This is the fourth of a series looking at the supplements in Driscoll’s Theory Patented Supplement Parasym Plus.  Only the specific ratio is patented — you can take the items freely, and even replicate the ratios (likely at much lower cost!) — just don’t sell it!

This supplement had an unexpected surprise — it reduces lactic acidosis in some situations.

From 1999, “These data provide preliminary evidence of reduced functional B vitamin status, particularly of pyridoxine, in CFS patients.”

• [1999] “, a recent dietary survey yielded no evidence that such patients had low intakes of pyridoxine, riboflavin, thiamine or various other vitamins and micronutrients1 … A placebo controlled double-blind study of a polynutrient supplement including pyridoxine, riboflavin and thiamine has shown significant improvements, particularly fatigue scores, after six weeks’ treatment”
• “The absence of blood thiamine deficiency and the efficacy of high-dose thiamine in our patients suggest that fatigue is the manifestation of a thiamine deficiency, likely due to a dysfunction of the active transport of thiamine inside the cells, or due to structural enzymatic abnormalities.” [2013] The last phase would include dysfunctional microbiome.
• “The patient and his family responded to treatment with high doses of riboflavin and thiamine with a remarkable and sustained fatigue and muscle symptoms improvement” [2015]
• High-dose thiamine improves the symptoms of fibromyalgia.[2013]
• Aggravation of thiamine deficiency by magnesium depletion. A case report[1985]. — so magnesium supplementation concurrent is imporant
• “We report 5 cases of acute vitamin B-1 induced lactic acidosis in surgical patients receiving parenteral nutrition. In all patients treatment with vitamin B-1 induced a dramatical improvement of clinical findings.” [1990]  I include this citation because lactic acidosis is common in CFS. These citations are NOT for CFS.
  • “Thiamine replenishment at intravenous doses of 100 mg every 12 h resolved lactic acidosis and improved the clinical condition in 3 patients.” [1997]
  • “After thiamine administration, the patient very quickly recovered with dramatic reestablishment of the acid-base balance.” [2004]
  • “patients were subsequently diagnosed as having thiamine deficiency-induced lactic acidosis.” [1993]

Benfotiamine

This is a synthetic version of B1 – chemically slightly different (see earlier post). So whether it has the same impact as thiamine on lactic acidosis is an unknown (i.e. not studied)

Bottom Line

As with our last supplement, labs will likely show normal levels BUT supplementation results in significant improvement of symptoms. What is particularly interesting is that thiamine reduces/reveres lactic acidosis, a very significant factor for CFS patients.

You should supplement with magnesium (which I hope every one is doing already) when taking it.  Dosage, “100 mg  two- three times daily”. Three times per day cited on National Institute of Health for another condition. Two times for above cases of lactic acidosis.