Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS) Learning Center

The following supplements have been used in treating CFS. Vitamin B 12 deficiency causes fatigue, muscle aches, confusion, poor memory, and arm and leg numbness. Magnesium helps muscles to relax. Persons with kidney or heart disease should not tak...

Folate and folic acid are forms of a water-soluble B vitamin. Folate occurs naturally in food and folic acid is the synthetic form of this vitamin. Folic acid is well-tolerated in amounts found in fortified foods and supplements. Sources include cereals, baked goods, leafy vegetables (spinach, broccoli, lettuce), okra, asparagus, fruits (bananas, melons, lemons), legumes, yeast, mushrooms, organ meat (beef liver, kidney), orange juice, and tomato juice. Folic acid is frequently used in combination with other B vitamins in vitamin B complex formulations.

Water-soluble, B complex vitamin.

Folic acid is a type of B vitamin. It is water-soluble. Water-soluble vitamins dissolve in water. Leftover amounts of the vitamin leave the body through the urine. That means you need a continuous supply of the vitamin in your diet.

Folic acid is a water-soluable vitamin belonging to the B-complex group of vitamins. These vitamins help the body break down complex carbohydrates into simple sugars that can be readily used for energy. Excess B vitamins are excreted from the body...

Folic acid is a water-soluble vitamin belonging to the B-complex group of vitamins . These vitamins help the body break down complex carbohydrates into simple sugars to be used for energy. Excess B vitamins are excreted from the body rather than s...

Folic acid deficiency, an abnormally low level of one of the B vitamins , results in anemia characterized by red blood cells that are large in size but few in number.

Folic acid is a water-soluble B vitamin essential in the human diet. It is an important cofactor in the synthesis of DNA and RNA of dividing cells, particularly during pregnancy and infancy when there is an increase in cell division and growth.

Folic acid, one of the B vitamins, is necessary to make DNA and is, thus, essential for cell division. Folate deficiency causes serious birth defects and anemia, and it increases the risk for heart attacks and strokes. The United States Public Hea...

Folic acid is a water-soluable vitamin belonging to the B-complex group of vitamins . These vitamins help the body break down complex carbohydrates into simple sugars to be used for energy. Excess B vitamins are excreted from the body rather than ...

Folic acid is a water-soluable vitamin belonging to the B-complex group of vitamins . These vitamins help the body break down complex carbohydrates into simple sugars to be used for energy. Excess B vitamins are excreted from the body rather than ...

DHEA (dehydroepiandrosterone) is an endogenous hormone (made in the human body) secreted by the adrenal gland. DHEA serves as precursor to male and female sex hormones (androgens and estrogens). DHEA levels in the body begin to decrease after age 30, and are reported to be low in some people with anorexia, end-stage kidney disease, type 2 diabetes (non-insulin dependent diabetes), AIDS, adrenal insufficiency, and in the critically ill. DHEA levels may also be depleted by a number of drugs, including insulin, corticosteroids, opiates, and danazol. There is sufficient evidence supporting the use of DHEA in the treatment of adrenal insufficiency, depression, induction of labor, and systemic lupus erythematosus. There is a lack of available studies on the long-term effects of DHEA. However, DHEA may cause higher than normal levels of androgens and estrogens in the body, and theoretically may increase the risk of prostate, breast, ovarian, and other hormone-sensitive cancers. Therefore, it is not recommended for regular use without supervision by a licensed healthcare professional.

DHEA is the acronym for dehydroepiandrosterone, a hormone produced naturally from cholesterol in the adrenal glands of males and females. It is a precursor to the male sex hormone testosterone. It is also sold as an over-the-counter dietary supple...

Liver extract and desiccated (dried) liver have been marketed as iron supplements for over a century. The extract is processed cow or pig liver that may either be a freeze-dried brownish powder or a concentrated liquid that has had most of the fat and cholesterol removed. Preliminary clinical studies indicate that liver extract may be helpful in treating hepatic (liver) dysfunction. In addition, liver extract seems to work synergistically with interferon in treating hepatitis C and other viral infections. More research is needed in these areas. Laboratory studies indicate that liver extract may have some effects that could be useful in treating certain forms of cancer, such as the ability to direct migration of metastasizing cells and the inhibition of DNA, RNA, and protein formation. More research is needed in these areas to quantify liver extract's properties. Some concern has been raised about the safety of liver extract, as it is made of animal liver, which may be infected with parasites, bacteria, or prion diseases. Although there are currently no available reports of diseases such as bovine spongiform encephalitis (BSE, or "mad cow disease") being transmitted by liver extract, the U. S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) still cautions against the use of any animal organ extract. It is not clear how the processing of liver extract affects the transmission of these organisms.

Aspartic acid, also called asparaginic acid, is one of the nonessential amino acids. "Nonessential" means that our bodies produce it even if we don't get this amino acid from the food we eat. Amino acids are the building blocks for proteins. Prote...

The term ginseng refers to several species of the genus Panax . For more than 2,000 years, the roots of this slow-growing plant have been valued in Chinese medicine. The two most commonly used species are Asian ginseng ( Panax ginseng C. A. Meyer), which is almost extinct in its natural habitat but is still cultivated, and American ginseng ( P . quinquefolius L.), which is both harvested from the wild and cultivated. Panax ginseng should not be confused with Siberian ginseng ( Eleutherococcus senticosus ). In Russia, Siberian ginseng was promoted as a cheaper alternative to ginseng and was believed to have identical benefits. However, Siberian ginseng does not contain the ginsenosides found in the Panax species, which are believed to be active ingredients and have been studied.

Siberian ginseng, Eleutherococcus senticosus , is also known as eleuthero ginseng or eleuthero. It is in the same botanical family as Korean ginseng ( Panax ginseng ) and American ginseng ( Panax quinquefolius ). Siberian ginseng is one of the mos...

Evening primrose oil (EPO) contains an omega-6 essential fatty acid, gamma-linolenic acid (GLA), which is believed to be the active ingredient. EPO has been studied in a wide variety of disorders, particularly those affected by metabolic products of essential fatty acids. However, high-quality evidence for its use in most conditions is still lacking.

Evening primrose oil is a dietary supplement derived from the seeds of the evening primrose plant, Oenothera biennis . Its Latin name is derived from the Greek word for wine, reflecting the folk belief that the plant could relieve the symptoms of ...