Before the 70's, fibromyalgia was most
commonly known as fibrositis, where “itis” implied an
inflammatory component. Despite the understanding of
inflammatory pathways to pain, clinical research was unable to identify
the role of inflammation in fibromyalgia for many years.
Within the last decade, fibromyalgia research has once again been
focusing on the possible contribution of inflammation to disease
progression, and is finding some new and interesting results.
Clinical studies have produced evidence that fibromyalgia is
associated with the immune system’s improper regulation of
proinflammatory cytokines that circulate in the bloodstream,
contributing to the dysfunction of the central nervous system and
pain-related neurotransmitters. Cytokines, depending on their
concentration, induce symptoms, such as fatigue, fever, sleep, pain, and
muscle pain, all of which develop in fibromyalgia patients.
These findings are uncovering new possibilities in research for
fibromyalgia causation, as well as treatment options. Some experimental
pain reduction therapies have been examined and shown positive results,
correlating with decreased proinflammatory cytokine levels.
Anticonvulsant drugs, analgesics, opiods and anti-depressants are
commonly prescribed to fibromyalgia patients, but tend to carry side
effects reflective of the syndrome itself,and many of which lack evidence for effectiveness.
Limited treatment options have led to an increasing use of systemic
enzyme therapy as a means to alleviate symptoms and improve quality of
life. Certain proteolytic (protein digesting) enzymes have been
identified to have extremely beneficial actions when applied to
inflammation and pain related to this condition.
It has long been known that people with chronic muscle pain or
fibromyalgia have more fibrin in their tissues and blood. This fibrin,
while initially helpful in the early stages of healing after an injury,
can become problematic if the body does not clear itself of the agent
after it has done its work.
Fibromyalgia sufferers experience micro-tears in their muscles from
the normal activity of daily living — each and every day. But because
the average fibromyalgia patient does not achieve and stay in stage 4
delta sleep at rest, growth hormone is not produced in enough quantities
to heal these tears, which leads to more fibrin buildup.
For the most part, people with fibromyalgia do not have a strong
enzymatic capacity for producing enzymes that break down fibrin. This leads to a buildup of fibrin,
which over time catches red blood cells in a web of restriction. This
fibrin causes a restriction of blood flow. Red blood cells
literally become stuck, disabling them from getting into the capillaries
to oxygenate and nourish the muscles where the metabolic waste that
causes pain is removed.
The body uses fibrin to help heal itself after an injury. However, if
you have poor blood flow and a lack of enzyme activity, fibrin will
start to accumulate. If the injured area is slow to heal, fibrin
accumulation appears as clumps of scar tissue in the muscles or at a
surgical site.
Ultimately, if excess fibrin is present throughout the circulatory
system, blood flow is restricted to areas of the body that need it most.
Over time, the body compensates for this restriction by increasing its
blood pressure. People with excess fibrin suffer from chronic fatigue,
slow healing, inflammation and pain, as well as elevated blood pressure.
Proteolytic enzymes taken on an empty stomach break down these
proteins into their smallest elements. The enzymes pass through the
stomach and intestinal lining, and enter the bloodstream where they
begin the process of breaking down the buildup in the muscles,
connective tissue and blood. These enzymes bring nutrition and
oxygen-rich blood that can remove the metabolic waste produced by
inflammation and excess fibrin.
Serrapeptase has been proven to be the strongest of the proteolytic
enzymes, inducing anti-inflammatory, fibrinolytic and anti-edemic
(prevents swelling and fluid retention) activity in a number of tissues.
Using enzymes to clear your body of fibrin takes time. It takes years
to develop webs of fibrin in your tissues — so be patient, log your
usage and, over time, notice how much less pain and how much more
flexibility you have.
Serrapeptase has demonstrated anti-inflammatory and fibrinolytic
activity, and acts rapidly on localized inflammation with no reports of
adverse effects.
Bromelain, a proteolytic enzyme extracted from pineapple, has also been found to be effective in reducing inflammation by blocking cytokine production and activity
