People that have Aldehyde Dehydrogenase deficiency/malfunction.

Disclaimer.

This page is based upon a book which I read in 2001 by David Eather called "The Cause of Chronic fatigue Syndrome, Light at the End of the Tunnel". David Eather's web site is no longer present, but the book may still be available through the international online distributor Golden Glow (www.goldenglow.com.au) Please also see the pdf files below that relate to the book and which have been kindly sent to me by David Eather. I have found the suggestions in this book very helpful for some. I would, however, recommend David Eather's book to any CFS sufferer as it gives a good background to basic CFS issues as well as presenting his main idea about the possible cause. His advise on exercise is especially valuable: CFS sufferers often do well with anaerobic (weight-lifting) and often are not well suited to aerobic exercise (e.g. running). 

The hypothesis in the book is that CFS is caused by the malfunction or reduction of a certain muscle enzyme (aldehyde dehydrogenase) that causes a build up of the chemical acetaldehyde. Acetaldehyde (called "aldehyde" for short in the rest of this article) is a nasty chemical that, when once triggered, can theoretically set off a vicious cycle within the muscles that results in more aldehyde buildup whenever the sufferer exercises. 

What triggers off this vicious cycle? The theory is that in people with a low level of the critical enzyme, prolonged exertion or exposure to industrial chemicals produces enough unprocessed aldehyde to damage the muscle mitochondria and so set the thing going. A good clue to the possibility of you having this problem is severe alcohol intolerance. Alcohol causes a lot of aldehyde formation in people with this problem.

Excess aldehyde can cause all kinds of problems for the human body including all the multi-system complaints found in the typical CFS sufferer. 

The treatment regime suggested in David Eather's book is simple and not very expensive. It is based on supplements to treat the excess aldehyde, an exercise program and advise to normalise weight.

If you want to try the regime it is essential, in my opinion, for you to get the book. However, since for sufferers of this problem, it is important to get onto treatment as soon as possible I will mention the basic supplement regime here (roughly in order of importance):

L-Methionine 1-3 grams/day.
Vitamin C 1-3 grams/day.
Nicotinamide (or Niacinamide -- but NOT niacin or nicotinic acid) 250-500 mg/day as single dose.
L-Glycine 1.3-4 grams/day.
Multivitamin and Mineral Supplement 1/day (not with high amounts of vitamin B1 or vitamin A).

The exercise program involves careful attention to gradual improvement in anaerobic muscle health. The aerobic muscle is where the acetaldehyde (aldehyde) problem occurs. Anaerobic exercises involves moving parts of the body slowly against a weight. 

CFS sufferers with this problem are advised to avoid paracetamol and flagyl (metronidazole) as much as possible as it tends to exacerbate the problem. They should use alternative types of analgesia. 

PDF File from David Eather relating to his Book.

Energy Management and CFS

The general areas to consider are:  

1. People that have an already recognized (orthodox) disorder that remains undiagnosed. 

2. People that have Aldehyde Dehydrogenase deficiency/malfunction. (rare in my experience).

3. People who have problems with "bugs".  

4. People who have several different problems that all add up to a CFS illness. (rare, I think)

5. People who have a mixture of one or more of the above.

The contents of this web page may be freely copied and distributed on the condition that it is copied and distributed in its entirety. Please ask if you want to use just part of it.

Last modified: 21 Sept 2005.

Disclaimer: These notes are not intended to provide personal medical advice. Such advice should be obtained personally from a qualified health professional. If you have fibromyalgia or CFS I do not advise following any of the suggestions contained herein without first consulting a suitably qualified health professional.

Dr David Bird Mb.Chb.  D.C.N.  F.A.C.N.E.M. compiled the web site. Copyright © 2000, David Bird. Web site address: www.burnoutsolutions.com.au  

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