Who Is At Risk For Chronic Fatigue Syndrome?

Chronic fatigue syndrome is a confusing and devastating disorder marked by extreme exhaustion and is not helped by sleep or rest. Physical and mental activity causes the fatigue to worsen and reduces the ability of its victims to function to almost nothing. CFS has stumped physicians and researchers even since it was first discovered. Chronic fatigue syndrome has been shown to attack women more often than men, adults in their forties and fifties more often than younger or older individuals and has been known to run in families. To date there is no cure, no guaranteed treatment and almost no specific idea of why it affects whom it affects.

Women More Often Than Men

Chronic fatigue syndrome is diagnosed in women almost four times more often than men although medical teams do not know why. It was considered that maybe hormonal changes in women in their forties and fifties could be linked to the onset of CFS but studies have not yet proven that to be the case. It could be that women and men both suffer equally from chronic fatigue syndrome but that women are more likely to see their doctor and men are more likely to keep quiet about their suffering.

During The Forties And Fifties

People in their forties and fifties are most likely to get chronic fatigue syndrome although people of all ages, including adolescents, have been diagnosed. Very few cases have been seen in children under the age of 11. The personality of the individual may also have something to do with the risk of developing chronic fatigue syndrome. High-achievers who are faced with sudden mental challenges or physical ailments are at most risk of being hit with chronic fatigue syndrome.

Is It Hereditary?

CFS has been noticed to run in families although it is not contagious which leads medical researchers to believe there may be a hereditary genetic factor to developing chronic fatigue syndrome. Of course this may be misleading, as most risk factors of CFS can be, since doctors may be likely to consider chronic fatigue syndrome as a diagnosis if a member of the patient's family has also been diagnosed. Remember that doctors usually run a whole slew of test to eliminate all other possibilities before settling on a diagnosis of chronic fatigue syndrome.

While some factors have been associated with the onset of chronic fatigue syndrome, until the medical community has a better idea of what causes CFS, these potential risk factors really don't offer much help to individuals looking for ways to protect themselves.