title: The effects of nutritional supplements on the symptoms of fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome.
abstract: This article reports the results of a within-subject design. Fifty subjects with a physician diagnosis of fibromyalgia (FM) and/or chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) were interviewed using a structured interview from. Each subject was interviewed initially, and again nine months later (follow-up). Subjects had, on their own, consumed nutritional supplements including freeze-dried aloe vera gel extract; a combination of freeze-dried aloe vera gel extract and additional plant-derived saccharides; freeze-dried fruits and vegetables in combination with the saccharides; and a formulation of dioscorea complex containing the saccharides and a vitamin/mineral complex. With medical treatments, approximately 25 percent of FM patients improve, but the beneficial effects of medical treatment rarely persist more than a few months. All subjects in this study had received some form of medical treatment prior to taking the nutritional supplements, but none with enduring success. Nutritional supplements resulted in a remarkable reduction in initial symptom severity, with continued improvement in the period between initial assessment and the follow-up. Further research is needed to verify these results, specifically crossover designs in well-defined populations.
authors.affiliation: Mannatech Inc., Coppell Texas 75019, USA.
authors.forename: K D
authors.initials: KD
authors.lastname: Dykman
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Tone
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Ford
authors.forename: R A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Dykman
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D015673:Fatigue Syndrome, Chronic / Q000188:drug therapy*; D005260:Female; D005356:Fibromyalgia / Q000188:drug therapy*; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010147:Pain Measurement