominal fat and may benefit most from trimming fat in this area, the researchers suggested. This study was presented June 5, 2011 in Boston at the annual meeting of The Endocrinology Society. It has not yet been published or posted.

Apple Peel Compound Prevents Muscle Wasting

Researchers have discovered that a waxy compound found in the skin of apples, ursolic acid, prevents the muscle atrophy that is common with aging and illness; and causes increased muscle size, decreased storing of fat, and reduced blood levels of cholesterol, triglycerides, and glucose (sugar). This suggests ursolic acid may be a therapy for age- and illness-related muscle wasting, as well as for other metabolic diseases. For 92 genes linked to muscle atrophy, scientists pinpointed what are known as gene-expression signatures. After comparing those signatures with the signatures of 1300 bioactive small molecules, they found the signature of ursolic acid to be the opposite of the atrophy-inducing genes. When ursolic acid was fed to fasting mice, it prevented muscle wasting; and when it was fed to non-fasting mice, it increased muscle size. Further research is needed to confirm this apple skin compound has the same effect on humans and to determine whether therapeutic levels can be attained by increased apple consumption or if ursolic acid supplements are needed. This study was published in the June 8, 2011 issue of the journal Cell Metabolism. The full text is available online at http://bit.ly/jbCyH2 without charge.

Processed Meat Consumption Raises Risk of Stroke

Scientists have concluded that people in the highest fifth of processed meat consumption have a 23 percent greater risk of stroke than those in the lowest fifth of consumption, but that people in the highest fifth of fresh red meat consumption do not have significantly increased stroke risk relative to those in the lowest fifth of consumption. Those consuming the most processed meat also showed an 18 percent greater risk for cerebral infarction, compared to people consuming the least. (Cerebral infarction is a type of stroke in which a blood vessel in the brain becomes blocked or develops a leakage, either of which results in a loss of blood flow to, and death of, a part of the brain.) Red meat consumption has been implicated in several diseases, but information on its link to stroke has been limited until now. The study followed 40,291 men aged 45 to 79 who had no history of cardiovascular disease at the beginning of the research. Released June 8, 2011, this study will be published in a future issue of the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. It is available online now at http://bit.ly/kp4YxK with subscription or fee.

Longer TV Viewing Linked to Greater Diabetes, Cardiovascular Risk

Researchers have concluded that the risks of both diabetes type 2 and cardiovascular disease are increased in accordance with a greater amount of time spent watching television (TV). The scientists analyzed eight prior studies including data on a total of 175,938 persons. The results showed that each additional two hours of TV viewing increased the risk of type 2 diabetes, fatal and nonfatal cardiovascular disease, and mortality by 20 percent, 15 percent, and 13 percent, respectively. This kind of study cannot determine the cause of these associations, but it is possible that prolonged TV watching increases obesity levels, which are related to unhealthy dietary habits and low activity levels, both risk factors for type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease. The average daily TV viewing time for Europeans and Australians is about three to four hours, while viewing time for Americans averages five hours a day. Previous research had associated greater time spent watching television with reduced exercise and unhealthy diets. This study was published in the June 15, 2011 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association and is available online now at http://bit.ly/mBjKnX with subscription or fee.

Olive Oil May Reduce Risk of Stroke in Older Persons

Scientists have found that older people who regularly consume olive oil both as cooking oil and as salad dressing have a 41 percent lower risk of having a stroke than those who never use olive oil. The study followed 7,625 people aged 65 and over for five years. The team also looked at blood levels of oleic acid - an indirect and as-yet-unvalidated biological indicator of olive oil intake - and found that those in the highest third of oleic acid blood levels had a 27 percent lower chance of having a stroke. Previous research showed olive oil is linked to a reduced incidence of cardiovascular risk factors, such as diabetes, high blood pressure, obesity, and high cholesterol. In these cases, and in the current study, there is insufficient proof that any component in olive oil affects these risks; it is possible, for instance, that olive oil makes other healthy food choices such as salads or cooked vegetables taste better, thus increasing consumption of healthier foods. This study was released June 15, 2011 but will not appear in print until a future issue of the journal, Neurology. It is available online now at http://bit.ly/j9Cyym with subscription or fee.

Fat Substitutes Promote Weight Gain

Researchers have found that synthetic compounds, such as olestra, used by manufacturers as fat substitutes to make low-fat versions of food items, interfere with the ability of the body to regulate food intake, causing inefficient use of calories and resulting in increased food consumption, greater weight gain, and more body fat. (Olestra adds the taste of fat but remains undigested by the body.) Rats fed a generally low-fat diet were able to consume fat substitutes without any negative effect. However, rats fed a generally high-fat diet - when also fed fat substitutes - gained more weight and body fat than those rats fed a generally high-fat diet that contained no fat substitutes. The underlying cause could be that, when accustomed to consuming fat, the body is metabolically primed by any fatty taste but then reacts negatively when no fat is subsequently digested. The report cautioned that studies on rats do not necessarily translate to humans; however, their body responses to food are very similar. This study was released June 20, 2011 and will appear in a future print issue of the journal Behavioral Neuroscience. It is available online now at http://bit.ly/ivP2BQ without charge.

Smokers Have Higher Risk of Prostate Cancer Recurrence and Death

A study has found that smokers who develop prostate cancer have a 61 percent greater risk of a recurrence after treatment, and a 61 percent higher risk of dying from prostate cancer, compared to nonsmokers diagnosed with prostate cancer. Researchers also found that smokers who are initially diagnosed with non-metastatic prostate cancer have an 80 percent greater risk of dying from this disease than nonsmokers. A link was also found between smoking and more aggressive forms of prostate cancer. Smokers who were diagnosed with prostate cancer also showed a 131 percent higher risk of dying from cardiovascular disease. However, men who had quit smoking for ten years or more prior to being diagnosed with prostate cancer had the same level of risk as nonsmokers. Prostate cancer is the most frequently diagnosed form of cancer in the US. The team stressed that quitting smoking directly reduces the risk of dying from prostate cancer. This study will be published in the June 22-29, 2011 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association. It is accessible online now at http://bit.ly/lnj1Ur with subscription or fee.

Chemical Produced by Pancreas May Cure Type 1 Diabetes

A study has found that injection of gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), a compound that is produced in non-diabetic people by the same pancreatic cells (islet beta cells) that normally make insulin, can prevent and even reverse type 1 diabetes in mice. (In type 1 diabetes, formerly known as juvenile diabetes, the immune system attacks and destroys the beta cells in the pancreas that make and secrete insulin, leaving the patient with little or no insulin. GABA is also known as a brain messenger, or neurotransmitter, but its role in the pancreas was unknown.) This may be an especially effective therapy and prevention for type 1 diabetes because GABA was found both to regenerate insulin-producing beta cells, and to prevent destruction of those cells by the immune system. This treatment would need human trials before it could be considered a new treatment for type 1 diabetes. This study was released June 27, 2011 and will appear in a future issue of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Science. It is available online now at http://bit.ly/l0YWg9 with subscription or fee.

Green Tea Lowers Cholesterol

Researchers have completed a comprehensive meta-analysis, or review of previously done studies, and have found that drinking green tea or taking green tea extract lowered blood levels of total cholesterol, reduced levels of low-density-lipoprotein (LDL or bad) cholesterol, but did not have any effect on levels of high-density-lipoprotein (HDL or good) cholesterol. (LDL cholesterol is often referred to by the media as bad cholesterol because some studies have associated higher levels of these fat particles in the blood with health problems and cardiovascular disease.) The effect of green tea on cholesterol has been controversial. The combined results of 14 trials involving a total of 1,136 test subjects showed an average reduction in total cholesterol of 7.20 mg/dL, and an average reduction in LDL cholesterol of 2.19 mg/dL, both of which are considered statistically significant. This study was released June 29, 2011 by the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition and will appear in a future print issue. It is accessible online now at http://bit.ly/l4mYEW to subscribers or those who pay the access fee.

©2011 ChooseNewsDaily, used with permission