Fatigue syndromes: new thoughts and reinterpretation of previous data.
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Recently, the author has identified 19 patients who have complained of marked fatigue that had abnormal responses to copper test bracelets or necklaces. At this time, 8 have been shown to have at least one enzyme deficiency in the heme pathway. These patients have been diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, chronic fatigue syndrome and other non-specific diagnoses. A lengthy but still limited review of the literature was performed regarding the following conditions: multiple sclerosis (MS), hepatic porphyria (HP), chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) and paralytic polio (PP). The text will focus on similar epidemiologies, laboratory findings and clinical courses. Copper as a common but not unique etiologic agent will be discussed; as will the heme pathway, a biologic process that may be disordered in all.