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Fibromyalgia
is caused by high homocysteine levels and the body's inability to
produce enough ATP. Fibromyalgia is a rheumatic condition. Its
characteristics include widespread muscle and joint pain and
fatigue as well as other symptoms. Fibromyalgia can lead to
depression and social isolation.
Fibromyalgia is characterized
by musculoskeletal aches; stiffness and pain, soft tissue
tenderness, over all fatigue and sleep disturbances.
Common areas of pain include
the back; hips, shoulders, neck, pelvic girdle and hands, however,
any part of the body can feel the discomfort.
Fibromyalgia occurs worldwide and has no
specific ethnic predisposition. In most patients the problem
begins during their twenties or thirties. It affects women more
than men in a ratio of 20:1.
DIAGNOSIS
OF FIBROMYALGIA AND CHRONIC FATIGUE SYNDROME
Fibromyalgia
is often misdiagnosed and misunderstood.
Some experts include Fibromyalgia in the
group of arthritis and related disorders. But the pain of bursitis
or tendonitis is localized to a specific area. The feelings of
pain and stiffness with Fibromyalgia are widespread.
The overwhelming majority of
doctors are neither informed, trained, nor educated concerning the
symptoms of Fibromyalgia sufferers. Since many Fibromyalgia
symptoms overlap or mimic other conditions, doctor’s resort to
laboratory tests which are either negative or inconclusive.
Diagnosis is complicated
because the presence of other diseases, such as rheumatoid
arthritis or lupus, does not rule out a Fibromyalgia diagnosis.
Fibromyalgia is not a diagnosis of exclusion and must be diagnosed
by its own characteristics.
There is no known or accepted
test available for diagnosing Fibromyalgia. Physicians must rely
on physical examination; patient reported symptoms, and manual
tender-point examination.
There are no specific laboratory tests to
diagnose Fibromyalgia. To make an accurate diagnosis, your doctor
will rely on a comprehensive physical examination and your medical
history. Your doctor will also use a diagnosis of exclusion.
That means the doctor will rule out other conditions that could
cause similar symptoms.
Your doctor will also use a diagnosis of
inclusion. That means your doctor will make sure your symptoms
satisfy the diagnostic criteria for Fibromyalgia syndrome outlined
by the American College of Rheumatology.
These criteria include widespread pain that
persists for at least three months. Widespread pain refers to pain
that occurs in both the right and left sides of the body, both
above and below the waist, and in the chest, neck, and mid or
lower back.
A physician properly trained in Fibromyalgia
diagnosis will also use a tender point examination.
WHAT ARE TENDER POINTS?
Tender points are pain points or localized areas of tenderness
around joints, but not the joints themselves. There tender points
hurt when pressed with a finger. Tender points are often not deep
areas of pain. Instead, they are superficial areas seemingly under
the surface of the skin, such as the area over the elbow or
shoulder.
The actual size of the point of most tenderness is usually very
small, about the size of a penny. These areas are much more
sensitive than other nearby areas. In fact, pressure on one of the
tender points with a finger will cause pain that makes the person
flinch or pull back. Tender points are scattered over the neck,
back, chest, elbows, hips, buttocks, and knees.
There are 18 tender points important for the
diagnosis of Fibromyalgia. These tender points are located at
various places on your body. To get a medical diagnosis of
Fibromyalgia, 11 of 18 tender point sites must be painful when
pressed. In addition, for a diagnosis of Fibromyalgia, the symptom
of widespread pain must have been present for three months.
The 18 sites used for the Fibromyalgia
diagnosis cluster around the neck, shoulder, chest, hip, knee, and
elbow regions. The finger pressure that must be applied to these
areas during a "palpation" exam is roughly equivalent to
the amount that causes the finger nail bed to blanch or start to
become white. Over 75 other tender points have been found to
exist, but are not used for diagnostic purposes.
FIBROMYALGIA AND CHRONIC FATIGUE SYNDROME
RELATED?
People suffering from
Fibromyalgia usually have Chronic Fatigue Syndrome -- there
is just a more noticeable muscle aching than the other symptoms.
Chronic Fatigue Syndrome is simply a type, or a stage of
Fibromyalgia.
WHAT CAUSES FIBROMYALGIA AND CHRONIC
FATIGUE SYNDROME?
Most researchers
agree Fibromyalgia and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome is caused by three
major factors.
1)
The body’s inability to produce sufficient amounts of adenosine
triphosphate-referred to as ATP.
The body human requires a continual supply of
energy. The body obtains its energy by oxidation of foods;
however, before energy can be used it is transformed into the ATP
molecule.
Synthesis of fats, carbohydrates, and
proteins, all necessary for cell integrity, depend on ATP
availability. ATP is the major energy source for just about
everything we do. ATP is considered by scientists to be the energy
currency of life. ATP also drives the membrane pumps, which
transport magnesium into the cells.
Intracellular magnesium deficiencies exist in
Fibromyalgia and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome patients and such
deficiencies disrupt ATP syntheses.
Low ATP levels give rise to even lower intracellular
magnesium, causing further ATP reduction. This vicious cycle may
be the reason for the “crash” experienced by CFS patients.
2)
Consistently high homocysteine levels in women
suffering from FM and CFS is an established fact.
Excessive
homocysteine can damage the blood vessels that nourish the heart
and the brain. High levels of homocysteine not only predict heart
attack and stroke but probably help cause them as well. People
with elevated homocysteine levels also have double the risk of
developing Alzheimer’s disease.
Researchers
believe Fibromyalgia and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome are a result of
deficiencies of substances needed for ATP synthesis and excessive
homocysteine levels.
3) Stress
When under
stress the adrenal gland produces cortisol, which leads to adrenal
exhaustion and symptoms of chronic fatigue.
FIBROMYALGIA AND CHRONIC FATIGUE SYMPTOMS
Symptoms of
Fibromyalgia and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome can vary in
severity and often wax and wane.
MUSCULAR
PAIN
Fibromyalgia pain is profound,
widespread and chronic. Often beginning in one part of the body,
then traveling to other areas, while increasing and decreasing in
intensity.
Muscles may feel like they have been
overworked or pulled. They'll feel that way even without exercise
or another cause. Sometimes muscles twitch, burn, or have deep
stabbing pain.
Sufferers describe the pain as
shooting or stabbing, throbbing, and deep muscular aching.
Prolonged symptoms often add to the discomfort by leading to
numbness, tingling, even a burning sensation. Pain and stiffness
are usually more intense in the morning.
Factors which help to onset or
aggravate symptoms include sleepless nights, cold/humid weather,
physical activity, anxiety and stress.
FATIGUE
Fibromyalgia fatigue is like no
other. Sufferers often feel as if the energy has been sucked out
of their bodies. It’s not simply being tired; it is a
comprehensive exhaustion that makes even the simplest physical
activity a test.
SLEEPLESSNESS
Researchers have found
distinctive sleep disorders in Fibromyalgia patients. Bursts of
brain activity wake individuals out of all stages of deep sleep.
Sufferers are prevented from getting a night of undistributed
sleep.
ASSOCIATED
SYMPTOMS
Migraine like headaches, restless leg
syndrome, irritable bowel syndrome, loss of memory and reduced
concentration, dry eyes and mouth, ringing in the ears, poor
circulation in hands and feet similar to Reynard’s syndrome.
These symptoms combine leading to impaired
coordination, anxiety and depression, creating an inability to
concentrate, so called “fibro fog.”
FIBROMYALGIA
AND CHRONIC FATIGUE SYNDROME
RELIEF
There is no known definitive cure for
Fibromyalgia. And there is no treatment that will address all of
the Fibromyalgia symptoms.
FibroStol contains magnesium hydroxide, the
form of magnesium most soluble and bio-available in the human
body, and DL-malic acid, the only form biologically active in the
body.
MAGNESIUM
HYDROXIDE AND L-MALIC ACID
Research has shown DL-malic acid in a
ratio of 4:1 over magnesium hydroxide produces the maximum amount
of ATP in the body.
Magnesium and DL-malic acid also protect
against the toxic effects of aluminum. Aluminum blocks the
utilization of phosphate for ATP synthesis. Adequate magnesium
levels prevent this toxic effect. DL-malic acid is very potent at
reducing aluminum levels in the brain.
Magnesium deficiency is also very common in
patients with irritable bowel syndrome, mitral valve prolapse,
tension headache and dysmenorrheal.
FibroStol
contains the soluble forms of magnesium and DL-malic, in the
appropriate ratio, in the correct dosage, for maximum daily
production of ATP in the body.
ROLE
OF B-12 IN FIBROMYALGIA AND CHRONIC FATIGUE SYNDROME
There is convincing evidence high
homocysteine levels is an underlying factor in women suffering
from Fibromyalgia and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.
The
metabolism of homocysteine occurs in two different pathways. One
pathway--methionine synthase--results in the synthesis of
methionine from homocysteine, and is dependent on folic acid and
vitamin B-12. The other pathway converts homocysteine to an amino
acid, cysteine, and this pathway requires vitamin B-6 and vitamin
B-12.
Vitamin
B-12 is the crucial element in the prevention of excessive
build-up of homocysteine.
Vitamin
B-12 comes in several forms including hydroxyl, cyano, and
adenosyl, but only the methylcobalamin form is soluble, is
delivered efficiently to nerve tissues, and is used in the central
nervous system. Other forms of B-12 are not soluble and are
totally ineffective in preventing build-up of homocysteine.
Methylcobalamin
also participates in the synthesis of SAM-e (S-adenosylmethionine),
a nutrient with powerful mood elevating properties.
Methylcobalamin especially protects nerve tissue and brain cells,
and promotes healthy sleep. Because of this, Methylcobalamin is
considered important in the treatment of all neurological
diseases.
FibroStol
contains the only form of B-12 absorbed in the bran cells,
methylcobalamin, in the correct dosage to prevent homocysteine
build-up.
OTHER
B-VITAMINS
Proper combination of B vitamins
substantially reduces total homocysteine levels in the body.
Folic
acid--a B vitamin--combats anemia, helps to reduce homocysteine
levels, relieves pain,
and helps B-12 to work better.
Riboflavin--vitamin
B-2--is needed to change vitamin B-6 into a form the body can use,
and it helps change the amino acid tryptophan into niacin, another
essential B vitamin. Inside
the mitochondria, a cell’s tiny powerhouse, riboflavin acts to
move electrons, releasing energy to make ATP. In
addition, riboflavin seems to have the power to control migraines.
Vitamin
B-6 interacts with magnesium in more than 300 biochemical
reactions in the body. B-6 has to be on hand when your body breaks
down stored sugar for energy, when it creates the building blocks
that will become protein. B-6 also helps neurotransmitters, the
chemicals our nervous systems produce in order to send out
messages. It also helps regulate the central nervous system
and helps protect against stress.
Recommended
daily dose of FibroStol provides women with the proper form of
B-vitamins necessary to prevent the accumulation of excessive
homocysteine.
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