Autoimmune Fatigue
Fatigue is one of the most common, disabling and overlooked symptoms of autoimmune diseases. In conditions such as lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, multiple sclerosis, Sjögren’s syndrome and inflammatory bowel disease, fatigue is not simply “weakness”. It is a profound and disabling exhaustion that affects every aspect of daily life and often persists even when the underlying disease is in remission.
Autoimmune fatigue has a complex pathophysiology. Contributing factors include chronic inflammation that places a sustained energy burden on the body, mitochondrial dysfunction resulting from prolonged oxidative stress, neuroinflammation that disrupts the neurological mechanisms involved in energy regulation and sleep, and coexisting conditions such as anaemia or hypothyroidism, which may further intensify the problem.
Characteristics of Autoimmune Fatigue
Autoimmune fatigue differs from ordinary tiredness in its relationship to the underlying disease. It does not resolve with rest, often worsens following physical or mental exertion, a phenomenon known as post-exertional malaise, and may be accompanied by cognitive difficulties, sleep disturbance and muscle pain.
These characteristics make it difficult to manage with conventional analgesics or stimulants.
Mitochondrial dysfunction is considered one of the central mechanisms involved. Mitochondria, which produce adenosine triphosphate (ATP), function less effectively in the presence of chronic inflammation and oxidative stress. This leads to cellular energy deficiency, which clinically manifests as profound exhaustion.
Improving mitochondrial function therefore represents a direct and biologically rational therapeutic objective.
Scientific Studies
Studies evaluating fatigue as a primary outcome in patients with autoimmune diseases who received hyperbaric oxygen therapy have consistently reported improvements on standardised fatigue assessment tools, including the Fatigue Severity Scale and FACIT-Fatigue, across different disease categories.
These improvements have been attributed to enhanced mitochondrial activity, reduced neuroinflammation and improved cerebral oxygenation.
Particularly favourable findings have been reported in patients with fatigue associated with multiple sclerosis and lupus. The degree of improvement observed appears to exceed what would be expected from reduced inflammation alone, suggesting a direct effect on cellular energy metabolism.
The Role of Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy
In autoimmune fatigue, hyperbaric oxygen therapy targets underlying biological mechanisms, particularly mitochondrial dysfunction and neuroinflammation, rather than providing purely symptomatic relief.
Each session increases oxygen availability to support mitochondrial function, stimulates mitochondrial biogenesis for longer-term restoration of cellular energy production and reduces the neuroinflammatory processes that impair the neurological regulation of energy.
It is always used as an adjunct to treatment for the underlying autoimmune disease. A typical treatment course consists of 20 to 40 sessions.