Energy Supplements for Chronic Fatigue

It’s 2pm and you’re sitting at your desk yawning for the third time, thinking that you should have taken a nap in your car during lunch hour. Now, you’re counting down the hours until you can leave for the day and go for a well-needed nap (even though you know it will screw up your sleeping schedule).. Sound familiar? Keep reading. 

To be tired, is in fact, tiring. Right? You don’t feel like yourself, you're groggy, maybe you have less patience with your coworkers, friends and family. And all you want to do is sleep and feel normal again. If that’s the case, you may have chronic fatigue.

But don’t worry girl, in this post we’ve got some insight into what chronic fatigue actually is, signs and symptoms to look out for and what supplements can help you fight it off for good. Let’s get into it.

What is Chronic Fatigue?

Also referred to as CFS, or Chronic Fatigue Syndrome is a disorder that can be characterized by the feeling of extreme tiredness with no feeling of refreshment no matter how much sleep you get. 

People with chronic fatigue often have trouble with daily tasks, even something as simple as showering or getting dressed. Activities that were once easy to do, such as going out with friends or working, may suddenly become overwhelming and difficult for someone with chronic fatigue.

We know how frustrating it can be to still feel like you could sleep for 12 more hours when you wake up in the morning. Not only is it frustrating, but the symptoms only worsen if you take part in strenuous physical or mental activities on a daily basis (aka work or exercise). Not sure if you have CFS or not? Let’s talk about common symptoms.

Symptoms of Chronic Fatigue

It can be hard to distinguish between normal tiredness and actual chronic fatigue. So how do you know if you actually have the latter? From headaches to sore throat to muscle pain, we’ve compiled a list of common symptoms that may indicate you’re chronically fatigued. 

Signs and symptoms of chronic fatigue:

• Sore throat
• Headaches
• Extreme exhaustion after physical or mental exercise
• Feeling tired even after sleep
• Loss of memory or concentration
• Extreme feeling of fatigue
• The appearance of enlarged lymph nodes in your neck or armpits
• Muscle pain or joint pain
• Dizziness from sitting, standing or  lying down

Note: we are not medical professionals, so it is recommended to visit your family doctor if you are experiencing any of these symptoms to ensure you indeed have CFS

What are the Root Causes of Chronic Fatigue?

While the jury is still out on the root cause(s) of chronic fatigue, there are other reasons for feeling tired for extended periods of time. According to WebMD, there are four potential triggers that may be resulting in chronic fatigue.

Hormonal Imbalances

Unfortunately, hormonal imbalances are quite common for us women which in turn, can cause all sorts of problems from unwanted weight gain to shifts in mood to skin issues, and even chronic fatigue. In this case, there may be abnormal blood levels (like anemia) which could play a role in fatigue. This can be especially true during that time of the month for us females or even around the time of pregnancy and postpartum.

Physical or Emotional Trauma

Your body is a complex thing. When something isn’t right it will try its best to adapt and course correct. In this case, a side effect of any sort of physical or emotional trauma may be fatigue, or in other words, your body’s coping mechanism. Other factors may include mitochondrial dysfunction which affects the production of ATP needed to fuel your body’s cellular processes.

Viral Infections

When the body is hit with a viral infection, it can become very exhausted. It goes without saying that some viruses are more prominent than others and have the potential to really wipe out your immune system. When this happens, your body tries to overcompensate by taking time to recover, leaving you feeling groggy and tired.

Four Energy Supplements and Vitamins to Help Chronic Fatigue

As previously mentioned, our bodies are super complex, so there is not one supplement that always works for everyone. That’s why it’s important to consult with your doctor so that he or she can recommend supplements that may work best for you. This is especially true if you have any pre-existing liver or kidney problems. 

With that said, here are the best energy supplements and vitamins that may help chronic fatigue.

Coenzyme Q10

Studies show that coenzymeQ10 has been touted as a miracle supplement for preventing heart disease.  It works its magic on your heart’s health through the mitochondria. CoQ10 is essential for creating energy from oxygen and food. Your body produces CoQ10 on its own naturally, the unfortunate fact is that after the age of 30, your body produces less and less. Thus, the importance of supplementation. 

CoQ10 targets a specific site of your cell’s energy production cycle where the largest amount of free radicals are produced. The good news is that supplements like coenzyme Q10 can decrease free radical damage and improve cell health.

Vitamin B3 and Vitamin B12

As a rule of thumb, every single one of the B vitamins are important to cell and mitochondrial health. While a B-complex supplement is a great foundational vitamin to take, additional support via vitamin B3 and vitamin B12 is most beneficial when it comes to helping keep chronic fatigue at bay.

Niacin, also known as Vitamin B3, not only does wonders for your skin, but supports your cell health, too. And a happy mitochondria can lead to more energy for you. 

A B-12 deficiency can cause anemia or in other words, cause fatigue. This is especially true if you’re a vegetarian or vegan as it is only found in animal products or fortified foods. 

You’re actually getting the best of both worlds when increasing your vitamin B12 intake. By maintaining the nerve cells in the brain, this special B vitamin can help brain function by improving things like memory and concentration.  

If that sparks interest, we totally suggest checking out our No Filter supplement which contains 125 mcg of the brain-boosting vitamin B12.

Magnesium

If you live an active lifestyle, magnesium should be one of your go-to daily supplements regardless of whether you feel fatigued or not. While it’s important to consume foods that contain magnesium (think green leafy vegetables, nuts, seeds, seafood) it can be hard to get your daily dose sometimes. That’s where adequate supplementation comes into play as the levels of magnesium in food are usually not enough.

On the topic of chronic fatigue, magnesium is essential in the production of energy as it helps your muscles relax. Interested? Check out our super popular, top-rated Glow-Getter Hydration.

Acetyl L-carnitine

Similar to coenzyme Q10, L-carnitine assists with mitochondrial function and is especially recommended for those people 30 and over as your body’s ability to produce it decreases.    

L-carnitine transports fatty acids into the mitochondria in your cells where they produce energy. As such, if your body is low in L-carnitine, it will struggle to get these acids where they need to go, resulting in fatigue. 

This powerhouse supplement also removes lactic acid from your cells, which is important to note as people with chronic fatigue usually have a buildup of lactic acids in their cells. 

There you have it, everything you need to know about chronic fatigue and how supplements can help support decrease it. As we’ve mentioned, if any of the signs or symptoms are hitting home for you, please contact your doctor. He or she will then recommend supplements that may be best for you.