Protein Nutrition in Fibromyalgia

AbstractBackground: Fibromyalgia (FM) is a soft-tissue disease of unknown origin. It causes soft-tissue pain and stiffness, often with chronic fatigue, disrupted sleep, headaches and irritable bowel. Fibromyalgia affects an estimated six million Americans of which 80 to 90 percent are female.Objective: To determine whether dietary intake of protein, Tryptophan, and Branched Chain Amino Acids (BCAA) meet Dietary Reference Intake (DRI) recommendations, and whether there is a difference in animal and vegetable protein intake in subjects with FM compared to healthy controls.Methods: Thirty subjects with FM and an equal number of controls completed a Food Frequency Questionnaire (FFQ) regarding dietary intake over the previous month. The FFQs were then computer analyzed to determine dietary intake.Results: Protein intake of all subjects was more than adequate to meet DRI recommendations and there was no significant difference in intake of protein, BCAA, Tryptophan, animal or vegetable protein. Subjects with FM...