Source: www.sciencealert.com
by BEC CREW

Up to 1 million Americans and 2.6 percent of the global population are estimated to have chronic fatigue syndrome, and for decades, the illness has been trivialised due to a lack of scientific evidence supporting its diagnosis.

But for those living with the disorder, the effects can be profound, and now an investigation into the two most commonly prescribed treatments – psychotherapy and exercise (seriously) – has found that they’re being recommended based on some seriously shoddy science.

If you happen to be diagnosed with chronic fatigue syndrome, chances are you’ll be given two recommendations from your doctor – exercise more, or find a good psychotherapist.

Despite the fact that we now have scientific evidence that chronic fatigue syndrome is in fact a biological disorder – and not a psychological condition – researchers have struggled to find treatments to match our updated understanding of the disease.

That means doctors have little choice but to continue recommending what appears to be the best course of action, based on a 2011 study published in The Lancet.

According to that paper – nicknamed the PACE trial, and led by a researcher from the Queen Mary University of London – if you choose to engage in either psychotherapy or exercise, you will have a 60 percent chance of seeing some improvement in your chronic fatigue, and a 20 percent chance of recovering outright.

read more here