Gerwyn, Morris, Maes, Michael · Current rheumatology reports · 2017 · DOI
This review examines why ME/CFS patients experience muscle fatigue and pain. Researchers found that several biological problems may contribute to these symptoms: damaged cellular energy factories (mitochondria), harmful stress molecules building up in the body, and reduced production of protective proteins. These problems together may explain why ME/CFS patients get tired quickly and struggle with exercise.
Understanding the biological causes of muscle dysfunction could help develop targeted treatments for ME/CFS patients. By identifying multiple interconnected mechanisms rather than a single cause, this work supports more comprehensive approaches to symptom management and points researchers toward specific pathways worth investigating further.
This review does not establish that O&NS, mitochondrial impairment, or heat shock protein reduction directly cause muscle symptoms in all ME/CFS patients—it identifies associations and proposed mechanisms based on existing literature. It does not determine which mechanism is primary or whether these abnormalities are cause, consequence, or both. The review also cannot rule out other contributing biological factors not discussed.
About the PEM badge: “PEM required” means post-exertional malaise was an explicit required diagnostic criterion for participant inclusion in this study — not that PEM was studied, observed, or discussed. Studies using criteria that do not require PEM (e.g. Fukuda, Oxford) are tagged “PEM not required”. How the atlas works →
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Primary citation
Gerwyn, Morris & Maes, Michael (2017). Mechanisms Explaining Muscle Fatigue and Muscle Pain in Patients with Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS): a Review of Recent Findings.. Current rheumatology reports. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11926-017-0628-x
BibTeX
@article{mecfsatlas-gerwyn-2017-mechanisms-explaining,
author = {Gerwyn, Morris and Maes, Michael},
title = {Mechanisms Explaining Muscle Fatigue and Muscle Pain in Patients with Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS): a Review of Recent Findings.},
journal = {Current rheumatology reports},
year = {2017},
doi = {10.1007/s11926-017-0628-x},
note = {PubMed: 28116577},
url = {https://www.mecfsatlas.com/evidence/gerwyn-2017-mechanisms-explaining},
}Atlas snapshot reference
ME/CFS Atlas. Generator v1 / Scanner v1.4 / policy v0.1. Accessed 2026-05-30. https://www.mecfsatlas.com/evidence/gerwyn-2017-mechanisms-explaining
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