Common Causes Of Nutrient Deficiencies
If a visit to your doctor and lab tests reveal you are deficient in one of the above nutrients, your doctor may recommend short or long-term supplementation. Nutrient deficiencies are often caused by poor nutrition, but they can also be caused by malabsorption disorders in which the small intestine isn’t able to absorb the nutrients from food.
According to Mayo Clinic, the most common cause of B12 deficiency is lack of intrinsic factor, a protein produced in the stomach necessary for B12 to be absorbed into the bloodstream. Lack of intrinsic factor can be inherited or it can result from an autoimmune disorder. B12 deficiency can also be caused by restrictive vegan and vegetarian diets, since animal foods are the only reliable dietary sources of the vitamin.
In addition to malabsorption issues and poor diet, folate deficiency can be caused by excessive alcohol intake, since alcohol decreases absorption. Certain medications, such as anti-seizure medications, can also affect folate absorption. Lastly, pregnant or breastfeeding women, as well as kidney patients undergoing hemodialysis, are more likely to be deficient in folate because they have increased nutrient needs.
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Ways To Deal With Fatigue
Fatigue and an overwhelming feeling of tiredness cant always be relieved by rest, and its more common than not to have low energy levels in our fast-paced modern world. You might find yourself constantly moving from one task to another, not having the time to listen to your body and truly take time for yourself. Or maybe your chronic tiredness is making you feel low and you are struggling to even get out of bed each morning.
To those familiar with this feeling, there are some self-help ways you can combat tiredness. Were sharing our top 5 tips to help you control you fatigue and boost energy levels.
Eat a balanced diet
Following a healthy and balanced diet has numerous benefits including boosting those all-important energy levels. Ensure you are getting enough nutrients from fresh, whole foods and eating a variety of food groups to sustain your energy levels throughout the day.
Get moving!
Exercise is probably the last thing on your mind if youre feeling tired, but the more you get moving, the less tired you will feel in the long run. Whether its a 10-15 minute walk or a 3 mile run, any exercise is beneficial.
Incorporate vitamin capsules into your diet
Cut down on stimulants such as caffeine and alcohol
Drink more water
It is important to note that if your fatigue and low energy levels are interfering with your day-to-day life, you should make an appointment to see your GP as it can be a sign of an underlying condition.
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What Supplements Should I Take For Chronic Fatigue
WTHN Team/15.09.20
Are you constantly tired? Feeling the yawns with no end in sight? While we cant diagnose if you are truly experiencing chronic fatigue, we can define the condition, point out the symptoms of CFS and showcase some all-natural alternative medicine remedies for energy production that might get you feeling rejuvenated and energized again!
To be tired is in fact tiring! You just dont feel like yourself, and theres so much thats lost during the day. And if you are awake for it, the actual memory from this experience might be a bit groggy.
Let us help! Well look further into why you may be feeling this way and what methods are available to you. Without the freeing feeling of rejuvenation, living your life in the way you want might be put to the sidelines. And we dont want that to happen!
So lets look at some symptoms and causes of chronic fatigue together, along with what actionable steps you can take to recharge your body and your life!
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What Factors Pose A Risk
Are there really any heightened risk factors for people to constantly be more tired than others? Unfortunately, the short answer is YES! There are actually two main factors to take into consideration when looking deeper into CFS.
Unfortunately, the following two factors cant really be controlled.
Most women never stop, and thus, they are more likely to be diagnosed with this type of medical dilemma and appear more tired than men. However, it is also speculated that women tend to be better communicators and might just be reporting these symptoms more than men. Therefore, CFS patients could be pretty equal in terms of prevalence between genders.
Of course, CFS can happen at any age, but its especially common in individuals who are middle-aged. As you get older, its harder to sustain your energy as in your younger years.
Do you find that you fall into both categories and that it’s harder to feel refreshed after a good night’s sleep? These factors may be the reason why youre more susceptible to tiredness and feel like you cant escape your feelings of exhaustion.
Plus, as our bodies grow and change, there’s the heightened possibility that people will experience more fatigue as they age. However, there are some clear signs that indicate that there is more of a problem than the regular signs of aging or gender.
Know Whats In Your Supplement
Research is your best friend when it comes to natural vitamins so make sure to do some research before taking anything new!
Avoid any artificial sweeteners while on the quest for natural energy boosters as they may actually cause fatigue instead of stopping it.
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This Is Especially Important For Vegans And Vegetarians As The Main Source Of B12 In Food Is In Meat
Vitamin B1
Thiamine is very important to our brain for tiredness, positive mood, its powerful anti-stress properties as well as being useful for focus and concentration. Low energy, depression, tiredness and fatigue, PMS and sleep disorders may be signs of mild deficiency which can be easily corrected with supplements
Vitamin B2
Riboflavin helps our brain with energy and tiredness, mental clarity and a healthy mood through being an important factor in the production of serotonin as part of the tryptophan and Vitamin B3 pathway
Vitamin B3
Niacin helps us feel less tired as it boosts our brain with energy, mental clarity and a healthy mood through being an important factor in the production of serotonin as part of the tryptophan and Vitamin B2 pathway .
Vitamin B5
Vitamin B5, also called pantothenic acid, is one of the most important vitamins for human life. Its necessary for making blood cells, it helps you convert the food you eat into energy, it enhances memory, it reduces brain fog and fatigue helping with focus and concentration as part of the production of the neurotransmitter acetylcholine . If you are lacking this vitamin it could lead to low energy, fatigue and feeling tired all the time.
Vitamin B6
Vitamin B7
Many people who feel tired all the time are lacking in B vitamins, so its important take vitamin B12 and folate at the same time.
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Best Vitamins To Combat Tiredness & Fatigue
- 10th March 2021
Whether its to help with the effects of a restless night sleep or for a mid-day boost, OriGym have shortlisted the best vitamins for tiredness and fatigue so you dont have to let a lack of energy affect the day ahead of you.
We all encounter low-energy periods, spells where no matter what we do and how much coffee we drink, we simply cannot seem to shake the feelings of fatigue.
However, this doesnt have to set the tone for the remainder of your day the supplement market is plentiful with offerings to give you that necessary boost in the times that you need it.
In this guide, we will cover all of the questions you have surrounding vitamins for tiredness and fatigue, including the following contents:
You may already feel that your vitamin and nutrition knowledge is up to scratch. If that is the case, OriGyms REPS and CIMSPA accredited nutrition course might just be the career choice for you!
If youre not quite ready to take the plunge, you can download our FREE prospectus here where you can ensure that the course, or one of the many others that we offer here, is the best fit for your career goals.
Dont forget to fill in yor details below for your FREE food diary.
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Effects Of Supplementation With Vitamins And Minerals On Physical Fatigue
Few studies have addressed the effect of supplementation with vitamins and minerals on physical fatigue and data are lacking, especially regarding niacin, pyridoxine or cobalamin. Existing supplementation studies most often use large doses, well above daily nutritional requirements: this helps provide the proof of concept and demonstrates the role of the vitamin or mineral in alleviating physical fatigue but it does not document the appropriate amounts to be given or the nutrient status that should be reached.
6.2.1. Supplementation with Individual B Vitamins and Physical Fatigue
In 16 young athletes, high-dose thiamine supplementation for 3 days markedly increased blood thiamine level and significantly decreased the number of complaints after a cycling exercise, in a subjective fatigue assessment .
A few animal findings support a role of supplementation with pantothenic acid in alleviating muscular fatigue whereas human data are still controversial. During exercise, rats made deficient in pantothenic acid became exhausted more rapidly and their tissue acetyl-CoA levels were lower than in vitamin B5-replete animals. A 2 week supplementation with 2 g/day of pantothenic acid translated into better performance for trained distance runners, with a better use of oxygen and less lactic acid accumulation, but this was not reproduced in another similar study .
6.2.2. Supplementation with Vitamin C and Physical Fatigue
Ginseng The Stress Fighter
Great for combating stress, supplements derived from the ginseng plant have been proven to help improve symptoms of chronic fatigue. Participants in a study3 conducted by Koreas Daejeon University were found to have lower levels of toxins and free radicals in the blood, reporting improved energy levels overall. Similarly to caffeine, ginseng should be taken on an ad-hoc basis, depending on the state of your bodys global energy levels.
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Zma Zinc Magnesium And Vitamin B6
ZMA is a hugely popular supplement with people who want better quality sleep. Its particularly popular with men, but women can and do benefit from it, too. Our capsules deliver a huge 500mg blend of highly bioavailable forms of Zinc and Magnesium and includes the original l-OptiZinc supplement. Thats the only Zinc-Mag supplement validated by published research. Be sure your ZMA supplement contains it .
Heres why ZMA might help you sleep and recover better. Zinc is responsible for testosterone production. Magnesium is well-known for increasing sleep quality. And helps both Zinc and Magnesium to be better absorbed and used by the body. Regardless of your training or diet, ZMA will help increase natural hormone levels, support better sleep, and help with brain function and clarity. All of which will make you feel a lot better no matter how stressful life gets.
How Many Vitamins For Tiredness And Fatigue Should You Take A Day
The number of vitamins for tiredness and fatigue you should take a day is sadly not a one answer question. This will vary from one vitamin to another and also factors in that the bodys need for each of the individual vitamins and minerals is massively various. While women require 18mg of iron a day and men require 8mg, the adult body only needs about 1.5 micrograms of vitamin B12 a day.
For reference, if we look closer at a few of the vitamins on this list and their recommended dosages from their available Holland & Barrett offerings, you can see how they differ.
Their Vitamin B12 tablets are advised to be taken at a dose of one to two tablets a day, preferably with meals and emphasises that the dose should not be exceeded.
The Vitamin C Timed Release caplets suggests taking a dosage of between one and four capsules a day with the same guidance in conjunction with meals. This mirrors the instructions provided for Holland & Barrett Biotin tablets, also.
The brands Active Iron capsules should only be taken at a dosage of one a day with no specific timing of consumption recommended.
Additionally, always be careful to read the ingredients list to ensure that youre familiar with what youre increasing your intake of.
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The Complications Cfs Can Create
If you feel tired more often than not, this can create complications you might not be used to. In fact, it can put quite the damper on a normal daily routine. Dont worry, a normal life is still possible. Here are a few different lifestyle changes that may result from fatigue:
- Lifestyle restrictions
- Increased feelings of sadness
How Do Supplements For Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Help
Chronic fatigue syndrome is a complex condition that can be difficult to treat. While there is no one-size-fits-all approach, many people find that supplements can help to ease their symptoms.
Supporting the systems affected by CFS can provide relief as the body heals. Support for energy function in the mitochondria, brain function, muscle soreness, fatigue, and sleep support are a few systems that supplementation can support.
Mitochondrial function, in particular, has been noted as an essential aspect of managing CFS.
It is important to note there is research on these supplements, and we will discuss the study in each section. However, supplements and vitamins are not researched as thoroughly as medications, so the evidence is typically not as strong.
Discuss your CFS with your healthcare provider and see if a supplement might make sense for you to try.
About our ratings:
We look at the research backing each supplement and reference the findings in our suggestions.
Quality
A high-quality supplement, herb, and vitamin will typically be a little more expensive because it uses high-quality ingredients. Supplements should be a supplement to your healthy lifestyle and diet and stay as clean and natural as food.
Lower quality vitamins and supplements typically have inferior quality ingredients and fillers that decrease the efficacy.
Price
Supplements can be expensive, but they dont have to be. We will rate the pricing based on the quality of ingredients and efficacy.
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Relationships Between Vitamin And Mineral Dietary Intake Or Status And Mental Fatigue And Cognitive Or Psychological Functions
Beyond severe deficiencies, which readily translate into clinical consequences, inadequate status or intakes in vitamins and minerals is known to be associated with cognitive and psychological dysfunction. While the general adult population is affected, studies are especially numerous in populations where the brain is either more demanding because of its rapid development, such as in children, or is affected by degeneration, such as in older subjects. This section and the following one report data on all these age ranges.
7.2.1. Intake or Status in Individual B Vitamin and Mental Fatigue and Cognitive or Psychological Functions
Low dietary intakes of thiamine are associated with higher risk of cognitive impairment thiamine-dependent biochemical processes are diminished in patients with Alzheimer disease and glucose metabolism is especially hampered .
In 100 elderly Koreans with mild cognitive impairment, a higher riboflavin intake was correlated with better cognitive performance on several tests .
Positive correlations exist between low dietary intakes of pantothenic acid and low scores obtained by 97 adults with mood disorders in the Global Assessment of Functioning, a questionnaire designed to evaluate social, occupational, and psychological functioning . Similar findings come from a study in 710 Spanish school children that suggest that children with depressive symptoms had lower intakes of vitamin B5, as well as of other B vitamins .
Potential Side Effects Of Supplements
Taking supplements can be as easy as popping a pill, but experts say while they are necessary if youâre low on a specific vitamin or a mineral, itâs always best to get the nutrients directly from food.
In some cases, you may need supplements if you:
- Are deficient in a nutrient
- Have trouble absorbing nutrients
- Have diet restrictions.
But just because a supplement is ânatural,â that doesnât necessarily make it safe. Many dosages can be more than your daily minimum requirement. This can be toxic and cause side effects that can include:
Dietary supplements can also interact with drugs and make them less effective. Itâs always best to talk to your doctor, a dietitian, or a pharmacist about correct dosage and possible side effects before you take them.
If youâre feeling a dip in energy or are fighting fatigue, it may also be a sign of a serious illnesses, so ask your doctor about it.
Itâs also important to note that the FDA doesnât regulate dietary supplements the same way it does prescription drugs. If you have a bad reaction to a supplement, tell your doctor right away. If itâs an emergency, call 911 or go to the nearest hospital.
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Fatigue Cause No : Anemia
Anemia is one of the leading causes of fatigue in women. Menstrual blood loss can cause an iron deficiency, putting women at risk. Red blood cells are needed because they carry oxygen to your tissues and organs.
Fix: For anemia caused by an iron deficiency, taking iron supplements and eating iron-rich foods, such as lean meat, liver, shellfish, beans, and enriched cereal, can help.
