Why Are You Always Feeling Tired? Understanding Fatigue and Energy Boosters
On our journey through life, we all face challenging situations such as work-related stress, relationship issues, and health concerns that can leave us feeling constantly tired. Also, low energy levels can result from post-COVID syndrome, anemia, heart failure, vitamin deficiency, or a sign of an underlying illness. If you've been battling with unrelenting tiredness, it may be time to consult your healthcare provider.
Maintaining overall well-being requires good sleep habits, a balanced diet, and regular physical activity. But some people feel so tired that their fatigue interrupts their daily life. It turns out to be a vicious circle. Lack of energy during the day leads to indifference to healthy eating, reducing the desire to go for a walk or work out. In this case, your physician may recommend checking if you have deficiencies in nutrients and prescribing supplements to boost energy and reduce the feeling of tiredness.
Nutrients and Supplements for Energy
Vitamin B Complex
B vitamins contribute to the maintenance of healthy nervous and cardiovascular systems, including cognitive brain functions. They play a crucial role in managing stress levels and regulating metabolic processes. However, supplements will only enhance your performance if you are deficient in Vitamin B.
Magnesium
Magnesium is believed to improve the ability of the nervous system to cope with stress. It also increases the body's susceptibility to stress. Stress hormones secreted by endocrine glands are susceptible to magnesium levels - the higher the cortisol, the lower the magnesium. When you have enough magnesium in the blood, your body will produce fewer stress hormones. Walnuts and almonds are rich in magnesium.
Iron
Iron is involved in transporting oxygen to different body tissues, organs, and systems. Iron deficiency has several manifestations, including dry and pale skin, poor condition of hair, and brittle nails. Sometimes low levels of iron make people want to chew non-food items such as chalk or paper. They experience a constant lack of energy, even after a good night's sleep.
Iron supplements help manage these symptoms. An interesting fact: restoring iron levels reduces fatigue in women with a decreased ferritin level (ferritin is the storage depot for iron) and no anemia (iron deficiency). You can measure your ferritin levels with a special ferritin test.
Vitamin D
Vitamin D is associated with the production of serotonin and dopamine, which are implicated in mood regulation. If the body does not contain sufficient vitamin D, it cannot produce enough of these hormones, increasing the risk of depression, insomnia, and chronic fatigue. Unfortunately, long hours at the office and rare outdoor walks do not allow you to get enough of this vitamin naturally.
The easiest and most efficient way to compensate for a deficiency of vitamin D is to take supplements. Depending on the results of the blood test, your physician will help determine the correct dosage.
Curcumin
Curcumin is an herbal supplement derived from the root of the Curcuma longa plant. Curcumin has been found to slow down the aging process and reduce the risk of developing dementia. Studies have shown that curcumin supplements help boost dopamine and serotonin levels. Also, these hormones may lower rates of depression and stress.
Do Energy Drinks and Bars Help?
Energy Drinks
They will help you feel awake and energized for three to four hours. Energy drinks can be consumed before the upcoming mental or physical stress. Some studies confirm that taking energy drinks has beneficial effects on brain function. It improves memory, concentration, and reaction speed, delaying physical and emotional fatigue.
Energy drinks often contain high doses of B vitamins. Besides, energy drinks may cause high blood pressure, and regular consumption can trigger a stroke or liver damage.
Energy Bars
This type of snack is high in protein and fiber. An energy bar can serve as a rapid energy replenishment. It is a convenient source of nutrition for travelers, athletes, or people with specific dietary needs. Some bars may contain too much sugar (sweeteners) and caffeine.
Regular intake of energy bars puts more pressure on the digestive system and kidneys. It can also be a cause of constipation.