Everyone experiences feelings of fatigue from time to time. Whether due to stress, exercise or the strain of everyday activities, fatigue is a normal part of life. However, sometimes, feelings of fatigue can disrupt your life, such as in conditions like chronic fatigue syndrome. Certain dietary supplements, such as acidophilus, may have a beneficial effect on symptoms of fatigue. Consult your doctor before using any dietary supplement.
About Fatigue
Many people mistakenly associate feelings of fatigue with feelings of drowsiness. However, these are actually two different symptoms, according to Medline Plus. Fatigue involves feeling a lack of energy and motivation, while drowsiness makes you feel like sleeping. Persistent feelings of fatigue can be due to excessive amounts of stress, overexertion, lack of sleep or disorders like chronic fatigue syndrome. Chronic fatigue syndrome is a condition that causes extreme tiredness for at least six months, gastrointestinal disturbances, sore throat, headaches and swollen lymph nodes. Rest generally does not alleviate symptoms of chronic fatigue. Some research has found that acidophilus may help symptoms of athletic fatigue as well as chronic fatigue syndrome.
Acidophilus Facts
Acidophilus is a type of "friendly" bacteria, meaning that it helps to fight unhealthy bacteria and works to restore the normal bacterial balance in your intestines. It is found naturally in foods containing live active cultures, such as yogurt, and is also available as a dietary supplement. Sometimes, symptoms of fatigue can be related to an imbalance of healthy bacteria in your digestive tract, so your body is unable to obtain the right amount of nutrients from food. In the book "Natural Treatments for Chronic Fatigue Syndrome," naturopathic doctor Daivati Bharadvaj states that acidophilus may help chronic fatigue syndrome, as it can help to reverse malabsorption problems and increase immune system functioning.
Clinical Evidence
Clinical studies regarding the effects of acidophilus on fatigue have had mixed results. A study published in the January 2009 issue of the international, peer-reviewed "Nutrition Journal" examined the effects of acidophilus supplementation on patients suffering from chronic fatigue syndrome. At the end of the study period, participants receiving the supplement reported both increased and decreased levels of energy, although almost all participants reported improvements in neurocognitive functioning. However, another study, published in the April 2006 issue of the "British Journal of Sports Medicine," found that acidophilus had a beneficial effect on fatigue athletes with the Epstein-Barr virus, a common human virus that most people are infected with at some point in their lives, according to the National Center for Infectious Diseases. According to the study, this virus can become activated through intense physical training, causing increased fatigue. The authors suggest that their findings may also have relevance to chronic fatigue syndromes, although further studies are needed.
Considerations
While acidophilus may help fatigue, you should never use dietary supplements to self-treat your symptoms. Persistent feelings of fatigue can be a sign of an underlying medical condition. Consult your doctor to discuss your symptoms. As with any dietary supplement, you should inform your doctor if you choose to use acidophilus.
References
- MedlinePlus: Fatigue
- "Natural Treatments for Chronic Fatigue Syndrome"; Daivati Bharadvaj, ND; 2007
- "Nutrition Journal"; Effect of Supplement With Lactic-acid Producing Bacteria on Fatigue and Physical Activity in Patients With Chronic Fatigue Syndrome; A. Sullivan, et al.; January 2009
- "British Journal of Sports Medicine"; Reversal in Fatigued Athletes of a Defect in Interferon Y Secretion After Administration of Lactobacillus Acidophilus; R.L. Clancy, et al.; April 2006
- National Center for Infectious Disease: Epstein-Barr Virus
