Hormone Hope for Gulf War Syndrome
I consider Gulf War Syndrome to simply be one more form of CFS/FM — and a new study supports this perspective.
Gulf War Syndrome is the CFS/FM-like disease suffered by many veterans from that war. But it's simply a new name for an old problem — the intense and overwhelming stress of war causes the brain's hypothalamus to "blow a fuse," triggering many symptoms, such as chronic fatigue and chronic pain.
In this new study, a team of UK researchers found that 9 of 11 patients with Gulf War Syndrome also had low levels of thyroid hormones and testosterone — hormonal imbalances also found commonly in men with CFS/FM. When the hormones were replaced, the condition improved.
Reference
"Hull hospital pioneers Gulf War Syndrome treatment," BBC, August 26, 2011
Jacob Teitelbaum, M.D. is one of the world's leading integrative medical authorities on fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue. He is the lead author of eight research studies on their effective treatments, and has published numerous health & wellness books, including the bestseller on fibromyalgia From Fatigued to Fantastic! and The Fatigue and Fibromyalgia Solution. Dr. Teitelbaum is one of the most frequently quoted fibromyalgia experts in the world and appears often as a guest on news and talk shows nationwide including Good Morning America, The Dr. Oz Show, Oprah & Friends, CNN, and Fox News Health.
