Hydrogen Shows Promise for Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Treatment

Scientists found that chronic fatigue syndrome is caused by multiple problems happening in the body at the same time—like inflammation, damaged energy-producing parts of cells, and a leaky gut—and they discovered some promising natural supplements that might help fix these problems, though they need more testing to be sure.

ME/CFS involves multiple pathophysiological abnormalities including pro-inflammatory states, oxidative stress, mitochondrial dysfunction, and gut barrier disruption, with molecular hydrogen among several compounds showing preliminary promise as potential therapeutic targets.

This review examines myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS), a debilitating condition with few effective treatments. The authors identified multiple underlying problems in people with ME/CFS, including inflammation, cellular stress, gut barrier damage, and mitochondrial dysfunction (the energy-producing parts of cells). They reviewed evidence for several potential treatments targeting these problems, including molecular hydrogen, coenzyme Q10, melatonin, curcumin, and N-acetylcysteine, finding the early results promising but still preliminary.

While this review identifies molecular hydrogen as a candidate therapy for ME/CFS, the evidence discussed is preliminary and mostly from laboratory or animal studies, not human trials. Anyone with ME/CFS considering hydrogen water or other experimental treatments should consult their healthcare provider, as more rigorous clinical research is needed to establish safety and effectiveness.

Myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME) or chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) is a common and disabling condition with a paucity of effective and evidence-based therapies, reflecting a major unmet need. Cognitive behavioural therapy and graded exercise are of modest benefit for only some ME/CFS patients…

Read the full abstract on PubMed