Many cases of tiredness are due to stress, not enough sleep, poor diet and other lifestyle factors. Try these self-help tips to restore your energy levels. If you feel you're suffering from fatigue, which is an overwhelming tiredness that isn't relieved by rest and sleep, you may have an underlying medical condition.
One of the best vitamins for lack of energy is vitamin B12, an essential vitamin that the cells need to produce energy. This vitamin helps form red blood cells that transport oxygen in the blood, which is then used for energy production. Another great vitamin for tiredness is Coenzyme Q10, or CoQ10.
Magnesium plays many crucial roles in the body, such as supporting muscle and nerve function and energy production.
If you lead an active lifestyle, or you just need an energy boost, both Vitamin B12 and Iron can help reduce feelings of tiredness and fatigue.
Energy drinks that contain ingredients like green tea, coffee, and guarana can help provide a quick boost of energy when you're feeling fatigued. Sipping on an energy drink can help you feel more alert and may even improve your mood ( 4 ).
Get moving. Exercise is a natural energy booster, because whenever you do it, oxygen-rich blood surges through your body to your heart, muscles, and brain. Regularly squeezing a workout into your day -- even if you can spare only 10 minutes at a time -- will help keep your energy levels at their peak.
The following factors can contribute to fatigue, either alone or in combination: Psychological and psychosocial – stress, anxiety, and depression. Physical – anemia, diabetes, glandular fever, and cancer. Physiological – pregnancy, breast-feeding, inadequate sleep, and excessive exercise.
By the age of 80, cerebral blood flow is approximately 20% less than at age 30, which means that the heart has less capacity for physical exertion and may feel fatigued more easily. As a result, we feel a gradual decline in our energy and endurance levels.
So does vitamin B12 give you energy? While B12 doesn't directly provide energy, it does give the body the tools it needs to convert food molecules into energy. Getting the recommended daily amount of B12 can therefore help ensure that the body is able to make the energy it needs to do everything you need it to do.
Many people feel tired and lack the energy needed to function at their best throughout the day. However, drinking enough water, following a balanced diet, getting enough sleep and exercise, and being sociable can benefit both your energy levels and your overall health.
Citrus fruits such as orange, grapefruit, and lemons offer a boost of energy as well as many health benefits. The vitamin C in citrus fruits plays an essential role in helping the body form amino acids, the precursors to chemicals that regulate energy levels.
Bananas contain helpful nutrients that make the body feel full of energy. A study in the journal PLoS One notes that eating a banana before a long bicycle ride helps performance and endurance just as much as a carbohydrate drink. While most people are not cycling each day, bananas may still provide energy.
Vitamin B12
Along with the other B vitamins, vitamin B12 helps transform the food you eat into energy that your cells can use. It also keeps your body's nerves and blood cells healthy and helps prevent a type of anemia that can make you weak and tired ( 22 ).
Left untreated, a vitamin B-12 deficiency can lead to anemia, fatigue, muscle weakness, intestinal problems, nerve damage and mood disturbances. The recommended daily amount of vitamin B-12 for adults is 2.4 micrograms.
Which is better to take: B6 or B12? Neither vitamin is better than the other—they're both equally essential to your well-being. To maintain a healthy lifestyle, you need to consume the correct amount of all vitamins and micronutrients.
Call for an appointment with your doctor if your fatigue has persisted for two or more weeks despite making an effort to rest, reduce stress, choose a healthy diet and drink plenty of fluids.
Lack of energy is a typical symptom for most major diseases, like heart disease, many types of cancer, autoimmune diseases such as lupus and multiple sclerosis, and anemia (too few red blood cells). Fatigue also is a common sign of depression and anxiety. And fatigue is a side effect of some medications.