The ONLY list of Fibromyalgia supplements you will ever need
Fibromyalgia has no known cure, at least not one approved by the medical community. The symptoms are treated as the appear in the individual which makes a tailored treatment for each person. Many patients have adverse reactions to medication before they find relief and likewise experience terrible withdrawal symptoms when coming off some types of treatment.
In reality, there are no bonafied “fibromyalgia supplements” but there are supplements that may be helpful in alleviating the most bothersome symptoms.
If you are not adding supplements to your treatment plan you may really be missing out on some benefits that these supplements can provide.
Here are the top picks that have been scientifically proven to have a positive effect on Fibromyalgia patients.
Energy
Description: D’ribose is a 5 carbon sugar that is the backbone of ATP; the energy currency of the cell. This is the last step in energy production if this crucial step is missing none of that happens before that is beneficial to the body and in a way it can even be harmful from unquenched radicals that have formed.
Mechanism: ATP lets go of phosphate groups via hydrolysis (hydro– water lysis– cutting) and in so doing releases the energy required for cellular activities.
Additional benefits: Users report reduction of many fibromyalgia symptoms such as inflammatory symptoms, better sleep and reduced overall pain.
Description: Resveratrol is a naturally occurring polyphenolic compound. Poly phenols are carbon based compounds that have active/functional groups sticking out that perform specific tasks. One such task is being a very powerful antioxidant. Along with that this single compound is able to have a positive effect on many human conditions including those of the cardiovascular, circulatory and endocrine system.
Mechanism: As an antioxidant, resveratrol will quench free radicals. One of findings that are believed to be contributory to fibromyalgia is the increased concentration of free radicals compared to healthy individuals. Reduction of free radicals may very well soothe many symptoms.
Additional benefits: Individuals report a feeling of well being, fewer incidences of coughs and colds reduction of aches and pains caused by illness or advancing age.
Description: PQQ is a compound found in soil and soil bacteria. It’s also found in plants but it’s derived from the original source as well. Some scientists dare say that they have evidence to believe that it is also contained in the interstellar dust.
Mechanism: Fibromyalgia patients have been found to have a reduction in number as well as and damaged mitochondria. PQQ may interact with a PGC-1α- directly or in a related pathway PGC-1α- is a short term for the more fancy: Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-γ coactivator-1 α. This is part of the machinery that is responsible for mitochondria biogenesis and since PQQ can be recycled many times and is not degraded or broken down the “on” switch stays on a lot longer and more mitochondrial is made.
Additional benefits: Along with the energy comes restorative sleep and decrease in muscle soreness and tender points.
Description: CoQ10 is known to be a powerful fat soluble antioxidant and it’s known by a few different names Coenzyme Q, CoQ, CoQ10, Ubiquinone, Ubiquinone-Q10, Ubidecarenone, or Vitamin Q10. It is called a Coenzyme because it’s a non-protein entity that binds to another enzyme in order for it to perform its function. The number ‘10’ comes from the number of isoprene repeats, these are the molecules that give it the antioxidant properties that it has.
Mechanism: CoQ10 prevents damage to DNA and cells by neutralizing free radicals that are formed when bad fats steal electrons from the cell walls which make them weak and damaged. So essentially, CoQ10 provides these electrons to those fat soluble free radicals so that they keep the cell membranes, that are made mostly of fat, in mint condition. Great cell walls make protected DNA and protecting the DNA is crucial in preventing diseases such as cancer and premature aging. CoQ10 is made in the body but it can also be taken in supplement form or certain foods from both vegan and non vegan sources.
Additional benefits: Better sleep and glowing skin.
Muscle Pain
Description: Magnesium is one of the most favorite of all the supplements for treating pain, sleeplessness and cognitive disorders. Magnesium is a metal but can only be used in the body in its ionic form so it must be attached to a safe and biologically beneficial part. This must also be absorbable and for ease of administration, be absorbable in water or another media for uptake (orally or topically).
Mechanism: In the matters of energy production, Magnesium holds the last two phosphate groups together. It stabilizes the molecule so it releases energy when it should and not before.
Additional benefits: Magnesium is also critical for sleep. since it participates in the melatonin production pathway. (Melatonin is the sleep hormone that tells us what time it is.) Magnesium is a superb muscle relaxant and could reduce pain. The benefits of magnesium are numerous and is worth a try!
Mental Clarity
Description: L-Carnitine is a molecule that helps to turn fat into energy. L-carnitine (Left-formation, canitine from latin carnus = meat)By itself fats (or lipids) cannot enter the mitochondria. But it can be transformed into something that can be: acetyl. Acetyl itself cannot go into the mitochondria but it an be used by it. Much of the mental clarity is by it’s ease of crossing the blood brain barrier (BBB) but although there are positive case studies there are no research articles to support this.
Mechanism: L-carnitine has a unique mechanism where it shuttles the acetyl groups modified from the fats we eat and passes it on to another L-carnitine already waiting in the mitochondrial matrix. to be further processed to Acetyl CoA then into the Krebs cycle, a precursor of the Electron Transport Chain.
Additional benefits: Clearing up brain fog and increasing cognitive response it a common bonus when taking acetyl-l-carnitine. This is because the acetyl group is already available for energy production and there is not additional need to metabolize fat to make more energy a step in the process that is completely by-passed!
Well-being
Description: Theanine is a unique amino acid that induces relaxation and is found in green tea and recently, specific types of mushrooms.
Mechanism: In the presence of Theanine GABA production is increased (GABA is a neurotransmitter that induces relaxation by being in involved in the serotonin synthesis pathway.) This causes the brain to produce certain wave called alpha waves which is actually measurable and is considered to be an index of relaxation.
Additional benefits: Sleeping soundly: one of the benefits of being relaxed. Many users claim that they are able to think better and learn faster as well.
Gut Health
Description: Bone broth is a water based liquid made from boiling the skin and bones of meat. This is a magnificent use of less palatable parts. It can be flavoured to suit the users needs, easily accessible and if you make it yourself it is extremely cheap.
Mechanism: This simple and delicious soup is easily customizable and is filled with essential minerals and amino acids all in one. Glycine and magnesium and among the most important as 30% of bone broth is made of glycine. This very small but important amino acid along with magnesium and Zinc participates in melatonin production.
Additional benefits: Many love bone broth for it’s gut healing property and relieving dyspepsia, leaky gut and Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) and joint mobility benefits.
Sleep
Description: Glycine is the smallest amino acid. It works in the body in almost every capacity especially for building other amino acids.
Mechanism: It dilates blood vessels; reducing core body temperature, increases serotonin levels and allows channels to open for the influx of positive ions in nerve cells (one of which is very likely magnesium).
Additional benefits: Glycine could help heal the gut and provide relief of gut issues that are very common in persons with fibromyalgia.
Conclusion
It can be overwhelming when you first get diagnosed with Fibromyalgia (or any chronic pain illness). The first place to begin is the cheapest and easiest way, incorporate bone broth into your diet. Once you have gotten some sleep and some more disturbing symptoms like irritable bowel syndrome, allodynia and sleeplessness.
There after you can incorporate magnesium to relieve the muscle pain, cramps and encourage more restful sleep. Other more enhancing supplements like CoQ 10 and acetyl-l-carnitine can then be added to level up your energy and cognition.
And finally PQQ and Resveratrol can be rotated in and out as needed especially in the winter and fall months.
Taking these supplements can work synergistically with each other and many of them are well tolerated but before you start please speak to your health care provider. They can help you pick the right doses and monitor your progress because yes! There will be progress!
Deeper reading
D’ribose: Teitelbaum, J. E., Johnson, C., & St Cyr, J. (2006). The use of D-ribose in chronic fatigue syndrome and fibromyalgia: a pilot study. Journal of alternative and complementary medicine (New York, N.Y.), 12(9), 857–862. https://doi.org/10.1089/acm.2006.12.857
Reseveratrol: Ramírez-Garza, S. L., Laveriano-Santos, E. P., Marhuenda-Muñoz, M., Storniolo, C. E., Tresserra-Rimbau, A., Vallverdú-Queralt, A., & Lamuela-Raventós, R. M. (2018). Health Effects of Resveratrol: Results from Human Intervention Trials. Nutrients, 10(12), 1892. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu10121892
PQQ: Chowanadisai, W., Bauerly, K. A., Tchaparian, E., Wong, A., Cortopassi, G. A., & Rucker, R. B. (2010). Pyrroloquinoline quinone stimulates mitochondrial biogenesis through cAMP response element-binding protein phosphorylation and increased PGC-1alpha expression. The Journal of biological chemistry, 285(1), 142–152. https://doi.org/10.1074/jbc.M109.030130
CoQ10: Hernández-Camacho, J. D., Bernier, M., López-Lluch, G., & Navas, P. (2018). Coenzyme Q10 Supplementation in Aging and Disease. Frontiers in physiology, 9, 44. https://doi.org/10.3389/fphys.2018.00044
Acetyl-l-carnitine: Fielding, R., Riede, L., Lugo, J. P., & Bellamine, A. (2018). l-Carnitine Supplementation in Recovery after Exercise. Nutrients, 10(3), 349. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu10030349
Magnesium:Beneficial Effects of Magnesium Supplementation
Renea L. Beckstrand, PhD, RN, CCRN, CNE, Jann S. Pickens, BS, RN, April 17, 2011 Research Article
https://doi.org/10.1177/2156587211401746
Theanine: Lekh Raj Juneja, Djong-Chi Chu, Tsutomu Okubo, Yukiko Nagato, Hidehiko Yokogoshi, L-theanine—a unique amino acid of green tea and its relaxation effect in humans, Trends in Food Science & Technology, Volume 10, Issues 6–7,
1999, Pages 199-204, ISSN 0924-2244,
https://doi.org/10.1016/S0924-2244(99)00044-8.
(https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0924224499000448)
Glycine: Razak, M. A., Begum, P. S., Viswanath, B., & Rajagopal, S. (2017). Multifarious Beneficial Effect of Nonessential Amino Acid, Glycine: A Review. Oxidative medicine and cellular longevity, 2017, 1716701. https://doi.org/10.1155/2017/1716701
Bone broth: Hsu, D. J., Lee, C. W., Tsai, W. C., & Chien, Y. C. (2017). Essential and toxic metals in animal bone broths. Food & nutrition research, 61(1), 1347478. https://doi.org/10.1080/16546628.2017.1347478
