Controversial Drug Offers Quick Relief for Chronic Fatigue

Tired no matter how much rest you get? You might be among the 3.3 million Americans facing long-term fatigue.

The condition leads to continuous fatigue that persists for six months or more. Both mental and physical exertion typically worsen the symptoms, and rest usually provides little relief — making everyday activities such as work, school, or basic personal care extremely difficult.

Relief has always been difficult to come by, butnew researchimplies that a contentious medication currently available could provide patients with a valuable increase in energy.

A recent small study published this week examined if ketamine—a long-used anesthetic anddepression treatment known for its club-drug reputation— may assist individuals struggling with chronic fatigue.

The study involved 10 individuals. Included were cancer survivors, who frequently experience long-term fatigue following treatment, along with others who havefibromyalgia, lupusand individuals who have received a formal diagnosis of chronic fatigue syndrome.

Initially, scientists assessed each participant's energy levels by employing a "fatigue visual analog scale," a method that measures the degree of exhaustion an individual experiences.

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Subsequently, subjects were administered an injection of ketamine. Two weeks following this, they received a sedative known as midazolam, which served as the control.

The scientists utilized the scale to monitor fluctuations in energy levels following every injection.

They discovered that within 24 hours of receiving ketamine, participants' fatigue levels decreased by an average of 39%. After three days, their scores were still 21% lower on average.

Ketamine's effects only marginally surpassed those of midazolam, despite the sedative not being intended for treating long-term fatigue.

The scientists observed that this might indicate midazolam had a slight beneficial effect, or that tiredness naturally varies from day to day.

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Nevertheless, the researchers noted that the energy increase participants experienced after a single low dose of ketamine warrants additional investigation, considering the difficulties in managing chronic fatigue.

Fatigue has often been overlooked due to the challenge of identifying its underlying cause,Dr. Leorey Saligan, the study's senior author and a professor at the Rutgers School of Nursing, stated in apress release.

Professionals suggest that long-term fatigue could be caused by a combination of elements, such asgeneticsand viral or bacterial illnesses,as stated by the Mayo Clinic.

Both physical and emotional trauma could be contributing factors, as some patients have indicated that an injury, operation, or significant stressor occurred just prior to the onset of their symptoms.

Some patients have difficulty transforming fats and sugars into energy, which could account for why their fatigue persists.

At present, the primary method for alleviating chronic fatigue involves mild, low-impact activities such as walking or yoga, designed to increase energy levels without exacerbating symptoms.

In one studyIndividuals suffering from chronic fatigue syndrome who participated in a 12-week aerobic exercise regimen experienced notable enhancements in fatigue levels, physical fitness, and overall bodily function when compared to a group that did not undergo the program.

However, for numerous patients, even minimal physical activity may exacerbate their symptoms, making exercise an unattainable option.

If the results remain consistent in future research, Saligan proposed that ketamine might eventually function as a temporary energy enhancer, assisting patients in taking the initial step toward other methods that offer long-term relief, like physical activity.

"The goal is to stimulate or reset the brain so individuals feel more driven and capable of engaging in therapies that have been shown to alleviate tiredness," he explained.

In the future, Saligan and his group intend to conduct a more extensive clinical study to evaluate ketamine's effects on breast cancer survivors experiencing long-term fatigue, aiming for more definitive outcomes.

Their initiatives come at a time when chronic fatigue syndrome appears to be increasing in the United States, with new diagnoses now believed to be 15 times more common than prior to the Covid-19 outbreak.

One studydiscovered that 4.5% of individuals who had COVID-19 met the standards for chronic fatigue syndrome, in contrast to only 0.6% of those who had not been infected, highlighting that certain infections could lead to the disorder.

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