# Brain Test Proves ME/CFIDS



## M&M (Jan 20, 2002)

Posted to Co-Cure list:


> quote: Source: The Times (UK)Date: December 22, 2003Author: Oliver WrightURL: http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,8122-940225,00.html Health newsBrain test proves fatigue syndrome----------------------------------Doctors believe that they may have found the first scientific evidencefor chronic fatigue syndrome, which affects more than 150,000 people inBritain.A team of researchers at Hammersmith Hospital, London, scanned the brainsof sufferers of CFS, which is also known as myalgic encephalomyelitis(ME) or 'yuppie flu', and found enlarged gaps in fatty acids that werenot present in non-sufferers. They have been backed by similar findingsin Scotland and Japan.They found that when sufferers were later treated with fish oilsupplements the gaps in the brain closed and they started to feel better.CFS leaves patients with flu-like symptoms of physical and mentalexhaustion which can last for years. Often people are so badly affectedthat they can be bed-ridden. So far there has been no medicalexplanation and some experts have claimed that the condition does notreally exist.Researchers found that sufferers were low in a group of essential fattyacids, known as EPAs, high levels of which are found particularly infish. Basant Puri, a neuro-psychiatrist at Hammersmith, said: 'It wasthese natural gaps that we found to be enlarged in people with CFS. Wehave found what appears to be a cause for CFS but we don't know whypeople get it.'Action for ME, which represents sufferers of the illness, said that theresearch was welcome but it believed that there may be several causes.Chris Clark, the charity's chief executive, said: 'All the evidence sofar suggests that there is no single cause.'--------© 2003 Times Newspapers Ltd.


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## overitnow (Nov 25, 2001)

This is good stuff. There would seem to be a direct connection between Fibro, CFS, and IBS, given the number that show more than one symptom. (I wonder if they would find a similar symptom if they looked at the IBS brain, rather than just our colons, where they find nothing.) I use a flavonoid supplement to control my IBS and others have reported similar results with CFS & Fibro. I have also read of Omega 3&6 being very useful for IBS. If they also work for CFS than I would think that they are probably doing something similar. This would suggest that these would be better approaches than what is currently being served up, and certainly easy to try. There was also a posting on a possible connection to Lymes and a whole series of mental/physical disorders. Curiouser and curiouser... Hopefully, you are all shopping for fish oil and that is why no one is commenting.Mark


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## Guest (Dec 28, 2003)

I find this particularly interesting because my psychiatrist also recommended the omega 3 and 6 oils found in fish oil for my Dyslimbia. Since I can't tolerate fish oil, I now use flax seed oil instead.In me there appears to also be a link between my FMS, CF and the Dyslimbia.The research is fascinating. Thanks for posting this, MM.Evie


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## celticlady (Aug 6, 2001)

Hi,Evie







and everyone else-How much flax oil do you take daily,Evie?I have Organic Flax Oil capsules 1000 mg each,and I have been taking about 6 daily.(I just resumed,I had not been taking them and I think this may have been contributing to the fact that I feel like sh*t-lots of fatigue and depression)If y'all can post how much you take,just as a point of reference,that would be great! Thanks!!


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