title: The use of eicosapentaenoic acid in the treatment of chronic fatigue syndrome.
abstract: There is evidence that there is an association between chronic fatigue syndrome, a condition of unknown aetiology, and essential fatty acids. This evidence is based on the actions of essential fatty acids, the results of proton neurospectroscopy studies, and essential fatty acid trial data. A series of patients with chronic fatigue syndrome were treated solely with a high-eicosapentaenoic acid-containing essential fatty acid supplement. All showed improvement in their symptomatology within eight to 12 weeks. These results, which are consistent with a recent detailed report of cerebral and clinical changes associated with a high intake of eicosapentaenoic acid, suggest that this n-3 highly unsaturated fatty acid may offer the hope of effective treatment for at least some patients with chronic fatigue syndrome.
authors.affiliation: MRI Unit, Imaging Sciences Department, MRC Clinical Sciences Centre, Imperial College School of Medicine, Hammersmith Hospital, Du Cane Road, London W12 0HS, England, UK. basant.puri@csc.mrc.ac.uk
authors.forename: B K
authors.initials: BK
authors.lastname: Puri
mesh_terms: D001921:Brain / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D015118:Eicosapentaenoic Acid / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D015673:Fatigue Syndrome, Chronic / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism; D005228:Fatty Acids, Essential / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans
chemical_list: D005228:Fatty Acids, Essential; D015118:Eicosapentaenoic Acid