New Evidence Shows That Fibromyalgia Could Be Caused by Blood Dysfunction and Poor Oxygen Supply to Tissues
Nikhil Prasad Fact checked by:Thailand Medical News Team Apr 27, 2025 9 hours, 10 minutes ago
Medical News: Scientists Reveal a Shocking New Link Between Blood Problems and Chronic Pain in Fibromyalgia
A major new breakthrough from researchers at the Stress and Pain Neurophysiology Laboratory, Department of Medicine, Surgery and Neuroscience, University of Siena, Italy, suggests that fibromyalgia might not just be a mysterious neurological disorder but could actually be rooted in blood abnormalities and oxygen delivery problems.
Graohical Abstract - Fibromyalgia Could Be Caused by Blood Dysfunction and Poor Oxygen Supply to Tissues
This
Medical News report dives into the detailed findings that show how issues with blood cell function, vessel constriction, and oxygen supply could be the real culprits behind the persistent and devastating pain experienced by fibromyalgia patients.
Fibromyalgia May Be Caused by Hidden Blood Issues
Fibromyalgia affects around two to three percent of the population, mostly women, and causes widespread musculoskeletal pain, fatigue, depression, gut disorders, and cognitive problems. Traditional treatments have largely failed because the true cause of fibromyalgia has remained elusive.
However, researchers Anna Maria Aloisi and Ilenia Casini from the University of Siena found that fibromyalgia patients often have blood parameters that, while technically within the normal range, tend to cluster at the high or low limits. Many patients show slightly elevated red blood cell counts, high hematocrit levels, or changes in hemoglobin concentration, all of which may impair the blood’s ability to deliver oxygen properly to tissues. This poor oxygenation could trigger widespread pain, fatigue, and other fibromyalgia symptoms.
Poor Oxygen Delivery Could Be the Real Trigger for Chronic Pain
The body’s cells rely heavily on a steady oxygen supply to produce energy in the form of ATP. When oxygen levels drop, even slightly, cells become stressed and begin producing inflammatory chemicals and reactive oxygen species. This low oxygen, or hypoxic, environment promotes chronic inflammation, tissue damage, and pain.
The researchers noted that fibromyalgia patients have fewer capillaries, more vessel dilation, and lower blood flow in peripheral areas compared to healthy individuals. Even red blood cells in fibromyalgia patients show altered shapes and surface area to volume ratios, affecting their oxygen-carrying ability. Studies have also found higher blood viscosity, conflicting changes in hemoglobin levels, and impaired oxygen delivery in these patients.
At painful tender points, patients often exhibit signs of local hypoxia, with reduced muscle oxygenation and lower skin temperatures. These observations reinforce the idea that fibromyalgia pain might be driven by an invisible but widespread lack of oxygen at the cellular level.
Dehydration and Blood Volume Loss May Worsen the Condition
Another key factor is blood volum
e. Blood is about 90 percent water, and dehydration causes it to become thicker and more viscous, making it harder for oxygen to reach tissues. Many fibromyalgia patients experience chronic dehydration due to poor water intake, chronic diarrhea, hyperglycemia, or kidney-related water loss.
The researchers stressed that many fibromyalgia patients are unaware of how critical proper hydration is to maintaining blood fluidity and tissue oxygenation. Low blood volume further exacerbates hypoxia and chronic pain.
Blood Vessel Dysfunction Plays a Major Role
Blood vessels regulate where blood flows depending on the body's needs. In fibromyalgia patients, vessels often become overly constricted due to an overactive autonomic nervous system, chronic stress, hormonal imbalances, and chemical influences.
Vasoconstrictors like adrenaline, noradrenaline, vasopressin, angiotensin II, and endothelin-1 can sharply reduce blood flow to muscles and tissues. The researchers noted that women with fibromyalgia are especially prone to vasospastic phenomena such as Raynaud's phenomenon, where blood flow to extremities is severely reduced.
Interestingly, the number and sensitivity of vascular receptors vary between sexes and are heavily influenced by estrogen levels. As estrogen declines after menopause, women become even more vulnerable to vascular problems, helping to explain why fibromyalgia is much more common among women.
The Hidden Role of Serotonin and Gut Health
Serotonin, produced mainly in the gut, helps regulate blood vessel tone, platelet function, and inflammation. In fibromyalgia patients, lower serotonin levels are common. This deficit may impair small blood vessel dilation and reduce local blood flow.
Additionally, gut inflammation—a frequent problem in fibromyalgia—can increase circulating serotonin levels in abnormal ways, promoting blood clotting and inflammation, and raising the risk of microvascular problems. Inflammatory bowel disorders, which are often linked to fibromyalgia, further worsen this issue.
Hormonal Imbalances Deepen the Blood Flow Problems
The study also highlights the vital role of estrogen in cardiovascular health. Estrogen promotes blood vessel relaxation, reduces platelet aggregation, and combats oxidative stress. Its sudden drop after menopause can lead to stiffer blood vessels, higher clotting risks, and chronic low-grade inflammation.
Low estrogen levels were associated with lower nitric oxide production, an important molecule for vessel relaxation. The resulting imbalance leads to a vicious cycle of vasoconstriction, inflammation, and tissue hypoxia. Alarmingly, fibromyalgia patients also tend to show high nitric oxide levels in the blood and cerebrospinal fluid, which might paradoxically promote tissue damage through oxidative stress.
Chronic Inflammation Worsens Blood Flow and Pain
Fibromyalgia patients exhibit multiple signs of systemic inflammation, such as higher erythrocyte sedimentation rates, altered neutrophil to lymphocyte ratios, and elevated platelet to lymphocyte ratios. Inflammation promotes blood cell aggregation on vessel walls, leading to blockages, reduced blood flow, and more pain.
Moreover, chronic inflammation changes the behavior of red blood cells, platelets, and immune cells, contributing to further vessel dysfunction and tissue oxygen starvation. The researchers emphasized that gut inflammation, dehydration, and stress responses are all interconnected factors driving this blood-based dysfunction.
Conclusion
This important new research suggests that fibromyalgia is not merely a neurological or psychological disorder, but a complex blood-based disease involving oxygen deprivation, vessel constriction, hormonal imbalances, dehydration, and systemic inflammation. These findings open up entirely new possibilities for treatment. Instead of focusing only on painkillers, future therapies could aim to restore proper blood flow, improve hydration, support gut health, and balance hormonal and inflammatory pathways. Paying attention to basic biological needs like adequate water intake, stress reduction, vascular support, and anti-inflammatory measures could offer genuine relief to millions of fibromyalgia sufferers worldwide. This blood-centered view could finally help reframe fibromyalgia as a treatable condition rather than a life sentence of suffering.
The study findings were published in the peer reviewed International Journal of Molecular Sciences.
https://www.mdpi.com/1422-0067/26/9/4153
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