Supplements are not the heart of treatment, but they may be used to optimize health and may produce modest improvement in some symptoms for some people. As described elsewhere on this site, the most important treatment of CFS and FM is acceptance of the illness and adaptation to it by means of lifestyle change, which focuses on pacing and includes other adjustments such as stress management.

 

Dr. Lapp recommends applying three tests for any vitamin, supplement, or nutraceutical: (1) it must be safe, (2) there has to be a scientific basis for its use, and (3) a majority of individuals who use them must benefit. Based on these criteria, there are only six supplements that he generally recommends: B12, Vitamin D, Lysine, NADH or carnitine, DHEA, and ribose. Because he believes that a good multivitamin, magnesium, and calcium can optimize health, he also includes them on his list of recommended supplements.

 

There is some evidence that oxidation radicals are increased in persons with CFS/ME/FM, which can ultimately lead to cellular damage. For this reason, some individuals (particularly the very ill) may wish to supplement antioxidants such as glutathione, vitamin C, and vitamin E.  

 

Dr. Lapp advises that people try only one new supplement at a time, keeping it if it works and dropping it if it is ineffective. He also suggests stopping the use of a supplement for several weeks once a year to test whether it is still effective. If you experience no change in symptoms during that time, you can save yourself some money by dropping that substance.

 

For more, including suggested dosages, see the article Dr. Lapp’s Recommendations on Supplements.