What vitamins help with tiredness and fatigue?
According to Samantha Ferguson, M.S., R.D., L.D., a
registered dietitian & dietitian nutrition coach, nutritional deficiencies
can result in low energy and sporadic weariness since your body's billions of
cells depend on vitamins and minerals to produce energy. "To feel your
best and most energized, it's important to make sure you are replenishing these
stores because various factors, such as stress, exercise, alcohol, the
environment, and not eating enough, can deplete your vitamin and mineral
stores."
As stated by Ferguson, the first step in achieving this goal
is to consume a diet that is varied, balanced, and high in whole foods. Since
food is a complex source of vitamins, minerals, and phytochemicals that all
work together to create the most accessible versions of those vitamins and
minerals, it is crucial to try to receive those vitamins and minerals through
food first.
However, if your diet is healthy and you're still
experiencing fatigue, adding supplements to your daily routine may be able to
address any nutrient deficiencies and, as a result, help you gain more energy
as needed.
Yet, getting your levels of specific nutrients checked is
the only reliable way to find out if they are low. Therefore, it is a good idea
to speak with your general healthcare practitioner before taking any capsules
or combining any powders. They can perform a blood test to identify any deficiencies
and can then suggest the best dosage and product based on your test findings
and general health.
While you wait, this article has you covered with the
greatest vitamins (and minerals) for fatigue and low energy. All of these
supplements are supported by science and suggested by nutrition experts.
Vitamin
B12
Vitamin B12, also known as cobalamin or methylcobalamin in
its activated form, functions with the other seven B vitamins to "break
down the foods we eat and turn them into energy,"* according to May Zhu,
RDN, LDN, registered dietitian nutritionist and owner of Nutrition Happens.
Adenosine triphosphate (ATP), the primary energy currency that powers your
cells and entire body, is the source of this energy.
Zhu continues that vitamin B12 aids in the production of red
blood cells. This is essential for ensuring that the body receives enough
oxygen-rich blood and keeps a healthy level of red blood cells. You can feel
exhausted and in need of enough energy if your blood or red blood cells don't
have enough oxygen.
Whereas animal items like meat, eggs, shellfish, and dairy
have the highest levels of B12, numerous non-animal foods (including breakfast
cereals and nutritional yeasts) are also fortified with the vitamin. The
National Academies advises vegans and vegetarians to combine any
vitamin-B12-rich foods with supplementation in order to meet the recommended
dietary allowance (RDA) of 2.4 micrograms per day for adults because it can be
difficult for plant-based eaters to reach optimal levels of vitamin B12 through
diet alone.
Focus+ by mindbodygreen mixes high-potency B12 with caffeine
from organic whole coffee beans and cherries, ginseng from Panax, guarana, and
L-theanine to give your body and mind a constant supply of energy throughout
the day.
Vitamin
B6
According to a 2008 Cells research review, vitamin B6
(pyridoxal 5-phosphate in its active form), another component of the B vitamin
complex, can boost the creation and release of a number of energetic
neurotransmitters, such as dopamine, norepinephrine, and serotonin2. By
transforming glycogen, which is the form of carbs that is stored in the body,
into glucose, which is the body's primary energy source, the nutrient also
plays a significant role in metabolism and the release of energy from food,
according to Ferguson.
Contrary to B12, B6 can be found in a wide range of animal
and plant sources, such as poultry, seafood (such as tuna and salmon),
chickpeas, dark leafy greens, bananas, and more. So it shouldn't be too
difficult to consume enough of this vitamin through meals, particularly
considering the RDA for adults ages 19 to 50 is only 1.3 milligrams per day.
(According to the US Department of Agriculture, a 1-ounce serving of salmon
includes 1.26 micrograms of vitamin B63.
Vitamin
D
According to Valerie Agyeman, R.D., dietitian and host of
the Flourish Heights podcast, vitamin D not only improves mood and promotes a
strong immune system, but it can also help keep your energy levels steady.
Agyeman says that vitamin D-deficient patients frequently
experience poor energy and occasional weariness. That may be the case because
vitamin D aids in the utilization of oxygen by mitochondria, the powerhouses of
the cell that produce energy. This, in turn, aids in supplying energy to a
variety of body parts, including muscles, she says.
If you don't spend a lot of time outside and don't live
close to the equator, you probably don't get enough vitamin D every day. Take
it from a study, which has shown that 41% and 29% of American adults are
vitamin D inadequate, respectively.
And to make matters worse, meals contain very little vitamin
D. Yes, you may find it in meals like fatty fish (like salmon), eggs, and
fortified items like morning cereals, milk, and orange juice. To achieve the
recommended daily vitamin D intake target of 5,000 IU, however, you probably
need to supplement with a high-quality vitamin D3 product.
Ferguson advises adding a vitamin D supplement to your
regimen if you want to improve nutrient absorption. Alternatively, if you want
to achieve even better results, choose mind body green's vitamin D3
potency+, and it has an organic trio of olive, flaxseed, and avocado oil
created right into its formula.
Magnesium
It may not come as a surprise to hear that magnesium, in
Agyeman's words, is a crucial component in energy production given that it's
involved in over 300 enzymatic reactions5 in the body (according to a 2017
Scientifica review): "Magnesium helps convert food into energy and is
needed for the production of ATP," she says. (As you may recall, ATP
serves as the basic form of energy in cells.)
So it stands to reason that you would experience fatigue
more frequently if your body lacked enough magnesium levels. The substance that
powers your cells cannot be produced by your body because it lacks the
necessary components.
What is good news? There are several foods that contain
magnesium, such as dairy goods, legumes, seeds, whole grains, and green
vegetables. What's the bad news? The recommended daily allowance (RDA) for
magnesium, which is 400–420 milligrams for males and 310–320 milligrams for
women, is thought to be only around 50% of what is found in the typical
American diet.
Supplementation may be helpful if you aren't getting enough
magnesium in your diet; just be sure to choose the best kind of magnesium
supplement from the numerous available. For instance, Zhu recommends magnesium
malate as the greatest supplement for increasing energy, while Ferguson claims
that magnesium glycinate can assist sound sleep, which in turn can aid with
energy levels.
Iron
Hemoglobin, a protein found in red blood cells that aid in
the transportation of oxygen around the body, is made of iron. "The
tissues, muscles, and cells will lack oxygenation and blood flow when the body
is low on oxygen, causing you to feel more exhausted," Ferguson says.
Filling your plate with iron-rich foods, which include lean
meats, fish, poultry, fortified items (including cereals and bread), beans, and
nuts, can help you maintain healthy iron levels and prevent any energy slumps
brought on by low iron. Ferguson suggests combining foods high in iron and
vitamin C (such as citrus fruits, red peppers, broccoli, and tomatoes) to
increase the body's ability to absorb this important mineral.
Remember that if you don't consume meat, poultry, or seafood your daily requirement will be nearly twice as high (18 milligrams for
adult women who are menstruating and 8 milligrams for adult men and
postmenopausal women, according to the National Academies). This is true
because heme iron, which is present in animal meals, is more readily absorbed
by the body than non-heme iron found in plant foods.
The
conclusion
Being deficient in essential nutrients is one of several
factors that might contribute to fatigue. Especially if you're already lacking,
there are some vitamins that may directly affect your energy levels and make a
difference. Others might contribute to certain processes that aid in generating
and preserving energy," says Agyeman.
For instance, iron is required for the production of
hemoglobin, a protein found in red blood cells that aid in the transportation
of oxygen throughout the body. A lack of iron prevents your body from receiving
enough oxygen-rich blood, which can cause fatigue. Vitamin B12, vitamin B6,
vitamin D, and magnesium are additional nutrients that may have an impact on
your energy levels. As a result, these vitamins are among the finest for
weariness and low energy.
You should initially attempt to obtain the vitamins and
minerals you require every day from whole foods before addressing any
nutritional insufficiencies or deficiencies. You may improve any dietary
deficiencies and encourage healthy energy levels by including supplements in your
regimen (such as mind-body green's focus+, which provides 360 mcg of vitamin B12
and other energetic phytonutrients and botanicals).
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