How Oxaloacetate CFS May Help with ME/CFS

Quality Results

A statistically significant shortage of the energy metabolite “oxaloacetate” has been documented in ME/CFS patients clinically. This shortage of oxaloacetate can affect metabolism in many ways.

A. ME/CFS patients chronically activate the NF-kB inflammation pathway. Providing supplemental oxaloacetate decreases the activity of the NF-kB pathway, reducing the cytokine storm.

Wilkins HM, Harris JL, Carl SM, et al. Oxaloacetate activates brain mitochondrial biogenesis, enhances the insulin pathway, reduces inflammation and stimulates neurogenesis. Hum Mol Genet. 2014;23(24):6528-6541. doi:10.1093/hmg/ddu371 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4271074/

B. Althernative energy production via fermentation in the cytoplasm has been identified in ME/CFS patients clinically. Oxaloacetate reduces glycolysis and the Warburg Effect, reducing cytosolic lactate production, normalizing cellular energy production.

Omkar Ijare, David Conway, Alan Cash, David Baskin, Kumar Pichumani, CBMT-49. OXALOACETATE ALTERS GLUCOSE METABOLISM IN GLIOBLASTOMA: ¹³C ISOTOPOMER STUDY, Neuro-Oncology, Volume 21, Issue Supplement_6, November 2019, Pages vi43–vi44, https://doi.org/10.1093/neuonc/noz175.171

https://academic.oup.com/neuro-oncology/article-abstract/21/Supplement_6/vi43/5620031?redirectedFrom=fulltext

C. ME/CFS patients have a lower NAD+/NADH ratio. Oxaloacetate increases the NAD+/NADH ratio.

Wilkins HM, Harris JL, Carl SM, et al. Oxaloacetate activates brain mitochondrial biogenesis, enhances the insulin pathway, reduces inflammation and stimulates neurogenesis. Hum Mol Genet. 2014;23(24):6528-6541. doi:10.1093/hmg/ddu371

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4271074/

D. The mitochondria, powerplants of the cell, malfunction in ME/CFS patients. Oxaloacetate activates new mitochondrial biogenesis via an increase in PGC1-alpha.

Wilkins HM, Harris JL, Carl SM, et al. Oxaloacetate activates brain mitochondrial biogenesis, enhances the insulin pathway, reduces inflammation and stimulates neurogenesis. 

Hum Mol Genet. 2014;23(24):6528-6541. doi:10.1093/hmg/ddu371

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4271074/

E. ME/CFS patients have a lower activation of AMPK, and reduced glucose uptake. Oxaloacetate activates AMPK and increases glucose uptake in clinical trials.

Yoshikawa K. Studies on the anti-diabetic effect of sodium oxaloacetate. Tohoku J Exp Med. 1968 Oct;96(2):127-41. doi: 10.1620/tjem.96.127. PMID: 4884771. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/4884771/