I have been busy researching and digging into medical journals and studies. At times I felt like my head was going to explode, but there is so much exciting information that it was SO worth it! Let's start with EpicGenetics Inc, which was incorporated on February 9, 2012, in Los Angeles, CA. They are Directed by Dr. Bruce S. Gill and are in good standing with the BBB (Better Business Bureau, 2021). EpicGenetics is a biomedical company that has teamed up with the Mayo Clinic and University of Illinois College of Medicine to improve the diagnosis and treatment of fibromyalgia patients. It looks like they may have something. (2)
EpicGenetics Inc. (EG) and the University of Illinois College of Medicine started a study to identify which patients were least likely to develop severe and life-threatening symptoms. During testing, EG started to notice the IL-6 and IL-8 levels were low in Fibromyalgia patients. (3)(5) Ok, cool, but what are IL-6 and IL-8?
IL-6 stands for Interleukin 6. Ok, well that does not tell us too much. Here is what it does: It is a cytokine protein. Cytokine proteins are defined by the US National Medical Library as: "Cytokines are a broad group of signaling proteins that are produced transiently, after cellular activation, and act as humoral regulators which modulate the functions of individual cells, and regulate processes taking place under normal, developmental and pathological conditions." So they are a protein that hides in cells till they are activated by some need.
What is IL-6's main purpose? It is just easier to say it is part of our immune system. The main purpose of IL-6 has pro-and anti-inflammatory properties. It also works with the metabolism, heating of the body, aging, major depressive disorders, and muscle contractions. Honestly, this only scratches the surface of what IL-6 is involved in. (6)
What is IL-8's main purpose? IL-8 is associated with epithelial cells, airway smooth muscle cells, and endothelial cells. For example, when someone has bronchitis, IL-8 levels are high. High IL-8 levels have also been associated with cystic fibrosis and schizophrenia.
So let's get to the more exciting part of this. While conducting the study on who is more susceptible to the more severe and deadly symptoms of COVID, EG noticed that COVID patients were being flooded with IL-6 and IL-8 proteins, which are associated with the "Cytokine Storms", that is making COVID-19 so dangerous. What they found with Fibromyalgia patients with COVID-19 is that their bodies were not overproducing the proteins and were not having "Cytokine Storms". Other research has found that Fibromyalgia patients are deficient in the IL-6 and IL-8 proteins. They are not saying Fibromyalgia patients can not get COVID, just that they are more likely not to suffer from the severe or life-threatening symptoms with COVID-19. This also does not mean that they are not subject to the post-COVID long hauler syndrome that is affecting many patients. (1)(3)(4)
Hold your hats for this next bit of news. In 2012 EG started an FDA-approved test to diagnose Fibromyalgia, and with this new information, have started a study for a vaccine to help Fibro Warriors. (3)
Now my devil's advocate side comes out and checks reviews and comments. Most comments are full of appreciation and gratitude. Unfortunately, there was a contributor that was not very happy. Her test did come back as positive for Fibromyalgia. She follows up by saying if she would have just stopped at the diagnosis she would have died because it turns out that she had a very rare disease that would have killed her. I can come up with a few scenarios as to why this could happen: She has both illnesses or the rare illness has the same criteria as the fibro test. I am happy to hear that she did not stop and found out what was going on with her. Listen to your body, no one knows it better than you.
EpicGenetics is offering a free COVID genetic antibody test to anyone that gets a Fibromyalgia test. Anyone that is positive for Fibromyalgia will be asked if they would like to participate in their study. For more information go to https://fmtest.com/.
Resources:
Batres-MarroquÃn, A.-B. M., Medina-GarcÃa, A.-C. M., Vargas Guerrero, A. M., Barrera- Villalpando, M.-I. P., MartÃnez-LavÃn, M. M., & MartÃnez-MartÃnez, L.-A. M. (2020, December 2). Effect of COVID-19 Pandemic Lockdown on Fibromyalgia Symptoms. Retrieved January 18, 2021, from JCR: Journal of Clinical Rheumatology: https://journals.lww.com/jclinrheum/Citation/9000/Effect_ of_COVID_19_Pandemic_Lockdown_on.98472.aspx
Better Business Bureau. (2021, 01 20). EpicGenetics, Inc. Retrieved from Better Business Bureau: https://www.bbb.org/us/ca/los-angeles/profile/medical-lab/epicgenetics-inc-1216-1267371
Chen, I.-C. (2020, June 12). EpicGenetics teams with U of Illinois on test for severe Covid-19. Retrieved from Chicago Business Journal: https://www.bizjournals.com/chicago/news/2020/06/12/epicgenetics-teams-with-u-of-illinois-covid-test.amp.html?__twitter_impression=true&fbclid=IwAR21joR51rCeh9ME Xxaj9tFKbe_oiL4DYEYKYPbQQeZR5LsjWaaRokF8XOM
Dellwo, A. (2020, November 15). What to Know About Fibromyalgia and COVID-19. Retrieved from Very Well Health: https://www.verywellhealth.com/fibromyalgia-covid-19-5079661
Rebecca Sadun1, J. R.-S. (2020, November 8). The Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on the Fibromyalgia Symptoms of SLE Patients. Retrieved from ACR Abstracts: https://acrabstracts.org/abstract/the-impact-of-the-covid-19-pandemic-on-the-fibromyalgia-symptoms-of-sle-patients/
Stefan Rose-John, K. W. (2017, June 15). The role of IL-6 in host defense against infections: immunobiology and clinical implications. Retrieved from Nature Reviews: https://www.nature.com/articles/nrrheum.2017.83