- With Mayo Clinic internist
Brent A. Bauer, M.D.
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Brent A. Bauer, M.D.
Brent A. Bauer, M.D.
Brent Bauer, M.D., is board certified in internal medicine. He is a consultant in the Department of Internal Medicine and director of the Department of Internal Medicine's Complementary and Integrative Medicine Program at Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. Dr. Bauer, a native of Madison, Wis., is also a professor of medicine at Mayo Medical School and a graduate of Mayo Medical School.
He serves on the editorial board of the Mayo Clinic Health Letter and is medical editor for EmbodyHealth Newsletter. He has been on staff at Mayo Clinic since 1992, first practicing at Mayo Clinic in Scottsdale, Ariz., before joining Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn., in 1996.
Dr. Bauer's principal research focus is the scientific evaluation of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) therapies that patients and consumers are using with increasing frequency. He has authored several book chapters and papers on this topic, and is the medical editor of the "Mayo Clinic Book of Alternative Medicine." Dr. Bauer also spearheaded collaboration between Mayo Clinic and Gaiam in the creation of a series of 10 DVDs (Mayo Clinic Wellness Solutions). These DVDs address common health problems (for example, diabetes, obesity, high blood pressure) with integrative medicine approaches that empower people to take charge of their health. His work is at the forefront of the emerging field of integrative medicine which combines the best of conventional medicine with the best of evidence-based complementary therapies.
Dr. Bauer has served on the NIH-NCCAM study section and is currently collaborating on over 20 studies being conducted at Mayo Clinic evaluating CAM therapies ranging from acupuncture to valerian. He is also a member of Sigma Xi, The Scientific Research Society; the American Federation for Medical Research; the North Central Cancer Treatment Group and other professional organizations.
Symptoms (1)
- Pain and depression: Is there a link?
Alternative medicine (3)
- Chronic fatigue: Can a natural remedy boost my energy?
- Candida cleanse diet: What does it treat?
- What is hot yoga?
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Question
Chronic fatigue: Can a natural remedy boost my energy?
Are there any natural remedies that reduce chronic fatigue associated with chronic fatigue syndrome?
Answer
from Brent A. Bauer, M.D.
Researchers have evaluated a variety of natural products for effectiveness against chronic fatigue syndrome. Most results have been disappointing.
A few remedies — magnesium injected into the muscles for people with low red blood cell magnesium, a combination of fish oil and evening primrose oil, melatonin, NADH, propionyl-L-carnitine, and D-ribose — have shown encouraging results in preliminary studies. However, many of these promising early results weren't confirmed by follow-up studies, or the original studies were too small to be conclusive.
At this time, there's little evidence to recommend any specific natural remedy as a treatment for chronic fatigue.
Next questionCandida cleanse diet: What does it treat?
- Natural medicines in the clinical management of chronic fatigue syndrome. Natural Medicines Comprehensive Database. http://www.naturaldatabase.com. Accessed Jan. 5, 2012.
- Magnesium. Natural Medicines Comprehensive Database. http://www.naturaldatabase.com. Accessed Jan. 5, 2012.
- Melatonin. Natural Medicines Comprehensive Database. http://www.naturaldatabase.com. Accessed Jan. 5, 2012.
- Teitelbaum JE, et al. The use of D-ribose in chronic fatigue syndrome and fibromyalgia: A pilot study. Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine. 2006;12:857.
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