Vermeulen, Ruud C W, Scholte, Hans R · Journal of psychosomatic research · 2004 · DOI
This study examined whether women with ME/CFS experience more sexual problems than healthy women. Researchers surveyed 35 women with ME/CFS and 36 healthy women using questionnaires about fatigue and sexual function. Interestingly, the women with ME/CFS reported similar levels of sexual satisfaction as healthy women, even though they had significantly higher fatigue levels.
Sexual dysfunction is often reported by ME/CFS patients and can significantly impact quality of life. This study provides rare quantitative data on sexual function in CFS populations and suggests that the relationship between fatigue and sexual symptoms in ME/CFS may differ fundamentally from healthy populations, potentially indicating a distinct biological mechanism.
This study does not prove that ME/CFS does not cause sexual dysfunction—it only found no statistically significant increase in a small sample of ambulatory patients. The lack of correlation between fatigue and sexual function in CFS patients does not establish causation or identify underlying mechanisms. Results may not apply to more severely affected patients or men with ME/CFS.
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 →
The first block is for the primary paper and is the citation you should use in research work. The atlas-snapshot line only applies if you are specifically referring to this atlas’s reading of the paper on the date shown.
Primary citation
Vermeulen, Ruud C W & Scholte, Hans R (2004). Chronic fatigue syndrome and sexual dysfunction.. Journal of psychosomatic research. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0022-3999(03)00546-4
BibTeX
@article{mecfsatlas-vermeulen-2004-chronic-fatigue,
author = {Vermeulen, Ruud C W and Scholte, Hans R},
title = {Chronic fatigue syndrome and sexual dysfunction.},
journal = {Journal of psychosomatic research},
year = {2004},
doi = {10.1016/S0022-3999(03)00546-4},
note = {PubMed: 15016578},
url = {https://www.mecfsatlas.com/evidence/vermeulen-2004-chronic-fatigue},
}Atlas snapshot reference
ME/CFS Atlas. Generator v1 / Scanner v1.4 / policy v0.1. Accessed 2026-05-28. https://www.mecfsatlas.com/evidence/vermeulen-2004-chronic-fatigue
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