Chronic Fatigue

Fatigue That Doesn’t Go Away

Fatigue is something we all experience. But when it becomes persistent, debilitating, and resistant to rest — it’s time to dig deeper. Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS), also known as Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (ME), is a complex, multifaceted condition that impacts energy, mental clarity, physical function, and overall well-being.

At Empower Health, we specialize in identifying and addressing the root causes of chronic fatigue — especially when it’s related to environmental toxicity, chronic infections, or metabolic dysfunction.

🧠 What Makes Chronic Fatigue Different?

Unlike normal tiredness, CFS is not improved by sleep or rest and often includes:

  • Profound, long-lasting exhaustion
  • Post-exertional malaise – energy crashes after even minor activity
  • Cognitive dysfunction (“brain fog”) – memory issues, poor focus, word-finding difficulty
  • Unrefreshing sleep – waking up as tired as when you went to bed
  • Muscle and joint pain
  • Light and sound sensitivity
  • Worsening symptoms under stress or illness

These symptoms must persist for at least six months and are not explained by another condition.

🧬 What Causes Chronic Fatigue?

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS), or Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (ME), is not caused by a single factor. Instead, it often results from a perfect storm of biological disruptions, environmental exposures, and long-term stressors that impair the body’s ability to produce energy, manage inflammation, and recover from illness.

Many patients with CFS feel dismissed by conventional medicine — told to “sleep more,” “exercise lightly,” or “manage stress” — without acknowledgment of the deeper physiological breakdowns occurring in their bodies.

At Empower Health, we approach chronic fatigue as a multi-system illness. In our experience, most patients are navigating several of the following root-level dysfunctions:

🦠 Environmental Toxicity – Mold, Mycotoxins, and Biotoxins

Exposure to toxic mold and its byproducts (mycotoxins) is one of the most underrecognized contributors to chronic fatigue. These substances disrupt immune signaling, damage mitochondria (the energy producers in your cells), and inflame the central nervous system.

Often found in water-damaged buildings, mycotoxins can cause:

  • Short-term memory issues
  • Shortness of breath or chronic sinus issues
  • Migrating body aches
  • Chemical sensitivity
  • Unrelenting fatigue despite rest
  • Hormonal dysfunction

These symptoms are not “in your head” — they’re a sign that your immune system is stuck in a cycle of reacting to a toxic burden it cannot process efficiently. This is known in functional medicine as Chronic Inflammatory Response Syndrome (CIRS).

🧬 Chronic Infections & Immune Burden

Several patients we work with have lingering infections that fly under the radar in conventional labs. These include:

  • Lyme disease and its co-infections (Babesia, Bartonella, Ehrlichia)
  • Epstein-Barr Virus (EBV), often reactivated under stress
  • Cytomegalovirus (CMV) and other herpes family viruses
  • Stealth viruses and intracellular bacteria

These pathogens may not cause acute illness anymore, but they remain active at low levels, hijacking your immune resources and increasing oxidative stress. The result? Fatigue, immune dysregulation, poor detox, and neuroinflammation — all without a fever or “normal” lab results to prove it.

🔋 Mitochondrial Dysfunction – When Cells Can’t Make Energy

Your mitochondria are the tiny organelles inside cells that convert food and oxygen into ATP — your body’s usable energy. When these mitochondria are impaired (due to infection, toxins, stress, or nutritional depletion), it’s like trying to power your home on dying batteries.

  • Signs of mitochondrial dysfunction may include:
  • Profound physical fatigue
  • Muscle burning with minimal exertion
  • Inability to recover from exertion
  • Poor heat/cold tolerance
  • Neurological symptoms (brain fog, headaches, mood shifts)

Supporting mitochondrial health is foundational in chronic fatigue recovery.

🛡️ Nutrient Deficiencies & Gut Malabsorption

Even if you’re eating “healthy,” you may not be absorbing the nutrients needed for energy production, detoxification, or hormone synthesis. Common causes of depletion include:

  • Chronic inflammation and leaky gut
  • Mold/mycotoxin exposure disrupting digestion
  • Underlying infections
  • Long-term stress
  • Use of acid reducers or antibiotics

Key nutrients we often see depleted in CFS patients:

  • B-vitamins (B1, B2, B6, B12)
  • Magnesium
  • Zinc
  • Iron and ferritin
  • Vitamin D
  • CoQ10
  • Carnitine
  • Essential fatty acids

We don’t just “top off” these levels — we look at why you’re depleted and work to correct the root cause of malabsorption.

🔁 HPA Axis Dysfunction – When the Stress System Fails

The Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Adrenal (HPA) axis is your body’s internal stress communication system. It controls cortisol rhythms, energy balance, immune function, blood sugar, and even sleep cycles.

Long-term stress, infections, trauma, poor sleep, and inflammation can wear this system down — leaving you with:

  • Flat or reversed cortisol patterns
  • Crashing in the afternoon
  • Wired but tired at night
  • Sleep that doesn’t restore
  • Irritability, overwhelm, or burnout
  • Difficulty recovering from physical or emotional stress

We use salivary and urine-based cortisol testing to map these rhythms and support natural recalibration using adaptogens, nutrition, and nervous system regulation techniques.

🧠 Neuroinflammation & Brain-Immune Crosstalk

One of the lesser-discussed but critical components of chronic fatigue is neuroinflammation — when the immune system within the brain (the microglia) becomes overactive. This can be triggered by:

  • Infections crossing the blood-brain barrier
  • Mycotoxins
  • Persistent immune activation from chronic illness
  • Gut-brain axis disruption

Symptoms of neuroinflammation include:

  • Brain fog
  • Poor word recall
  • Slow processing speed
  • Mood swings or emotional numbness
  • Trouble concentrating or multitasking

Supporting brain detox, restoring blood-brain barrier integrity, and modulating immune response in the brain is an essential piece of recovery — not just a “bonus.”

🌍 Our treatment Approach

Since chronic fatigue is so multi-factorial, our treatment always starts with a comprehensive evaluation from electrical diagnostics, to traditional and functional labs to detailed history and questionnaires. From this information we are able to tailor a protocol to address your unique presentation.

Your plan may include:

  • Low Energy Neurofeedback
  • Transcranial Laser
  • Biofield therapies to address neuronal dysfunction and neurotransmitters
  • Pulsed Electromagnetic Field therapy
  • HOCATT
  • Biocharger to boost cellular voltage and function
  • Nanovi to restore protein function
  • Molecular hydrogen to decrease inflammation in the brain

A Smarter Path to Better Health

Designed for the Patient Who Wants Answers, Not Band-Aids

At Empower Health, we believe true healing requires clarity, strategy, and hands-on care. Our approach is structured yet personalized — designed to support your body’s natural healing process with precision and compassion.

Root-Cause Investigation

We take the time to uncover what’s actually driving your symptoms — not just manage them. Our process uses advanced testing to map imbalances across immune, hormonal, neurological, and detox systems.

Collaborative, Ongoing Care

Healing doesn’t happen in a single visit. We stay involved throughout your journey, adjusting protocols based on progress and supporting you through every phase — physically, mentally, and emotionally.

Functional Medicine That Delivers

Our goal isn’t to suppress symptoms. It’s to restore health. We use clinical-grade supplements, targeted therapies, and real-world strategies to help you feel like yourself again — sustainably.

Testimonials

What Our Patients Say

Basic with transparent background

Melanie Q.

5/5

"I cannot express enough gratitude for the incredible care I received from Dr. Johns! After struggling with chronic fatigue and brain fog for years, I finally feel like a new person, full of energy and life. Dr. Johns expertise, compassionate approach, and dedication to my well-being made all the difference."

Basic with transparent background

Kelsey M.

5/5

"Dr John’s turned my son’s life around. He is so knowledgeable, experienced and explains everything so eloquently, leaving no questions unanswered. He spent his time with us at every appointment, and we felt we never rushed. We felt that Dr John’s truly cared about our child and wasn’t satisfied until he was healed. "

Real Stories. Real Healing.

Discover how patients just like you found answers, relief, and renewed health.