Fibromyalgia and Obesity – Chicken or Egg?

Fibromyalgia means that your body hurts and your energy level is impaired. There is pain in various muscles, especially in the shoulder area.  The combination of pain and a lack of energy, is enough to interfere with your quality of life.  A new study shows that 77% of patients with fibro are overweight¹.  In fact, almost half of fibro patients are classified as obese.  The greater the weight, the greater the pain sensitivity and the worse the sleep and loss of strength.  So which came first – weight gain or fibro?

A common finding in individuals with fibromyalgia Chronic pain disorder characterized by wide spread pain. Research suggests that central nervous system pain processing signals are in a state of dysfunction causing abnormal signaling. is that cellular engines do not make energy normally.  In a healthy person, cell engines take a molecule of fuel (mostly from sugar or fat) and combine it with a molecule of oxygen and then combust the two to make 33 molecules of energy (ATP).  In fibro, it is common that this form of aerobic cellular energy production is compromised. At this point, cells switch to a backup system of fermentation which combines fuel and oxygen to produce only 3 molecules of ATP and a pile of lactic acid that makes muscles hurt.  A person with fibro feels as if they’ve run a marathon, except they didn’t go anywhere.

This drastically reduces the ability to burn calories as fuel, and leads to easy weight gain.  This could be the beginning of weight gain for a person and will certainly make any person who is overweight gain weight more easily. This is one main reason that people with fibro have a higher percentage of obesity that the general public.

There can be many reasons for this shock to the cellular engines which causes them to get stuck in “fibro mode.”  Typically,this is some form of emotional or physical trauma.  However, extra body weight could also induce cell engines to malfunction.  It is very likely that a person who is overweight, is less able to cope with trauma. They’re more likely to develop fibro in response to an accident, injury, or highly stressful event.

One key to unlocking the metabolic problem of fibromyalgia Chronic pain disorder characterized by wide spread pain. Research suggests that central nervous system pain processing signals are in a state of dysfunction causing abnormal signaling. is getting cell engines to burn calories in the normal way.  This can be accomplished with basic nutrients such as the co-enzyme form of B vitamins, magnesium, malic acid, and co-enzyme Q10.  It is equally important to help the liver process and clear lactic acid. Liver support like silymarin and R-alpha lipoic acid is mandatory.

In addition to helpful nutrients, a consistent amount of exercise that can actually be performed—and then expanded on as a person improves—is needed to help condition gene signaling to promote the resurrection of normal energy metabolism. At this point, excess pounds begin to come off and the problem of fibromyalgia Chronic pain disorder characterized by wide spread pain. Research suggests that central nervous system pain processing signals are in a state of dysfunction causing abnormal signaling. begin to resolve.  It is not an easy path to follow but at least there is a path out of this metabolic trap – and a return of a much better quality of life with a lot less pain.