Journal of Traditional Medicine & Clinical Naturopathy
Open Access

At the beginning of the year, the number of patients seeking a hospital is increasing, complaining of burnout syndrome such as chronic fatigue, tension headache, functional gastrointestinal disorder, and irritable bowel symptoms. In the new year, work and the surrounding environment are often changed greatly, so ‘adaptation stress’ is more than usual.

The following is a self-assessment paper for evaluating Burnout Syndrome.

Burnout syndrome, in which energy is exhausted beyond fatigue and stress limits, is especially noticeable in the beginning of the new year. Workers are often caused by adaptive stress according to the changed working environment, students are stressed for the new semester.

Burnout syndrome is characterized by lethargy and frequent irritability. Low immune system can easily have various diseases, and in extreme cases, it may fall into depression. Although it is not a formal disease name, it is common in a country that has been working long hours.

People who complain about burnout syndrome have something in common that they do more than their limit.

You have to clarify the boundaries between work life, family life, and personal life so you can escape Burnout Syndrome.

As with patients with chronic fatigue that is not well described, various treatment modalities such as various types of medication, exercise therapy, cognitive behavioral therapy, etc. are used according to the accompanying symptoms. In addition to these traditional treatment methods, it is common to use a variety of complementary and alternative medical approaches.

When these symptoms appear, all you need to do is to check for the presence of the disease. Everyone knows that regular eating, proper exercise, and sufficient sleep time are important things to keep our body healthy.

However, they are important because they maintain an organic metabolic balance.

If there are not enough antioxidant vitamins or minerals that do small but significant work, this balance breaks down and our bodies show a variety of ‘symptoms’, like those that are sick.

During the metabolic process caused by respiration, reactive oxygen or harmful oxygen can attack the living tissue.

Increases in free radicals are known to damage DNA or proteins, causing genetic alterations, cancer, dementia, arteriosclerosis, and diabetes. Our body has antioxidant enzymes to defend it, but if not enough, we feel symptoms like tiredness or fatigue first.

The lack of various vitamins, as well as reactive oxygen, can cause symptoms such as fatigue, loss of strength, and slow wound healing. Recently, it has become widely known that the lack of vit D causes chronic fatigue or depression. Many people try to get sunshine, and when necessary, they are improving by taking vit D or taking an injection.

As is well known, fat-soluble vitamins A, E may cause toxicity that is difficult to treat, so it is preferable not to prescribe excessively. For example, excessive doses such as vitamin A may cause pain in the musculoskeletal system.

If the patient is able to know the level of vitamin deficiency, it is helpful to use proper nutritional supplements.

(1) Magnesium: It has been reported that administration of magnesium sulfate for 6 weeks has improved symptoms in patients with reduced magnesium levels in red blood cells. Symptoms of magnesium deficiency, such as fatigue, anorexia, nausea, learning disabilities, character changes, weakness, muscle aches etc. are similar to those of Burnout Syndrome and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.

(2) Essential Fatty Acids (EFA): Essential fatty acids have begun to be used because of their antiviral effect. Essential fatty acids are necessary for resistance to viral infections, and vice versa virus infection is known to interfere with essential fatty acid metabolism. Essential fatty acids are essential for the synthesis of prostaglandins, play an important role in the formation of cell membranes, and are known to be essential for the cell membranes of red blood cells to maintain normal fluidity, flexibility.

In a study in which 3 weeks of administration of essential fatty acids (Evening Primrose Oil, EPO) in patients with post-viral fatigue syndrome (PVFS), believed to be deficient in essential fatty acids, only 18% Compared to the improved EPO group, 84% of patients reported improvement in symptoms such as fatigue, pain, muscle weakness, loss of concentration, dizziness, depression and memory loss. It is also argued that L-carnitine is necessary for the transport of essential fatty acids, so it is helpful to administer L-carnitine together with essential fatty acids.

(3) L-Carnitine: Carnitine is known to prevent fatty acid accumulation in the cytoplasm and accumulation of acyl CoA in the mitochondria and supply acetyl CoA for mitochondrial energy production. Therefore, when carnitine is deficient, it is thought that general fatigue symptom is accompanied with myalgia, muscle weakness, and fatigue symptoms after physical activity.

(4) L-Tryptophan: an amino acid precursor of serotonin, which is known to help improve sleep disturbances in patients with chronic fatigue syndrome. Dosage is 500 mg to 3 gm before bedtime. When used at high doses, side effects such as dry mouth, drowsiness, nausea, poor appetite and dizziness may occur.

(5) Vitamin B12/Cyanocobalamin: It is known to help improve the symptoms of fatigue, but most of the experts are based on the results of empirical use, the evidence is weak. Before use, it is advisable to check beforehand whether vitamin B12 and folic acid are deficient. Increasing the level of homocysteine and methylmalonate, vitamin B12 deficiency is suspected, this is thought to be due to the decreased ability of B12 to migrate into cells.

Vitamin B12 supplementation can be expected to improve cognitive function and emotional state within 6 weeks, symptoms of weakness and increase energy level. No specific side effects of vitamin B12 use have been reported, but acne-like rashes can occur and urine can turn pink. And vitamin B12 can not be administered in renal failure patients.

(6) Coenzyme Q10: Coenzyme Q10 is known to promote cell respiration. In a study in which 100 mg/day was given for 3 months, more than 85% of patients reported improvement in various clinical symptoms including improvement in athletic performance.

(7) Other vitamins and minerals: There is a relative lack of vitamins and minerals in patients with chronic fatigue or burnout syndrome compared to normal people, and there are many clinical better experiences of vitamin and mineral supplementation. In addition to the above-mentioned nutritional supplements, adenosine monophosphate, glutathione, iron, melatonin, selenium, vitamin C, vitamin A, However, the positive effects of these drugs are still being studied.

If the necessary nutrients are not deficient, but they are inadequate in terms of organic binding or balance, they are not in a state of disease, so it is often difficult to confirm them in regular health checkup.

In recent years, there are tests that check the status of metabolism, such as blood tests, inorganic tests using hair, and organic acids through urine, to check how good the body’s antioxidant power is.

In addition, there is a saliva test to check the degree of stress, which is more active than the one that is visible through the blood, and shows more accurate results.

These tests are useful for checking the balance and metabolic status of the disease before and after checking for the presence or absence of the disease and for preventing it.

Such unbalanced nutritional status is recommended by taking nutritional supplements or injecting therapy to the required parts.

If you are not feeling well, are helpless, and are not asleep, it is a good idea to check if the nutritional balance is broken once.