Ways to Restore Energy Due to Fibromyalgia

Fibromyalgia is a devastating disorder that afflicts millions of people. Scientists and doctors are still puzzling over the actual cause of the disorder. In the past, doctors didn’t even take the topic of fibromyalgia as a serious condition. Many patients were told that their symptoms were psychological or that the pain they were experiencing was attributed to other medical causes. While there are many symptoms experienced by those that suffer from this disorder, exhaustion is on the top of the list. As research continues, scientists, nutritionists and physicians are finding some ways that the patient can help restore their energy levels. Before you add any supplements or make any changes to your dietary regiment, be sure to not only check with your major medical care provider but undergo whatever urine and blood tests may be required to ensure the addition of these changes are safe.

Supplements that are considered as part of the energy-boosting category can help those with fibromyalgia. These supplements contain the B vitamins, D-ribose and magnesium. The B vitamins specifically assist in building energy molecules which are converted from food intake. It is recommended that instead of taking a B multi-vitamin, you take individual B vitamin supplements. This will ensure that you receive the 25-50 milligrams of each of the Bs each day. It is also recommended that the B-12 is taken at around 50 mcg (micrograms) daily. The human body uses what vitamins we need and discards the rest in urine. This may cause your urine to turn a bright yellow color. This is perfectly normal.

A change in diet may also assist in getting rid of the fatigue that fibromyalgia patients experience. Eating foods that are high in magnesium as well as a balanced diet that includes: poultry, fish, meat, dairy products, eggs, whole grains, beans, green vegetables and peas.

It has been shown that low levels of magnesium can have an affect on sleep patterns which is another symptom suffered by as many as 80% of patients. Other studies have shown that low magnesium levels can actually be caused by sleep problems. Magnesium should be taken by women (19-30) at the 310 mg daily amount and 320 mg daily for women 31 years and older. You can take magnesium in supplement form but you can also increase your intake via food. Nuts such as peanuts, cashews and almonds are high in magnesium as well as other foods such as whole grains, legumes (peas and beans) and spinach as well as other green leafy vegetables.

There have been scientific studies on fibromyalgia patients that took 5 g of D-Ribose three times per day. This is a sugar that is normally produced in the body and used by body-builders to fuel the cells of the muscle for adding energy. Physicians advise that you start with the 5 g program and take it for three weeks; reducing to twice a day after the initial time. There are warnings for D-Ribose if you take more than the recommended amount. They can induce mild headaches.

Other supplements that increase the body’s ability for energy include coenzyme Q10 (200 mg daily) or 1,500 mg daily of acetyl L-carnitine. The latter is found in poultry, meat, fish and a few dairy products.

Vitamin D is one of the major multipurpose vitamins needed by the body for a variety of reasons. Fibromyalgia patients are often found to have Vitamin D deficiencies. The body makes natural vitamin D when exposed to sunlight. Outdoor activities are often curtailed due to the pain that they cause. A blood test via your physician will be able to gauge is you are vitamin D deficient. You can also derive vitamin D from food sources such as salmon, milk, etc.

Essential fatty acids of Omega-3 will help to inflammation reduction. These are easy to add to your diet through the intake of oily fish such as salmon, sardines and tuna. If you consume 3 oz, 3-4 times weekly, it may assist as part of the support of reducing inflammation and ergo, the pain itself. If you choose canned tuna, be sure that it is the albacore variety. This source contains three times more fish oil as compared to chunk light tuna. In today’s age, many people have concerns about the mercury levels in fish, so you may opt for an Omega-3 supplement. Be sure to select a high quality fish oil supplement from a good health store.

Alternative options are also available for the fibromyalgia patient. Yoga, meditation and acupuncture are three of the ancient wellness approaches. Each has a positive offering to assist in the body’s natural healing processes and encourage the cells to produce energy. There have been many patients that have achieved a success level with one or more of these approaches.

The information supplied in this article is not to be considered as medical advice and is for educational purposes only.