Chronic fatigue – when the body has no energy<\/h2><\/div><\/div><\/div>OVERVIEW<\/strong><\/div><\/div>- Chronic fatigue \u2013 when the body has no energy<\/a>
- What is chronic fatigue?<\/a><\/li>
- Millions affected \u2013 and hardly any solutions<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li>
- Why the body stops producing energy<\/a>
- <\/span>1. vital substance deficiencies and mitochondrial dysfunction<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/li>
- <\/span>2. chronic viral load and silent infections<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/li>
- <\/span>3. inflammation in the intestine <\/span><\/span><\/a><\/li>
- <\/span>Heavy metal and environmental toxins<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/li>
- Individual, systemic therapy<\/a><\/li>
- Chronic fatigue is treatable \u2013
if we tackle the causes<\/a><\/li>- Chronic fatigue \u2013 we will find your way to new energy<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>
What is chronic fatigue?<\/h3><\/div>Chronic fatigue is a complex syndrome characterized by persistent, overwhelming exhaustion that is not relieved by rest. Those affected often suffer from concentration problems, muscle pain, sleep disorders and a pronounced physical and mental stress intolerance. The causes are varied and diagnosis is often difficult as there are no uniform biomarkers. Nevertheless, new scientific findings show that chronic fatigue is linked to profound disturbances in cell energy production, the immune system and detoxification processes in the body. <\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>
Millions affected – and hardly any solutions<\/h3><\/div>Chronic fatigue is more than just persistent exhaustion. It is a systemic failure of body regulation that affects millions of people worldwide – often without a clear diagnosis or effective treatment. <\/p>\n
Studies estimate that up to 2.5 million people are affected by chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS\/ME) in the USA alone, with a high number of unreported cases. In Germany<\/a><\/strong> 250,000 people suffer from ME\/CFS according to (pre-pandemic) estimates, in Switzerland<\/a><\/strong> around 60,000 people are thought to be affected, and around 17 million worldwide. In principle, any age group can develop ME\/CFS, including children and adolescents. However, there are two age peaks for the onset of the disease (adolescence and mid-thirties). Women are three times more likely to be affected than men.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>Functional medicine, as practiced in our ORIGIN HEALTH practice in Basel, offers an innovative, cause-based approach to deciphering the complex interplay of vital substance deficiencies, infections, intestinal health and toxin exposure.<\/p>\n<\/div>
read more<\/span><\/a><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>![\"Vital](\"https:\/\/originhealth.ch\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/Vitalstoffinfusionen_Origin_Health.jpg\")
<\/span><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>The causes<\/p>\n<\/div>
Why the body stops producing energy<\/h2><\/div>As a doctor for functional medicine at Origin Health in Basel Dr. Joris Budweg <\/strong><\/a>sees people struggling with chronic fatigue every day. Many of our patients have been on a long odyssey through doctors’ surgeries without getting a clear answer. They often hear that their complaints are psychosomatic or that “you have to live with it”. But this is not the truth. Chronic fatigue is not an inevitable fate – it is a warning signal from the body that there are deeper biochemical imbalances. And so chronic fatigue can be explained as a multifactorial process. Traditional approaches often focus on individual symptoms, while functional medicine investigates the underlying causes: <\/p>\n<\/div><\/i><\/i><\/span>1. vital substance deficiencies and mitochondrial dysfunction<\/span><\/a><\/h3><\/div>The mitochondria, the power plants of our cells, are essential for energy production. If key micronutrients such as magnesium, coenzyme Q10, L-carnitine or B vitamins are missing, ATP production – the biochemical basis for energy – is reduced. <\/p>\nA 2021 study published in Frontiers in Neurology study<\/b><\/a> shows that many CFS patients have mitochondrial dysfunction. Targeted micronutrient therapy can make the difference between total exhaustion and a gradual return to vitality. This is why a precise laboratory analysis is one of the first steps in the diagnostic process at ORIGIN HEALTH.<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/i><\/i><\/span>2. chronic viral load and silent infections<\/span><\/a><\/h3><\/div>\nMany patients report that their fatigue began after an infection with Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), cytomegalovirus or other latent pathogens. A striking number of patients report that they have not recovered after an acute Epstein-Barr infection. Unfortunately, this fact is not taken seriously by most doctors and therapists and treatment is often wrong or not given at all. <\/p>\n
We therefore work with highly sensitive laboratory tests to detect hidden viral reactivations and use targeted antiviral therapies. The focus is not only on suppressing the viruses, but also on supporting the immune system with plant substances, immunomodulators and individually tailored therapies. <\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>
<\/i><\/i><\/span>3. inflammation in the intestine <\/span><\/a><\/h3><\/div>\nThe gut-brain axis plays a key role in chronic fatigue. Leaky gut syndrome, dysbiosis and silent inflammation release endotoxins that intensify systemic inflammatory reactions. <\/p>\n
- Chronic fatigue \u2013 when the body has no energy<\/a>
- What is chronic fatigue?<\/a><\/li>
- Millions affected \u2013 and hardly any solutions<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li>
- Why the body stops producing energy<\/a>
- <\/span>1. vital substance deficiencies and mitochondrial dysfunction<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/li>
- <\/span>2. chronic viral load and silent infections<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/li>
- <\/span>3. inflammation in the intestine <\/span><\/span><\/a><\/li>
- <\/span>Heavy metal and environmental toxins<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/li>
- Individual, systemic therapy<\/a><\/li>
- Chronic fatigue is treatable \u2013
if we tackle the causes<\/a><\/li>- Chronic fatigue \u2013 we will find your way to new energy<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>
What is chronic fatigue?<\/h3><\/div>
Chronic fatigue is a complex syndrome characterized by persistent, overwhelming exhaustion that is not relieved by rest. Those affected often suffer from concentration problems, muscle pain, sleep disorders and a pronounced physical and mental stress intolerance. The causes are varied and diagnosis is often difficult as there are no uniform biomarkers. Nevertheless, new scientific findings show that chronic fatigue is linked to profound disturbances in cell energy production, the immune system and detoxification processes in the body. <\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>
Millions affected – and hardly any solutions<\/h3><\/div>
Chronic fatigue is more than just persistent exhaustion. It is a systemic failure of body regulation that affects millions of people worldwide – often without a clear diagnosis or effective treatment. <\/p>\n
Studies estimate that up to 2.5 million people are affected by chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS\/ME) in the USA alone, with a high number of unreported cases. In Germany<\/a><\/strong> 250,000 people suffer from ME\/CFS according to (pre-pandemic) estimates, in Switzerland<\/a><\/strong> around 60,000 people are thought to be affected, and around 17 million worldwide. In principle, any age group can develop ME\/CFS, including children and adolescents. However, there are two age peaks for the onset of the disease (adolescence and mid-thirties). Women are three times more likely to be affected than men.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>
Functional medicine, as practiced in our ORIGIN HEALTH practice in Basel, offers an innovative, cause-based approach to deciphering the complex interplay of vital substance deficiencies, infections, intestinal health and toxin exposure.<\/p>\n<\/div>
read more<\/span><\/a><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/span><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>The causes<\/p>\n<\/div>
Why the body stops producing energy<\/h2><\/div>
As a doctor for functional medicine at Origin Health in Basel Dr. Joris Budweg <\/strong><\/a>sees people struggling with chronic fatigue every day. Many of our patients have been on a long odyssey through doctors’ surgeries without getting a clear answer. They often hear that their complaints are psychosomatic or that “you have to live with it”. But this is not the truth. Chronic fatigue is not an inevitable fate – it is a warning signal from the body that there are deeper biochemical imbalances. And so chronic fatigue can be explained as a multifactorial process. Traditional approaches often focus on individual symptoms, while functional medicine investigates the underlying causes: <\/p>\n<\/div>
<\/i><\/i><\/span>1. vital substance deficiencies and mitochondrial dysfunction<\/span><\/a><\/h3><\/div>
The mitochondria, the power plants of our cells, are essential for energy production. If key micronutrients such as magnesium, coenzyme Q10, L-carnitine or B vitamins are missing, ATP production – the biochemical basis for energy – is reduced. <\/p>\nA 2021 study published in Frontiers in Neurology study<\/b><\/a> shows that many CFS patients have mitochondrial dysfunction. Targeted micronutrient therapy can make the difference between total exhaustion and a gradual return to vitality. This is why a precise laboratory analysis is one of the first steps in the diagnostic process at ORIGIN HEALTH.<\/div><\/div><\/div>
<\/i><\/i><\/span>2. chronic viral load and silent infections<\/span><\/a><\/h3><\/div>
\nMany patients report that their fatigue began after an infection with Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), cytomegalovirus or other latent pathogens. A striking number of patients report that they have not recovered after an acute Epstein-Barr infection. Unfortunately, this fact is not taken seriously by most doctors and therapists and treatment is often wrong or not given at all. <\/p>\n
We therefore work with highly sensitive laboratory tests to detect hidden viral reactivations and use targeted antiviral therapies. The focus is not only on suppressing the viruses, but also on supporting the immune system with plant substances, immunomodulators and individually tailored therapies. <\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>
<\/i><\/i><\/span>3. inflammation in the intestine <\/span><\/a><\/h3><\/div>
\nThe gut-brain axis plays a key role in chronic fatigue. Leaky gut syndrome, dysbiosis and silent inflammation release endotoxins that intensify systemic inflammatory reactions. <\/p>\n
- <\/span>2. chronic viral load and silent infections<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/li>
- Millions affected \u2013 and hardly any solutions<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li>
- What is chronic fatigue?<\/a><\/li>
![](\"https:\/\/originhealth.ch\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/origin-health_logo.svg\" "\\"Origin"){kind=logo}
<\/span><\/div><\/div><\/div>![](\"https:\/\/originhealth.ch\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/Budweg_BG.png\" "\\"Budweg_BG\\"")
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