Mar 11 
Written By Thomas Ingoglia

Introduction

CDC, about 4 Million adult people are affected by fibromyalgia in the United States. The exact cause of fibromyalgia is not known, however, the factors that increase the risks of developing this disorder are:

  • Increasing age
  • Female gender
  • Stress
  • Frequent injuries
  • Obesity
  • Viral infections
  • Family history

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS) is a related disorder that shares many features with fibromyalgia. Although patients with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome do not appear ill but they are unable to perform their daily activities and have overwhelming fatigue. Symptoms are exacerbated by any activity and are improved with rest, so these patients are confined to the bed. According to a report about 836,000-2.5 Million people in the United States are suffering from Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and about 90% of the people are undiagnosed. It costs about 17-24 Billion Dollars in terms of medical bills and income lost. The disease is more common in females that are 40-60 years old. [1]

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and Fibromyalgia are considered a different spectrum of the same entity. Evidence suggests that Increased oxidative stress, mitochondrial dysfunction, and disturbance in immune metabolism are responsible for producing many of the symptoms. [2]

Nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+) is a coenzyme - derived from Niacin- that plays many important functions in our body. It controls metabolism, restores energy level, decreases inflammation, helps in COVID, repairs DNA, and activates anti-aging enzymes. To read more about the science of NAD+, click here.

Moreover, decreased level of NAD+ has been seen in patients with fibromyalgia and CFS. [3] If you want to know how you can boost your NAD+ levels naturally, check out this article

How NAD+ Helps with Fibromyalgia & Chronic Fatigue Syndrome:

NAD+ acts through various mechanisms and some of which are still being investigated. Here are a few of the mechanisms by which NAD+ helps in CFS and fibromyalgia:

  • In every chronic condition including fibromyalgia and CFS, the function of the mitochondria is lost. As a result, the body is not able to synthesize energy, and the patient experience excessive fatigue. If routine replacement of the nutrients is provided then intractable fatigue can ensue. Supplementation with NAD+ can restore the function of the mitochondria and result in a marked improvement in fatigue and other symptoms. [4]
  • Another underlying pathology in Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and Fibromyalgia is increased oxidative stress that can damage every cell in the body. NAD+ decreases free radical formation through an enzyme called Sirtuin and helps in the symptoms caused by these.
  • NAD+ plays a key role in the formation of certain chemicals called neurotransmitters, for example, serotonin, dopamine, and norepinephrine. These neurotransmitters control the function of the brain and improve cognition, memory, mood, and fatigue.
  • NAD+ supplementation boosts our immunity and decreases the chances of getting infections that act as a starting point for making the body vulnerable to CFS and Fibromyalgia. To read about how NAD+ boost our immune system, check out this article on NAD and immunity.
  • Tryptophan is an essential amino acid is required for the synthesis of nicotinamide. Tryptophan and nicotinamide work together in a pathway called the “Kynurenine pathway”, which plays a vital role in the structural, inflammatory, and immune-modulatory functions of the body.

Research has demonstrated that tryptophan levels are depressed in patients with fibromyalgia. Another research has shown that the severity of the pain is inversely related to the blood level of tryptophan in patients with CFS. Similarly, patients with depression and fatigue also have a low level of tryptophan. [5, 6]