Castro-Marrero, Jesus, Sáez-Francàs, Naia, Segundo, María Jose et al. · Clinical nutrition (Edinburgh, Scotland) · 2016 · DOI
This study tested whether two supplements called CoQ10 and NADH could help people with ME/CFS feel less fatigued and improve their exercise capacity. Eighty patients took either the supplements or placebo for 8 weeks. The results showed modest improvements: the supplement group had lower maximum heart rates during exercise testing and reported less fatigue, but pain and sleep didn't improve.
ME/CFS lacks approved pharmacological treatments, making exploration of potentially safe supplements valuable for patients seeking symptom relief. A reduction in maximum heart rate during standardized exercise testing could reflect improved cardiac efficiency or exercise tolerance, which are central concerns for ME/CFS patients. However, the mixed results underscore the need for further research before these supplements can be recommended as standard therapy.
This small 8-week trial does not establish that CoQ10 plus NADH is clinically effective or superior to placebo for most ME/CFS symptoms, as pain and sleep showed no benefit and fatigue improvement was modest. The study cannot determine the mechanism of action or whether benefits persist beyond 8 weeks. Statistical significance does not equal clinical meaningfulness, particularly given the lack of impact on multiple secondary outcomes.
About the PEM badge: “PEM required” means post-exertional malaise was an explicit required diagnostic criterion for participant inclusion in this study — not that PEM was studied, observed, or discussed. Studies using criteria that do not require PEM (e.g. Fukuda, Oxford) are tagged “PEM not required”. How the atlas works →
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