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The Age Less Clinic

(08) 6288 0514

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    • Home, News & Contacts
    • Medical Services
      • General Practice
      • Chronic Disease Mgt
      • Peri / Menopause
      • Hormone Therapy
      • Mental & Brain Health
      • Cosmetic / Aesthetic
      • Cardiovascular Risk Mgt
      • Medicinal Cannabis
      • Genetic DNA Testing
      • Autoimmune Disease
      • Women's Health
      • Men's Health
      • Contraception & IUD
      • Platelet Rich Plasma PRP
      • Detoxification
      • Multi-System Illnesses
      • Gut Health & Microbiome
      • Mineral/Toxicity Analysis
      • Overweight / Obesity
    • Online Bookings
    • Fees
    • Meet Our Team
    • The Doctor's Kitchen
    • Media
    • Privacy
    • About Us
    • Blog
The Age Less Clinic

(08) 6288 0514

  • Home, News & Contacts
  • Medical Services
    • General Practice
    • Chronic Disease Mgt
    • Peri / Menopause
    • Hormone Therapy
    • Mental & Brain Health
    • Cosmetic / Aesthetic
    • Cardiovascular Risk Mgt
    • Medicinal Cannabis
    • Genetic DNA Testing
    • Autoimmune Disease
    • Women's Health
    • Men's Health
    • Contraception & IUD
    • Platelet Rich Plasma PRP
    • Detoxification
    • Multi-System Illnesses
    • Gut Health & Microbiome
    • Mineral/Toxicity Analysis
    • Overweight / Obesity
  • Online Bookings
  • Fees
  • Meet Our Team
  • The Doctor's Kitchen
  • Media
  • Privacy
  • About Us
  • Blog

Chronic Inflammatory Reactive & Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

When treated by a functional medicine specialist, chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS/ME), chronic inflammatory response syndrome (CIRS), and long COVID are often approached with similar underlying principles and strategies, because functional medicine emphasizes root-cause analysis and whole-body systems biology rather than just symptom suppression.


Here’s what they typically have in common in terms of treatment approach at The Age Less Clinic & General Practice:


1. Root Cause Investigation

Our Functional Medicine doctors view all three conditions as multi-system illnesses with potential overlapping root causes:

  • Immune dysregulation
  • Mitochondrial dysfunction
  • Chronic infections (viral, bacterial, mold)
  • Toxic exposures (mold, heavy metals)
  • Gut dysbiosis and intestinal permeability
  • Hormonal imbalances
  • Nutrient deficiencies

Each patient is evaluated with extensive lab testing, often including:

  • Comprehensive blood panels
  • Stool testing (for microbiome and GI health)
  • Heavy metal testing
  • Organic acids test (OAT)
  • Immune function markers
  • Inflammatory markers (e.g., CRP, cytokines)


2. Diet & Nutritional Therapies

All three conditions are commonly treated with anti-inflammatory, nutrient-dense diets, such as:

  • AIP (Autoimmune Protocol)
  • Low-histamine diets (especially for CIRS)
  • Gluten-free, sometimes grain- and dairy-free

Nutritional supplementation is tailored to support:

  • Mitochondrial energy production (e.g., CoQ10, B vitamins, magnesium, L-carnitine, inositol)
  • Immune modulation (e.g., vitamin D, omega-3s, zinc)
  • Detoxification (e.g., glutathione, NAC, binders)


3. Focus on Mitochondrial and Cellular Health

All three conditions involve fatigue and energy production issues, often linked to:

  • Mitochondrial dysfunction
  • Oxidative stress

Functional medicine often includes:

  • Mitochondrial support protocols
  • Antioxidants (alpha-lipoic acid, glutathione, etc.)
  • Redox balancing and NAD+ precursors (e.g., nicotinamide riboside)
  • IV Nutritional Therapies


4. Immune System and Inflammation Modulation

Since CIRS, long COVID, and CFS may involve chronic immune activation or autoimmunity:

  • Treatments often aim to calm the immune system (e.g., curcumin, resveratrol)
  • Address persistent infections (EBV, Lyme, COVID viral fragments)
  • Modulate cytokine responses (IL-6, TNF-alpha)

In CIRS specifically, the Shoemaker Protocol may be followed, involving:

  • Cholestyramine or other binders
  • VIP nasal spray
  • MARCoNS treatment
  • Visual Contrast Sensitivity testing


5. Sleep, Stress, and Nervous System Support

Functional medicine recognizes the role of:

  • HPA axis dysregulation (stress hormone imbalances)
  • Autonomic dysfunction/POTS (common in long COVID and CFS)
  • Mast  Cell Dysfunction / Activation and Dysregulation 
  • Nervous system hyperarousal (limbic system retraining tools like DNRS or Gupta Program are sometimes used)

Sleep support is usually a priority:

  • Melatonin, magnesium, herbs (valerian, passionflower)
  • Sleep hygiene and circadian rhythm optimization


6. Detoxification and Environmental Health

Detox support is a key pillar in CIRS and often part of treatment for the others too:

  • Removing ongoing toxin exposures (moldy homes, chemical sensitivity)
  • Supporting liver detox (e.g., milk thistle, sauna, binders)


7. Personalized & Layered Protocols

Functional medicine rarely uses a "one-size-fits-all" protocol. Treatments evolve based on:

  • Individual genetics (like MTHFR)
  • Symptom tracking
  • Response to interventions

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