Fatigue is often a result of stress combined with the typical North American diet of commercial processed foods that incorporate white-flour baked goods,red meat, hydrogenized fats, and sugar.

When using nutritional therapy to treat fatigue, it is important to be cautious as overdosing on vitamins and minerals is also linked to fatigue. For example, a simple magnesium deficiency can result in fatigue and a well-balanced diet may be enough to solve the problem. Additionally, chronic fatigue can be cause by too much food as well as too little. As with may conditions, extra weight definitely compounds the symptoms of fatigue.

A balanced high energy diet consists of 65% to 70% complex carbohydrates, fresh fruit, vegetables, whole grains and legumes, soy, yogurt and kefir, sea foods and poultry and 10 to 15% fats from sources such as unrefined vegetable, nut and seed oils, and low fat dairy. Types of foods that combat fatigue include complex carbohydrates, potassium and magnesium-rich foods, and iron-rich foods and high vitamin B and C foods. Foods that should be eliminated or reduced include sugar and caffeine, since they tend to drain the adrenals. Dairy and wheat products should also be reduced or eliminated.

Supplements
Supplementation is helpful in the treatment of fatigue. Some of the most useful nutrients include L-carnitine, iron, potassium, magnesium, vitamin E, selenium and CoQ10. You can start with a good daily multi-vitamin and mineral and then fill in the missing pieces. Recommended daily supplements should also include B complex, pantothenic acid, chromium picolinate, tysosine, vitamin C with bioflavonoids, glutamine, zinc picolinate, and a full spectrum amino acid compound. In addition, cobalamin, vitamin A, manganese, potassium, thiamine. and selenium can enhance energy.

Because the most common complaint with regard to fatigue is a lack of energy, a B complex vitamin may be order. Many people find it helpful to get a vitamin B12 shot from their doctor. On the heels of new research showing the benefits of B12, some have chosen to inject themselves on a daily basis.

If fatigue persists after the first month of nutritional therapy, other supplementation may be needed, such as additional amino acids like tyrosine, lysine, and taurine. If fatigue is persistently chronic, it may be Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS). CFS can be difficult to diagnose and is usually characterized by persistent fatigue that does not resolve with bed rest and is significant enough to reduce daily activity by at least 50% over a six month period. If this condition is found, additional and an even more aggressive nutritional therapy may be warranted.

References