Simplifying Nutritional Support in CFS & Fibromyalgia

People often ask, “Which vitamins and minerals do I really need?” The simple answer: all of them.

Thankfully, that doesn’t mean joining the “handful club,” choking down dozens of pills each day. With the right approach, you can get comprehensive nutrition from just one daily drink plus a few easy-to-take tablets or capsules.

Let's talk about why strong, high-potency nutritional support can be a real game changer—especially if you’re dealing with CFS or fibromyalgia.

• For starters, our modern diet is working against us. About half of what most people eat comes from sugar, white flour, and unhealthy fats. These "empty calories" have been stripped of their nutrients, so we're starting the day already running low on vitamins and minerals. It's no wonder that, for the first time in history, so many people are both overweight and malnourished.
• On top of that, fibromyalgia increases your body's need for nutrients. There are a lot of reasons for this (we'll get into them in a moment), but the bottom line is that the standard RDAs—what I like to call the "Ridiculous Dietary Allowances"—just don't cut it for people with CFS or fibromyalgia.
• And then there's the absorption issue. Gut infections and other digestive problems can make it harder for your body to take in the nutrients you do get.

All of this adds up to one clear takeaway: your body needs more—and better—nutrition to help you feel your best.

Begin With Diet

Boost your salt and water! If you’re dealing with adrenal fatigue, low blood pressure, or dehydration—common with CFS and fibromyalgia—cutting back on salt is the last thing you should do. In fact, it can make you feel worse. Salt is your friend here. Go for high-quality varieties like Celtic or Hawaiian sea salt, or grab affordable Mediterranean sea salt at Costco. And while you’re at it, up your water intake too. Your body will thank you.

Find your protein sweet spot. Many people with CFS/FMS feel their best on a high-protein diet with small, frequent meals throughout the day. But everyone’s different—so experiment and notice what leaves you feeling energized versus sluggish.

Choose real food when you can. Whenever it’s easy and convenient, swap out processed snacks for whole, unprocessed foods. Even small changes in this direction can make a difference.

Try a bedtime protein snack. Here’s a surprising tip: a small protein snack—like a hard-boiled egg, some cheese, meat, or fish—before bed can help prevent the 2–4 AM blood sugar dips that sometimes wake you up. You’ll know within a few nights if it works for you. Skip the carbs, though. Those can actually make sleep worse.

Top Ways Smart Nutrition Can Boost Your Health

B Vitamins

B vitamins are the powerhouse crew behind your body’s energy production—and they’re also key players in keeping your mind sharp. I recommend aiming for at least 40 mg each of vitamins B1 through B6, 400 µg of folic acid (with at least half in a methylation-friendly form called 5-MTHF), and 500 µg of vitamin B12 (as methyl or hydroxycobalamin, also methylation-friendly).

Here’s why this matters so much: vitamin B1 and B12 are especially important for clear thinking. In fact, research has found that even when blood tests show normal B12 levels, people with CFS can have extremely low, or even undetectable, B12 levels in the brain. That’s why much higher doses of B12 are often needed to restore healthy brain levels. And it’s not just B12. There’s growing evidence that higher amounts of the other B vitamins may be important too.

Bottom line: if you want better energy and a clearer mind, these B vitamins are worth making a priority.

Magnesium

Magnesium plays a big role in keeping your body running smoothly. It’s essential for energy production, helps you feel calm, and eases muscle and nerve pain. The problem? Most people aren’t getting enough. The typical American diet delivers only about 275 mg of magnesium a day, while a healthy, unprocessed diet easily tops 600 mg. That gap means millions of us are likely feeling the effects of low magnesium without even realizing it.

Vitamin C, Glutamine, Glycine and Cysteine

These four nutrients are vital for your body to produce glutathione — the powerhouse antioxidant your system makes for itself. Researchers suspect that a shortage of glutathione may be one of the biggest common factors behind CFS and fibromyalgia.

We hear a lot about antioxidants in general, but here’s something most people don’t know: your body only makes two of them — glutathione and SOD (superoxide dismutase). That’s it. Which tells you just how important they are. Keeping these antioxidants at optimal levels isn’t just a nice-to-have .It’s essential for keeping your immune system working at its best.

Zinc and Vitamin A

These minerals are power players for your immune system. Zinc, in particular, is often low in people dealing with chronic infections or ongoing inflammation. Both zinc and copper are also essential for making your body’s other major antioxidant, superoxide dismutase (SOD).

But here’s the thing: when it comes to zinc, more isn’t always better. A good daily target is 15 mg. If you suspect you’re running low, you can boost your intake by an extra 20–25 mg a day for about three months to “fill your tank,” then return to the maintenance dose.

Vitamin D

In those with chronic pain and also those with immune dysfunction, vitamin D deficiency is routine and a significant player. Too much however can be problematic, as it can be converted to a form called calcitriol (1.25 hydroxy vitamin D) which may suppress immune function. Because of this, sometimes people have falsely low vitamin D levels on their blood testing, despite massive amounts being taken. I consider it ill advised to chase these blood levels. Instead, I recommend that people simply take 1,000 units of vitamin D daily and get sunshine.

Tryptophan, Tyrosine and Serine

These amino acids are essential for many important jobs in your body — including keeping your neurotransmitters, like serotonin and dopamine, at healthy levels. That’s especially important in fibromyalgia, where these mood- and energy-boosting chemicals often run low.

Selenium

This mineral is a big deal for your immune system, but it comes with a pretty tight sweet spot for dosing. For most people, 55 µg a day is just right — going higher can raise the risk of diabetes without adding any real benefit.

One exception? If you have Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, a higher dose of around 200 µg daily can be helpful, and in that case, the potential benefits usually outweigh the diabetes risk.

An Easy Way to Get Everything You Need

If you want to make things simple, there’s an easy way to get all the nutrients we’ve talked about — plus nearly every other key micronutrient an optimal diet should include (the only exceptions are calories, essential fatty acids, iron, and enzymes). It’s called the Fatigued to Fantastic™ Energy Revitalization Drink Mix, and it’s a vitamin powder you mix into a single, low-cost drink each day. And it's a fruity and tasty drink too.

So instead of choking down 35 to 50 pills, you can get the same nutrition in one glass. Honestly, try matching what’s in just one serving of this powder with fewer than 50 pills… most people can’t!

I created it to make top-notch nutritional support easy for everyone, and we’ve recently updated the formula to better support methylation, too.

Other Nutritents Needed in CFS/FMS

The other key nutrients that I recommend for everyone with CFS/FMS include:

Ribose

Ribose is a unique sugar your body makes naturally — and it’s the backbone of your energy molecules like ATP, NADH, and FADH. In fact, in two studies we published, people taking 5 grams of ribose three times a day saw their energy jump an average of 60% in just three weeks. About two-thirds of participants felt noticeably better.

After the first three weeks, you can scale back to just 5 grams a day. Personally, I start every morning with one scoop of the Energy Revitalization Drink Mix plus 5 grams of ribose — just add water, stir with a fork or spoon, and you’ve spent the best 30 seconds of your day for boosting energy production.

And the benefits go beyond energy: ribose has been shown to reduce muscle pain, sharpen mental clarity, and improve sleep. That’s why I recommend combining ribose with the Energy Revitalization System for everyone.

Even better news? You can get the very same Bioenergy Ribose® used in the studies in S.H.I.N.E.® D-Ribose, which is the lowest price you’ll find anywhere for genuine Bioenergy ribose.

Omega-3 Support

Fish oil is a powerhouse for supporting mood, calming inflammation, and helping with countless other functions in your body. The good news? You no longer have to choke down eight jumbo fish oil capsules a day, or deal with the dreaded “fish oil burps” that usually follow.

Instead, I suggest a pure omega-3 with phospholipids, like Vectomega by EuroPharma. Just one small pill can give you the same benefits as eight big fish oil gels — making it easier (and a lot more pleasant) to get what your body needs.

Coenzyme Q10

I recommend taking 200 mg of coenzyme Q10 daily. I recommend CoQ10 chewable tablets from EuroPharma as this formula contains their exclusive "GammaSorb® Delivery System,"a plant-based delivery system has been shown to boost CoQ10 levels 8X higher than standard CoQ10.

Acetyl l-Carnitine

I recommend taking 1,500 mg of acetyl l-carnitine daily for about four months. Most people with CFS or fibromyalgia are low in carnitine — and no, it’s not worth going through the hassle (or discomfort) of a muscle biopsy to prove it.

Carnitine plays a huge role in energy production, weight loss (we’ll talk more about that in the future), and even helping nerves repair themselves. Be sure to use the acetyl l-carnitine form — it’s the one that can get into the exact parts of your cells where it’s needed most.

Iron

If your ferritin (iron storage) level is below 60, I strongly suggest adding an iron supplement. Always take it with at least 50 mg of vitamin C to help your body absorb it better, and be sure to avoid taking iron within six hours of your thyroid medication, since the two can interfere with each other.

In Summary

Using the above approach, nutritional support can be done very easily. Give it six weeks to see the effects. Most people find it to be very helpful!