Over 3 Million Americans Have Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: Report

The latest estimate is 25 percent to 75 percent higher than the last from 2015.

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Over 3.3 million Americans suffer from chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS), a new report from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) indicates. The latest estimate is 25 percent to 75 percent higher than the last, published in 2015. Then, it was believed that somewhere between 836,000 and 2.5 million had the disorder.

In its new report, the CDC looked at the results of a National Center for Health Statistics Survey to determine how common CFS is. The survey asked respondents if they had ever been told by a doctor or health professional that they had CFS and whether they still had the disorder.

Over 57,000 U.S. adults were surveyed, and about 1.3 percent responded yes to both questions.

The report highlighted that CFS often increases with age and that the disorder most often occurs in women and white, non-Hispanic patients. Furthermore, adults who lived below the poverty line were more likely to have CFS, as were those living in rural places.

Breaking Down the Stats

While 1.3 percent of respondents answered yes to both questions, 1.7 women responded yes, indicating that CFS is more common among women.

Additionally, researchers found that older adults between the ages of 50 and 69 were more likely to respond yes to both questions than the general study group. However, that likelihood dropped as respondents reached 70 years of age.

CFS prevalence varied among races, as well. Asian, non-Hispanic Americans were least likely to have the condition (0.7 percent), while white, non-Hispanic Americans were most likely to respond yes to both questions (1.5 percent). CFS was more common among blacks, with 1.2 percent responding yes to both questions. Only 0.8 percent of Hispanic Americans responded in the affirmative.

Of particular note is that 2 percent of the survey respondents with an income of less than 100 percent of the federal poverty line have CFS. Therefore, the data suggest that higher income is associated with lower rates of CFS.

Lastly, researchers noted that individuals who lived in rural counties or towns with a population of fewer than 2,500 people had a greater chance of having the condition.

A Complex Disorder

The December report sheds light on a complicated disorder that physicians now understand is less rare than previously thought.

According to the CDC, scientists and health professionals haven’t yet identified a cause for chronic fatigue syndrome. Experts recognize that long COVID has exacerbated the problem, potentially triggering an immune system change in those who suffer from it. Other potential causes include infections, stress affecting body chemistry, changes in energy production, and genetics.

Symptoms of CFS vary, and the severity can change throughout the course of the week or month. Along with fatigue, an individual may experience the following symptoms:

• Extreme exhaustion after physical or mental exercise.
• Problems with memory or thinking skills.
• Dizziness, especially after standing up from a sitting or lying-down position.
• Muscle or joint pain.
• Unrefreshing sleep.

Some people with CFS also report cold-like symptoms, including headaches, sore throats, or tender lymph nodes. Others are extra sensitive to light, sound, smells, or foods.

Because there is no established cause of CFS, diagnosis can take time. Diagnosis criteria include exhaustion or fatigue that is so severe it prevents someone from engaging in activities, is not alleviated by rest, and is worsened by physical, mental, or emotional exertion.

By understanding who is most affected by chronic fatigue syndrome, physicians will be better able to establish treatment protocols for those individuals.