Tired? Out of energy? Washed out? It is normal to experience low or depleted energy levels occasionally. In fact, a study on fatigue has shown that approximately six to seven percent of the population experiences persistent tiredness at any given time.
However, if lethargy or feelings of fatigue becomes chronic, you must uncover the cause and find ways to increase your energy levels. Identifying the reason is the first step. To help you further, here are nine reasons why your energy level is low.
1. Vitamin B12 deficiency
Vitamin B12 is important for the formation of red blood cells, absorption of folic acid, and for the optimal functioning of your nerve tissues. Vitamin B12 deficiency can gradually develop over the years. The initial symptoms can even be subtle, although a blood test can detect the presence of Vitamin B12 deficiency.
If you do not get sufficient amounts of Vitamin B12, red blood cell production will decline. When left untreated, your red blood cell count will drop resulting in anemia.
Some serious causes of B12 deficiency include short bowel syndrome, Crohn’s disease, weight loss surgery, lupus, intestinal parasites, atrophic gastritis, chronic alcoholism, and Grave’s disease. The risk of having Vitamin B12 deficiency also increases with age.
2. Iron deficiency
Iron deficiency also involves the red blood cells. But in this case, there is an inadequate amount of iron to produce hemoglobin, which is required for cells to transport nutrients and oxygenated blood throughout your body.
Symptoms include pale skin, headaches extreme fatigue, weakness, chest pain, dizziness, shortness of breath, brittle nails, unusual tingling in the legs, a sore or inflamed tongue, poor appetite, cold hands and feet, and frequent infections. A blood test can determine the presence of iron deficiency.
3. Inadequate sleep
Without a doubt, not getting enough sleep leads to tiredness. But the challenge is in determining and treating the cause of troubled sleep. Possible causes include:
- Insomnia
- Chronic pain
- Sleep apnea
- Too much light
- Frequency of urination
- An uncomfortable sleep environment
- A snoring partner
Determining why your energy is low must start with some reflection on whether the cause is directly related to the factors that are preventing you from having a good night’s sleep. Oftentimes, feeling persistently tired is caused by more than one factor.
4. Lack of or too much exercise
If you are inactive or sedentary, you are feeding your own fatigue or tiredness. If you spend too much time sitting down, you drain your own energy or fuel tank even since you are just idling.
On the contrary, if you are doing heavy duty training for an event or you get to sweat too much daily, any trouble sleeping and low energy indicate that you are pushing your body beyond its limits.
If you do not balance rest and activity, you can overload your system with too much physical stress the same way mental and emotional pressure does. If you have a sedentary lifestyle, find time to exercise.
But if you are heavily exercising on a daily basis, take a few days to rest before easing back into your routine.
5. Hypothyroidism
Your thyroid gland produces a hormone that helps regulate your energy usage. So if it fails to produce a sufficient amount of the hormone, this means you have an underactive thyroid – a condition referred to as “hypothyroidism.”
This health condition is characterized by fatigue and low energy, along with other symptoms like increased sensitivity to cold, dry skin, muscle weakness, muscle aches, unexplained weight gain, and depression. A blood test will determine if the levels of your thyroid hormones are causing your tiredness.
6. Stress
Stress can be a threat to your overall health, leaving you feeling mentally drained and physically exhausted. When left unchecked, stress can lead to diseases such as diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure, and obesity.
There is a huge difference between feeling tired after a day at work and feeling exhausted because of mental stress. Causes of mental exhaustion from stress include worrying about life situations like relationship problems, work issues, and financial worries. With chronic stress, being tired all the time becomes a way of life, even if you get enough sleep and rest.
7. Dehydration
According to a study in The Journal of Nutrition, people who fail to replace 1.5 percent of their water weight experience low energy levels and mood swings. The authors suspect that the neurons in the brain region that controls body temperature and hydration send mood-altering messages to the entire brain as an early warning to drink more water.
8. Adrenal fatigue
Adrenal fatigue happens when the adrenal glands can’t produce enough hormones like adrenaline, aldosterone, and cortisol in order to maintain homeostasis. This often happens as a result of chronic stress or an extremely stressful situation.
Indications that you may be suffering from adrenal fatigue include trouble recovering from illness or stress, cravings for salty and sweet foods, feeling overwhelmed, and feeling tired for no reason.
9. Underlying disease
There are plenty of conditions that are associated with low energy levels. If you don’t think that any of the aforementioned conditions are causing your tiredness, then you might have an undiagnosed health condition.
Possible culprits include chronic fatigue syndrome, cancer, asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, heart disease, kidney disease, pneumonia, urinary tract infection, diabetes, and liver disease. Persistent tiredness must be checked by a reputable healthcare professional.
There are ways for you to combat tiredness and boost your energy levels, and nutritional supplementation is one of them. Supplementing your diet with NIAGEN, for instance, is a smart choice as it contains a potent form of Vitamin B3 which is known to aid in proper muscle functioning, and helps protect the brain and other vital organs of the body.
If you suffer from chronic fatigue or lethargy, always err on the side of caution and consult your doctor. Once the real cause is determined, you can make the necessary dietary and lifestyle changes so you can finally be your best energetic self.
AUTHOR BIO
Frank L. Jaksch Jr. is the Chief Executive Officer and a co-founder of ChromaDex. He oversees research, strategy and operations for the Company with a focus on scientific and novel products for pharmaceutical and nutraceutical markets. Mr. Jaksch earned a B.S. in Chemistry and Biology from Valparaiso University.