TREATMENT DATABASE

Guaifenesin is an expectorant that helps clear mucus from congested passageways by increasing production of respiratory tract fluids. It is the primary active ingredient in many cough syrups.

USES IN ME/CFS: Dr. Paul St. Armand, an endocrinologist at the University of California at Los Angeles, first began working with patients with fibromyalgia in the 1960s. From his observations, Dr. St. Armand speculated that patients with fibromyalgia and ME/CFS might have an inherited metabolic defect that causes faulty excretion of phosphates. According to Dr. St. Armand, if phosphate accumulates in the mitochondria of cells, then the production of adenosine triphosphate (ATP) is impaired, leading to a loss of cellular energy. The accumulation of phosphates also leads to increased calcium within the cells, possibly creating the tender points so commonly seen in fibromyalgia. It appeared to Dr. St. Armand that this defect in phosphate excretion could account for the symptoms of fibromyalgia and ME/CFS.

No controlled studies have been performed to confirm or disprove the effectiveness of guaifenesin in treating symptoms of ME/CFS, so commentaries on this drug are anecdotal.

Treatment rating for Guaifenesin