What is Norepinephrine
Norepinephrine (NE) is a naturally occurring chemical that is both a hormone and a neurotransmitter. The main role of hormones is to regulate things in our body, while neurotransmitters would send signals from one cell to another cell in your central nervous system.
Sometimes called the noradrenaline, norepinephrine is important for our body’s “fight or flight” response since it is responsible for spiking our blood pressure and heart rate when we are in a dangerous situation. NE is likened to adrenaline and health experts believe that it helps the body to determine the basic level of arousal and stimulation. It is also linked to depression and anxiety. A high level of NE happens when we feel extreme joy or euphoria.
Since joy and euphoria are not found on people with fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome, it is not surprising why research suggests that patients suffering from these conditions have either low NE or that their bodies are unable to efficiently use NE. However, the link to NE is often more definite in people with fibromyalgia, although some studies show that people with chronic fatigue syndrome have an imbalance of dopamine and NE. Furthermore, certain treatments that provide more NE to the brain have shown success to some patients.
