FATIGUE THE NEW HEALTH EPIDEMIC

When energy expenditures outstrip restorative processes, FATIGUE is the result. Whether it be mental exhaustion, physical depletion, or a combination of the two, fatigue has become one of the most significant health challenges facing people of our modern world. In fact, in the United States fatigue is the single most frequent complaint patients make to their primary care physicians.  

Lack of energy, a.k.a. being tired all the time, that seldom-fatal scourge of modern civilization, is killing us slowly by continually detracting from life’s everyday enjoyments, as well as limiting on-the-job performance. Those with a serious lack of energy are relegated to “life in the slow lane,” like it or not! 

Fatigue is caused by an assortment of factors, including: 

•  lack of sleep
• lack of adequate nutrition
• mental (emotional) stresses that are largely part and parcel of modern life
• an under-active thyroid
• simple boredom
• a decline in bodily systems due to aging
• the body’s reaction to disease processes 

Whether it be for a short stay or an extended visit, at one time or another virtually every person living in contemporary Western society is plagued by this insidious condition. Over 60 million Americans currently suffer from moderate to severe daytime fatigue. 

Isn’t it ironic that a society so over-stimulated and frenetic would comprise such a significant percentage of tired and under-energized people? 

Among the long list of typical side-effects, fatigue is known to:

• impair alertness and concentration # reduce problem solving and decision making abilities

• produce performance problems similar to those caused by alcohol # reduce productivity

• be a significant risk factor both in the home and workplace

• cost the U.S. tens of billions of dollars annually in lost productivity

In short, fatigue affects virtually every aspect of its victims’ lives. The good news is that notwithstanding the fact that serious disease processes are sometimes the root cause of fatigue, even in many of these cases, including Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, energy levels can be raised and sometimes restored to normal levels by using natural compounds that increase the body’s energy, from the inside out.  

There is no lack of anti-fatigue dietary supplements in the marketplace. All that’s required for a quick pick-me-up is a visit to your corner convenience store or health food store, where there will likely be available a variety of herbal energizers. Here you will find ephedra (ma huang), guarana, gotu kola, caffeine, and a host of other products/ingredients designed to provide a short-lived boost of energy, after which the user “crashes” and/or reverts to his/her previously non-energized state.  

Most of these over-the-counter (OTC) substances act upon the sympathetic nervous system which, through a series of processes, causes the secretion of adrenalin. This response acts primarily on the cardiovascular system, typically increasing both heart rate and blood pressure. This is often experienced as “jittery” energy, the result of artificially stimulating the adrenal glands. Overuse of such products can produce medical difficulties, including over-activation and exhaustion of the adrenals.  

There are many natural compounds that can be used as a natural, unique solution to fight fatigue for millions of people. These natural compounds are functioning on a cellular level to re-vitalize mitochondria,  the sub-cellular components responsible for energy production within the body.  These compounds are able to restore the body’s energy in natural ways, the way it was earlier in life, before both internal and external influences depleted this inner vitality.   

Some examples of these new compounds are:  

The herb Rhodiola rosea (Golden Root, Arctic Root). For decades during the Cold War era, the Iron Curtain brought with it a veil of secrecy separating the former Soviet Union from the Western world, and particularly the United States. Not only was there a separation between the political systems, but throughout virtually all aspects of the two cultures including the arts, but especially the sciences. Even following the breakup of the U.S.S.R., it nevertheless took many years for language and trust barriers to be overcome, which even today have become only partially realized. Translations of some of the Soviet scientific literature have only recently become available. In the field of health and medicine, one of the most significant Soviet discoveries that’s only recently reached our shores is news of the powerful adaptogenic herb botanically named Rhodiola rosea. Its common name Golden Root reflects the high regard in which the Soviets hold this herb. Rhodiola was initially developed for use by Soviet Cosmonauts, soldiers, and Olympic athletes.  

The benefits of Rhodiola are many, varied, and nothing short of astonishing—especially for a simple, humble herb. It has become the first herb to be labeled a “second generation” adaptogen. Rhodiola has been documented to: 

• Fight fatigue and boost energy, both physical and mental;
• Stimulate muscle ATP and creatine synthesis, and glycogen synthesis in the muscles and liver
•  Increase physical performance
•  Enhance thyroid function without causing hyperthyroidism (An underactive thyroid decreases energy levels.); Enhance thymus gland function, and protect or delay thymus deterioration that typically occurs with Aging
•  Significantly reduce stress, anxiety, and over-reactivity
•  Increase sexual performance by improving erectile dysfunction and/or premature ejaculation in men
•  Significantly reduce mild to moderate depression
•  Other benefits include its antioxidant properties, cardiovascular benefits, anticancer effects, and fat metabolism activation.

Magnesium & Potassium, with the Aspartate form producing the best results. During the late 1950s and early ‘60s, European researchers studied the anti-fatigue effects of the minerals potassium and magnesium in the special chelated form of potassium and magnesium aspartate—aspartic acid being a natural amino acid that is bound to the minerals to aid in their transport into the bloodstream. Becoming aware of this research, the patent medicine pharmaceutical company Wyeth Laboratories performed a series of animal experiments on the compound, followed by human clinical trials involving more than 3,000 people. Thereafter, in 1961-1962, Wyeth marketed the prescription anti-fatigue product Spartase—featuring potassium and magnesium aspartate. Shortly thereafter, laws were enacted that required such preparations to undergo extensive clinical testing, costing tens of millions of dollars. Because this natural mineral complex can’t be patent protected, Wyeth removed Spartase from the market. Following the passage of the Dietary Supplements Health and Education Act (DSHEA) in 1994, many such formulations were once again allowed to be marketed in the U.S. as dietary supplements. 

Using the proper forms, treatment dosages, percentages of elemental mineral by mass, and proportions thereof, potassium and magnesium aspartate in combination is a compound that has been documented to dramatically reduce fatigue and increase physical endurance, with effects beginning to be noticed generally within days. Significant improvements are typically noticed within five days, yet rarely no more than 10 days in most persons. 

In a study of 80 patients having post-surgical fatigue for at least one year, 90% experienced rapid, complete relief. Relief came as quickly as three days for some, up to two weeks for others, with an average recovery time of seven days.

11 Other studies collectively using thousands of patients revealed that 75-94% of all fatigued patients significantly improved, regardless of the cause of fatigue.

12 A third study, using a double-blind design, reported that 87% of those receiving a treatment dosage of potassium and magnesium aspartate experienced rapid relief of fatigue symptoms.  The principal investigator of the study characterized the results as “startling,” and further stated the patients “had become alert, cheerful, animated, and energetic and walked with a lively step.” Patients remarked that “sleep refreshed them as it had not done for months...Morning exhaustion had completely subsided.” 

Adenosine 5-Triphosphate Disodium: Produced in the mitochondria of the cells, adenosine triphosphate (ATP) is the principal molecule used by the body for the production of energy. 

Every movement and thought is ultimately related to the synthesis and utilization of the ATP molecule — it powers nearly every human function. As we age, become infirm, experience stress, or consume a diet low in nutritional value, ATP levels decline. A recent study, for example, showed that people in their 70s have only 50% of the ATP levels of 20-year olds. 

It has been known for some time that IV-administered ATP produces beneficial effects in both animals and humans. Cancer patients report more energy, less fatigue, and a marked improvement of nutritional status and quality of life.

15 In baboons, ATP infusions increase cerebral blood flow by nearly 50%, with a corresponding boost in cerebral oxygen consumption.

16 Only recently has it become possible for individuals to benefit from taking ATP orally. ATP has been tested in numerous animal and human studies, and has been found to produce similar effects as those achieved via IV administration.  Orally-administered ATP elevates the body’s intra- and extracellular ATP stores, providing increased energy and athletic performance.  ATP dramatically increases circulation without adversely affecting heart rate or blood pressure. Because blood circulation is the primary vehicle for delivering nutrients and oxygen to the body’s trillions of cells, this boost in circulation has many positive health benefits in addition to fatigue reduction. 

Supplementing with ATP produces a similar increase in human skeletal muscle blood flow while at rest as that seen in exercising muscles—benefiting muscle growth, strength and recovery. This is achieved with no increase in heart rate or respiration.  The meaning of this, coupled with the ATP’s ability to increase cerebral blood flow, is nothing short of remarkable. The benefits of increasing oxygenation, nutrient delivery, and cellular waste removal via supplemental ATP administration has wide ranging beneficial effects on both the young and the elderly. 

The research on these natural compounds showed that by oral supplementation with these natural compounds that they increase oxygenation in all tissues of the body.  In short, supplementing helps restore youthful levels of ATP, thus increasing overall energy levels, reducing fatigue, and enhancing general well-being.