Ask Leyla: Where has my energy gone?
Q: Do you have any suggestions for a 39 year-old female with fatigue and low energy?
A: There are a myriad of reasons for low energy. Here are some obvious ones:
Are you getting enough sleep? Most adults require six to eight hours of sleep every night. Do you snore or have sleep apnea? This causes disruption in your sleep and may lead to high blood pressure.
Were you diagnosed with low iron or anemia? Low energy and fatigue are common complaints among those with anemia. Even if you don’t have iron-deficiency anemia, you may have low ferritin which is the storage form of iron. Best to get this checked. You want your ferritin level around 70 – 90 ng/ml.
Do you have low B12 levels? Best to shoot for the 600 – 900 pg/ml range. Check your vitamin D too since low levels can contribute to fatigue as well. Shoot for ranges over 50 ng/dl.
An adrenal function test via saliva testing (as opposed to a blood test) will reveal if your adrenals are stressed or exhausted—a common reason for low energy.
Have you had your thyroid checked? Hypothyroidism is a primary reason for low energy as well as dry skin, constipation, hair loss and depression. If you’re currently taking thyroid replacement, best to have your thyroid hormone levels checked every six months to ensure your dose doesn’t require tweaking.
Blood sugar imbalances can cause fluctuations in energy since it’s a common symptom of both high and low blood sugar. A five-hour glucose tolerance test with insulin is the gold standard to assess this.
Barring all of the above, food allergies or intolerances and looking for toxic exposures and assessing how well your detox pathways are functioning will be key to uncovering the source of your fatigue.
In the meantime, there are targeted supplements you can take to help with fatigue and low energy. Tru Niagen helps with fatigue by boosting energy-elevating NAD (nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide) which maintains healthy mitochondria—the energy powerhouses of cells. Another critical supplement is NT Factor, which aids in cell restoration, helping to increase nutrient uptake to enhance energy.
An assessment by a nutritionally oriented practitioner can help you uncover the cause(s) of fatigue and recommend appropriate therapies for you.
To your health!
Leyla Muedin, MS, RD, CDN
