Posted by MERM on 8/21/2008, 12:50 pm
Within eukaryotic cells mitochondria provide most of the ATP by oxidative phosphorylation. In addition, mitochondria are critical for other aspects of cell function, such as haem and iron–sulphur centre biosynthesis and modulating calcium levels. Consequently, mitochondrial dysfunction contributes to a wide range of human pathologies, including neurodegenerative diseases, ischaemia-reperfusion injury in stroke and heart attack, diabetes and the cumulative degeneration associated with ageing. This mitochondrial dysfunction causes cell damage and death by compromising ATP production, disrupting calcium homeostasis and increasing oxidative stress. Furthermore mitochondrial damage can lead to apoptotic cell death by causing the release of cytochrome c and other pro-apoptotic factors into the cytoplasm
HGH is produced in stage four sleep and heals the miochondrial function and heals the muscles while sleeping and most patients with fm never reach stage four and therefore never heal.
Sleep restores Mitochondrial dysfunction.
A major cause of mitochondrial dysfunction is oxidative damage because the respiratory chain continually produces the free radical superoxide. Another radical that interacts with mitochondrial metabolism is nitric oxide, which can react with superoxide to form the damaging by-product peroxynitrite. These reactive oxygen species lead to generalised oxidative damage to all mitochondrial components.
In the Mitochondrial Dysfunction group we are primarily interested in investigating how mitochondrial radical production and oxidative damage occurs, how these processes affect the rest of the cell and in developing methods to measure and block mitochondrial oxidative damage
It is believed by many supporting this treatment protocol that FM/CFS patients are always in an
"energy crisis" because of hormonal imbalances and mitochondrial dysfunction.
Mitochondria are often referred to as our body's "little power plants" because of the role they play in producing energy called ATP on a cellular level. The molecular makeup of ATP includes adenine and ribose, which are responsible for transferring chemical energy between cells that use it.
This is important information to know because in the mitochondrial protocol, ATP is increased through supplementing ribose levels. Studies have shown that supplementing adenine results in no improvement in FM/CFS; however it is a vital element in the cellular makeup of ATP, along with
ribose.
So, let's examine what we know so far and look at a doctor and program offering treatment using
this protocol. There are many available but one of the leading doctors in this field is Jacob
Teitelbaum, M.D., or “Dr. T”. He is the director of The Annapolis Center for Effective
CFS/Fibromyalgia Therapies and author of the best selling book, "From Fatigued to Fantastic".
(This great book is available in our site Library.) Dr. Teitelbaum supports the protocol that energy
levels in FM/CFS patients can be greatly improved by supplementing ribose in their diet and offers
ribose products on his website. Here are some links to further your research:
About "Dr. T."
Q & A with Jacob Teitelbaum, M.D.: Treating the Pain and Fatigue of FM and CFS Comprehensively
Study information about Ribose
http://www.chronicfatiguesupport.com/library/showarticle.cfm/id/6820
***It should be noted that there is information on this site recruiting patients for a Ribose study
with the good doctor; however, when I contacted them about joining it, I received an email stating
that the study had been placed on hold, along with purchase information if I wanted to buy their
ribose product and try it own my own.
Another critical element of mitochondrial dysfunction is HGH or Human Growth Hormone. FM patients have an abnormal sleep pattern involving stages 3 and 4 of non REM sleep. As GH is
secreted predominantly during stages 3 and 4 of non-REM sleep, it was originally hypothesized that FM patients may have impaired GH secretion. IGF-1 and Cortisol levels are abnormally low in some fibromyalgia patients. Growth hormone deficiency in adults has been associated with many
symptoms that are similar to those described by FM patients: low energy, poor general health,
reduced exercise capacity, muscle weakness, cold intolerance, impaired cognition, dysthymia and decreased lean body mass. Studies have shown that by supplementing HGH in patients with FM/CFS, ATP levels are increased, resulting in reduced pain levels as well as more restorative sleep patterns.
Testing FM/CFS patients for low HGH levels often produce misleading results, even normal;
therefore, these labs prove ineffective for establishing a need for HGH supplementation. Given that HGH injections have few, if any, side effects, many are choosing to opt for it, rather than against it in an effort to reduce pain in FM/CFS patients.
Here are some links where you can learn more about HGH and studies that have been done
supporting the theory that FM/CFS patients benefit from supplementing HGH.
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