According to Dr. Kellman, nearly half of his chronic fatigue syndrome patients actually suffer from hypothyroidism, which is a gland that helps regulate a person’s energy level. He finds that many of the patients also have vitamin C and B-complex deficiencies.

Dr. Elizabeth Vliet says that the standard thyroid hormone panel does not usually detect the symptoms that are the underlying cause of fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue. She says that, “…women are told their thyroid is normal without having the complete thyroid tests done.” She relies on a thyroid antibodies test for a better picture of how the thyroid is really functioning.

Vliet encourages fibromyalgia patients to include T3 thyroid hormone treatment. For hypothyroid symptoms she relies on standard thyroid replacement (like levothyroxine sodium).