Fatigue

Today's "New York Times" has two intriguing stories on fatigue.The first discusses whether ginseng can help relieve the fatigue suffered by cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy. Ginseng is an herb or root that can also be found in supplement form. Although the article refers to a study that concluded that taking 1,000 to 2,000 milligrams of ginseng can provide some relief from the sometimes paralyzing fatigue, it also cautioned that the long term impact of using ginseng was still unclear.

The second article, entitled "Statin Drugs Cause Fatigue in Some People" reports on a study from the June 11 Archives of Internal Medicine.  Statin drugs are regularly prescribed to lower cholesterol. Although its positive effects in lowering cholesterol are well-documented, the new study seems to support the long-held suspicion that one of its side effects may cause fatigue in some people, particularly women. Some participants in the study took between 20 and 40 milligrams of either
simvastatin or pravastatin.  Others were given a placebo.  More fatigue was reported in those taking the statin drugs than those taking the placebo.

As the lead researcher, Dr, Beatrice Golomb of the University of California, San Diego, cautioned, patients taking the drugs need to discuss the matter with their physicians if they notice the side effects.