How Serotonin and blood flow causes Fibromyalgia & Chronic Fatigue Syndrome?

Low serotonin is linked with fibromyalgia (FMS) and chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS). Serotonin operates both as a neurotransmitter and as a hormone in our body; and its body-wide dysregulation is believed contributing to many of our symptoms and comorbid conditions.

The name serotonin is given after its earliest discovered function which is too narrow the blood vessels. Sero means serum which is a component of blood.

Both conditions witness blood irregularities

In FMS, abnormal blood-flow patterns are noted in brain, some areas have more than normal while others have less than normal blood. Though it is not clear what particular effects this abnormality has but researchers are aware of importance of blood flow for the brain functioning.

Also in FMS, some researchers believe that horrible burning pains are caused by impaired blood flow leading those parts to fall asleep. And as the blood returns, feeling returns and gives painful pins and needles.

In ME/CFS, some research noted low blood volume which results in cells starving for oxygen and nutrients. Every cell in the body is going through like being at high altitude and struggling to catch breath after not having nutrients all the day.

The relationship between fibromyalgia and serotonin is straightforward however it is poorly understood. It requires us to look at the conditions separately.

Fibromyalgia & Serotonin

In case of FMS, low serotonin is consistently noted in various studies. There are various possibilities; our bodies are not producing sufficient, or not using it effectively, or both.

Supplement 5 - HTP helps people overcome serotonin deficiency by letting body to produce it. Some people benefits from serotonin-increasing foods. Most of the drugs used to treat the deficiency change the way our brains use serotonin in order to make more of it available.

Low serotonin causes migraine which is considered a related condition. In migraines, blood vessels dilate due to low serotonin, which causes inflammation in surrounding tissues. This results in a throbbing pain. FMS pain is different from migraine but it is believed that same mechanism is involved.  

A research published in late 2009 revealed that set of secondary nerves on our blood vessels and sweat glands appear to transmit, at least in some people, information about temperature. These primarily deal with blood volume and sweat. Researchers believed that these ignored nerves may contribute to pain conditions including FMS and migraine.

It is no surprise, blood flow problems and excessive sweating comes with temperature sensitivity and heightened pain response.

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome & Serotonin

The common belief is like FMS, ME/CFS is linked with low serotonin. Serotonin impacting treatments work for some people with this condition proves this connection. However, it is more complicated than it looks.

Evidence shows that serotonin creation system is in overdrive, and other research showing two serotonin-based subgroups. It means at least first group requires lower serotonin levels.

There are several questions which need to be addressed. For example, is extra serotonin production to compensate for impairment needed to continue body’s normal function? In this case, are some areas are flooded by too much serotonin while others are deprived? Is over production of serotonin constricts blood vessels so the blood cannot get around properly? We don’t have clear answers to these questions.

Proper, consistent sub grouping can help to end confusion.

The bottom-line

Many of us in some way suffer from serotonin dysregulation of some kind, and it seems likely it may contribute to blood-flow abnormalities that may result in number of other symptoms. The only way to gauge our individual levels of serotonin dysregulation is to monitor the effects of treatments we get.

 Source: www.verywell.com