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We rely on a range of vitamins and minerals to stay healthy and energised. This is because many play an important role in processes like breaking down food for energy and transporting oxygen around the body. So, when our levels are low, we may feel tired or fatigued.
However, the good news is that making sure you’re getting enough energy-boosting vitamins and minerals is an effective way to combat this.
To help you do so, we’ve partnered with supplement company Revive Active to bring you a list of 11 vitamins and minerals to help with tiredness and fatigue. Revive Active offers a range of scientifically formulated health supplements – and their Energy Boost range is packed full of fatigue-fighting vitamins and minerals like vitamin C, B12, and magnesium to help you feel your healthiest, happiest self.
1. Vitamin B12
Vitamin B12 – also known as cobalamin – is one of eight essential B vitamins.
B vitamins are key for good health because they work together to help the body produce energy. According to scientific research, each B vitamin, except folate (vitamin B9), plays a role in at least one step of the energy production process. Vitamin B12 is one of the most celebrated of these for beating tiredness and fatigue.
This is because, as well as supporting nervous system function and forming DNA, B12 is needed to create red blood cells, which are responsible for carrying oxygen around the body.
As a result, if you don’t have enough B12 in your system, oxygen delivery can become impaired. It’s for this reason that vitamin B12 is commonly linked with preventing anaemia – a condition where the body lacks enough healthy red blood cells and becomes weak and fatigued.
This study revealed that vitamin B12 deficiency can result in a lack of energy, fatigue, shortness of breath, and reduced exercise tolerance. However, the study also found that these symptoms improved with appropriate B12 supplementation.
We can’t produce vitamin B12 on our own, so we have to get it from our diet. With that said, it’s worth noting that vitamin B12 deficiency is more common among older adults – affecting around one in 20 people aged 65-74 and one in 10 people aged 75 or over. This is because, as you age, your digestive system doesn’t produce as much acid, which impacts the body’s ability to absorb vitamin B12.
2. CoQ10
CoQ10 is a type of coenzyme that our bodies produce naturally. Coenzymes are small molecules that support enzymes in carrying out chemical processes in the body. All body cells contain CoQ10, but levels are highest in the heart, liver, and kidneys.
CoQ10 is responsible for stimulating cells to produce the body’s main energy-carrying molecule, known as Adenosine Triphosphate (ATP). More specifically, research shows that CoQ10 is effective at speeding up ATP production, allowing the body to use food more efficiently for energy.
CoQ10 also has antioxidant properties, which helps to protect cells from becoming damaged by oxidative stress. For this reason, when CoQ10 levels are low, cells can’t produce the energy they need to grow and remain healthy, which studies show can contribute to tiredness and fatigue.
CoQ10 levels naturally decrease with age and research shows that certain cancers, heart failure, type 2 diabetes, or taking statins can also have an impact. Another thing to note is that while meat, fish, and nuts all contain CoQ10, studies suggest that these don’t offer amounts large enough to significantly increase levels in the body. For this reason, supplementation can be particularly beneficial.
3. Vitamin D
Vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin. It occurs naturally in a small number of foods, like oily fish and mushrooms, and our bodies also produce it when ultraviolet (UV) rays from the sun hit our skin.
Vitamin D is known mainly for its role in maintaining healthy bones and teeth, but it can help to beat tiredness and fatigue too.
In this study of patients struggling with chronic fatigue, 77.2% were found to have low levels of vitamin D. However, after increasing the patients’ vitamin D levels, their fatigue symptoms significantly improved. Another study found that supplementing with vitamin D significantly improved fatigue in healthy individuals.
Research has also drawn a link between low vitamin D levels and depression, of which fatigue is a common symptom.
4. Vitamin B1
Vitamin B1, or thiamine, plays a key role in several important health functions including energy production, growth, development, and cell function.
It’s used by nearly all cells in the body and is another nutrient that enables the body to convert food into energy. Considering this is one of B1’s primary roles in the body, it’s no surprise that tiredness and fatigue is a common symptom of deficiency.
As a result, getting enough vitamin B1 can be an effective way to boost your energy levels.
This study looked at people in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) remission who were suffering from chronic fatigue not explained by deficiencies in iron, folic acid, vitamin D, B12, or any other health conditions. After taking high-dose vitamin B1 supplements for four weeks, patients reported significantly less fatigue, despite their bowel symptoms remaining largely unchanged.
Another study found that vitamin B1 supplements helped to improve symptoms of fibromyalgia – a condition characterised by fatigue, chronic pain, and sleep disorders.
5. Iron
Iron is an essential mineral that our bodies need to function properly.
We rely on iron to make haemoglobin – a protein found in red blood cells that represents around two-thirds of all iron present in the body and is responsible for the transportation of oxygen.
As a result, when our iron levels are low, we’re unable to produce enough healthy red blood cells and our bodies can’t get enough oxygen-rich blood. This can leave us feeling tired and lacking in energy and, over time, may result in iron deficiency anemia – of which weakness and fatigue is a symptom.
In this study, which looked at unexplained fatigue in women who were menstruating, participants who took iron supplements over a 12-week period experienced a 47.7% decrease in fatigue. Those in the placebo group experienced only a 28.8% decrease.
Note: People with hemochromatosis need to be particularly cautious about taking iron supplements. While the majority of people only absorb around 10% of the iron they consume, people with hemochromatosis may absorb up to 30%. This is why, before taking any new supplements, it’s important to speak to your GP about whether they’re right for you.
6. Vitamin B3
Vitamin B3, or niacin, is yet another of the eight essential B vitamins. It’s essential for converting the food we eat into energy and supports over 200 enzyme reactions in the body.
B3 also plays a role in the production of the hormone, serotonin, which regulates mood and sleep patterns. Low levels of vitamin B3 (and therefore serotonin) can increase the risk of depression, which is often associated with fatigue. In fact, mental health conditions like depression and anxiety are some of the most common symptoms associated with vitamin B3 deficiency.
As a result, and as suggested by this study, vitamin B3 supplementation can be an effective way to combat tiredness and fatigue.
7. Zinc
Zinc is an essential trace mineral that we rely on to stay healthy. It’s used in the chemical processes that break down food and turn it into energy – so, when we don’t have enough, it’s normal to feel tired and fatigued.
Research has also found that zinc deficiency can affect the senses, including taste and smell, and is therefore linked with a reduced appetite. Naturally, our energy levels will suffer when we don’t fuel our bodies with enough food.
8. Vitamin B6
Vitamin B6, also known as pyridoxine, is a water-soluble nutrient that’s stored in the body in small amounts.
It’s involved in over 100 chemical reactions throughout the body – assisting enzymes in their various functions, including the production of haemoglobin. So, low B6 levels can impact oxygen supply throughout the body and this is why anaemia is a common symptom of deficiency.
Vitamin B6 is also essential for healthy metabolism because it’s involved in the breakdown of glycogen stores, which are located in the muscles and liver and used for energy.
9. Vitamin C
Vitamin C plays an essential role in healthy body function – including repairing damaged tissues, protecting cells, and maintaining healthy blood vessels. It’s also key for keeping our energy levels boosted.
This is because we need vitamin C to convert what we eat and drink into usable energy. It’s also important for helping us to absorb other vitamins and minerals. For example, some studies have suggested that vitamin C can increase iron absorption by around 67%.
It makes sense then why this study found that supplementing with vitamin C reduced fatigue in people within an average time of two hours – and the effects lasted for one day.
10. Magnesium
Magnesium is needed for the production and regulation of ATP (the body’s main energy-carrying molecule); as well as for the conversion of the sugar found in food into energy. So, not getting enough can disrupt these processes and lead to tiredness and fatigue.
Magnesium can also help to beat tiredness and fatigue by improving sleep quality. One reason for this is that, in order to fall asleep, both the body and brain need to relax – and magnesium has been found to activate neurotransmitters that help with this.
In this study, older adults who took magnesium supplements compared to a placebo group had better sleep quality. They also displayed higher levels of melatonin, which is a hormone needed to regulate sleep.
11. Vitamin B2
Like other B vitamins, B2, or riboflavin, helps to convert food into energy.
However, it plays a particularly important role in producing energy for the heart and muscles – meaning a deficiency can significantly impact our energy levels and movement.
Our bodies also rely on vitamin B2 to absorb iron, which we need for red blood cell production and oxygen transportation. As a result, low B2 levels can impact energy levels by triggering symptoms like tiredness, weakness, and fatigue, and increasing the risk of anemia.
Final thoughts…
If you’ve been struggling with tiredness or fatigue recently, you might’ve considered whether supplements could help to boost your energy. Because of their role in various energy production processes, making sure you’re getting enough vitamins and minerals can make all the difference.
You can browse Revive Active’s energy-boosting supplement range using the button below.
Note: It’s important to speak to your GP before adding any new supplements to your diet.
For further reading, head over to the diet and nutrition section of our website where you’ll find everything from energy-boosting foods and drinks to essential vitamin and mineral guides.
Which vitamins and minerals help you with tiredness and fatigue? Has anything in this article surprised you? We’d be interested to hear from you in the comments below.