Integrating Functional Medicine in the Treatment of Narcolepsy Type 1: A Case Report

This case describes a 45-year-old female physician diagnosed with narcolepsy type 1, confirmed by clinical presentation and HLA DQB1*06:02 positivity. The patient experienced persistent excessive daytime sleepiness and fatigue for several years, with poor response and pharmacologic intolerance to standard therapies including modafinil, venlafaxine, and methylphenidate.Due to limited improvement with conventional treatments, a functional medicine approach was initiated. This included targeted nutritional supplementation (e.g., omega-3, magnesium, coenzyme Q10, L-carnitine, creatine), intravenous vitamin C, lifestyle modifications, and music therapy at 852 Hz.Partial symptomatic improvement was achieved, particularly in morning functionality and energy levels. The patient's pharmacogenetic profile (CYP3A5*3/*3 and ABCB1 polymorphisms) guided medication selection and supported a precision medicine strategy. Her clinical course, combined with autoimmune-associated conditions such as psoriasis, aligned with emerging hypotheses of immune-mediated orexin neuron loss.This case illustrates the potential value of integrative and functional medicine as an adjunct in the multidisciplinary management of narcolepsy type 1, especially for patients with suboptimal response or intolerance to conventional therapies.