E3 PreliminaryPreliminaryPEM unclearReview-NarrativePeer-reviewedMachine draft
Benefits of micronutrient supplementation on nutritional status, energy metabolism, and subjective wellbeing.
Maggini, Silvia, Óvári, Veronika, Ferreres Giménez, Inmaculada et al. · Nutricion hospitalaria · 2021 · DOI
Quick Summary
Your body needs several vitamins and minerals—like vitamins A, D, E, folate, iron, zinc, and selenium—to make energy in your cells. Many people, even in wealthy countries, don't get enough of these nutrients. Studies show that taking a combination of these micronutrients, sometimes with coenzyme Q10, may help reduce fatigue, improve thinking, and make people feel better overall.
Why It Matters
ME/CFS patients commonly experience low energy and fatigue, and this review directly addresses oxidative stress and energy metabolism dysfunction documented in CFS. Evidence that micronutrient supplementation may reduce oxidative stress and improve energy production could inform adjunctive nutritional approaches for ME/CFS patients, though individual responses vary.
Observed Findings
- Multi-micronutrient ± coenzyme Q10 supplementation reduced oxidative stress in chronic fatigue syndrome patients
- In healthy subjects, multi-micronutrient supplementation increased cerebral blood-flow hemodynamic response and energy expenditure
- Supplementation improved fat oxidation and reduced mental and physical fatigue in trial participants
- Cognitive function speed and accuracy improved during demanding tasks with multi-micronutrient supplementation
- Micronutrient supplementation reduced perceived stress in trial populations
Inferred Conclusions
- Micronutrient deficiency is common even in industrialized countries and contributes to fatigue and cognitive impairment
- Multi-micronutrient supplementation, including coenzyme Q10, may support energy metabolism and improve subjective wellbeing
- There is a scientific rationale for recommending micronutrient supplementation as an adjunctive approach to improve nutritional status and energy production in both healthy populations and those with chronic fatigue
- Optimal micronutrient status may be necessary for efficient cellular energy production and symptom management
Remaining Questions
- Which specific micronutrient combinations and dosages are most effective for ME/CFS patients?
What This Study Does Not Prove
This narrative review does not establish causality between micronutrient deficiency and ME/CFS, nor does it prove that supplementation will work for all ME/CFS patients. The review synthesizes existing trial data but does not present new primary research, and findings in healthy populations or CFS cohorts may not directly translate to the heterogeneous ME/CFS population. Additionally, the review does not address whether micronutrient supplementation could trigger or worsen post-exertional malaise.
Tags
Symptom:Cognitive DysfunctionFatigue
Biomarker:MetabolomicsBlood Biomarker
Method Flag:Weak Case DefinitionExploratory Only
Metadata
- DOI
- 10.20960/nh.03788
- PMID
- 34323089
- Review status
- Machine draft
- Evidence level
- Early hypothesis, preprint, editorial, or weak support
- Last updated
- 10 April 2026
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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