Everyone feels tired from time to time, and there are many factors like low immunity and poor sleep that can contribute to fatigue. But if you’re experiencing a low-grade type of fatigue that won’t pass (no matter how much sleep you get), it’s time to get to the root cause.
We are what we eat, and our energy levels are closely linked to the nutrients we do (or don’t) get from our diet. There are a few nutrients in particular that are directly involved in energy production, and others that can hugely impact our ability to feel energized each day. Some of these include:
B vitamins are directly required for energy production, and your mitochondria cannot produce energy properly without them. Vitamin B12 in particular is essential for red blood cell production and low levels of this B vitamin are linked to low energy and fatigue. If your diet is lacking in diversity, you have poor absorption of nutrients or you’re vegan or vegetarian – your needs for vitamin B12 in the diet may be a lot higher.
Iron deficiency is directly linked to poor cognitive function. It’s been shown that low levels of iron can compromise cognitive development, attention and memory.
Magnesium is a key mineral for stress and energy, but unfortunately it’s one nutrient that many of us are lacking. In fact, the standard American diet only contains 50% of the RDI for magnesium, and some estimates suggest that up to 75% of Americans may be magnesium-deficient. This mineral plays an important role in energy production and any deficiency can impair the way mitochondria produce ATP, leading to fatigue and increased free radical damage.
Electrolytes like sodium and potassium are essential for our survival, and we need them for a number of critical functions in the body. They support fluid balance, and while they don’t contain macronutrients or calories, they support the production of energy (ATP).
If you're feeling stressed, so are your cells. When the stress response is activated, it impacts your body as a whole - and your small but mighty cells are can be affected. Despite their size, your cells generate an enormous amount of energy thanks to your mitochondria – the energy powerhouse that resides within almost every cell. Mitochondria are specialized at providing your cells with the energy to fuel your body. But if you’re constantly in a state of mental or physical stress (iI.e. overtraining, under fueling, work stress, or just the constant stress of daily life), your mitochondria may struggle to meet these increased energy demands.
On top of the stress you may be perceiving externally, there’s also the invisible stress load that your cells face on a daily basis – also known as free radicals. Much like exhaust from a car engine, free radicals are produced by your mitochondria as a by-product of generating energy for you to function. While they aren’t all bad, the accumulation of free radicals can cause cells to become damaged. Spikes in free radical production can occur through environmental factors, as well as poor diet, smoking, and intense physical activity. When the body is dealing with this type of stress at a cellular level, any additional factors that contribute to stress can impact how efficient mitochondria are at producing energy.
In addition to eating enough food to fuel your everyday life, eating the right amount of macronutrients for your own unique needs can be a missing piece of the puzzle when it comes to sustaining long-lasting energy. If you don’t already pay too much attention to the portions on your plate, it might pay to think about your meals in terms of carbohydrates, protein, and fats. Are you neglecting protein in favour of extra carbohydrates? Or are you someone who eats higher in fat? We are all so different, and our individual energy requirements will also change depending on how active we are – so if you're not focused on building a balanced plate with each meal, it can impact your energy levels throughout the entire day.
Protein and healthy fats are what give us sustained, slow-releasing energy that keeps us going all day long. When you include both sources in each meal with complex carbohydrates – your energy will be noticeably steadier as you move through the day.
It may sound counterintuitive, but exercise can actually bring more energy into your day. While rest is important (and totally necessary), staying active and being consistent with exercise has been shown to support energy and even reduce oxidative damage. People who participate in regular exercise produce more mitochondria and can therefore, generate more energy. Those who train regularly also accumulate less free radicals at any given exercise intensity, in comparison with people who don't exercise on a regular basis.
You may rely on coffee for an energy-boost, but how often do you think about the consequences? In the short-term, caffeine blocks the effects of adenosine – a chemical that increases over the day and makes you feel tired. But it also increases the production of cortisol, the body’s chief stress hormone. Since caffeine is so effective at spiking stress hormones, it's no real surprise that it can create stress unnecessarily in the body. While low to moderate doses of caffeine may increase energy and focus in the short term, caffeine only increases energy temporarily. The benefits are short-lived, and while there is evidence to suggest caffeine supports longevity, it’s not an effective long-term solution for low energy. Caffeine increases alertness, but since the effects don’t tend to last – and there’s a significant rebound effect. This means you’re essentially boosting energy in the short term at the expense of the long term.
Your cells – and mitochondria that live inside them – play a crucial role in the production of energy, and they’re responsible for generating fuel for your entire body. Stress of all kinds (think physical, mental, emotional) increases the demands of your body, and places a heavy burden on mitochondria to generate more energy. If you’re constantly in a state of stress, or your body is experiencing stress in many different ways, your mitochondria may struggle to meet these increased energy demands.
Although some of us may feel superhuman at times, the body isn’t built to withstand constant exposure to stress for long periods – and after a while it can impact your ability to feel energized. MitoQ Adrenal +Balance is an advanced supplement with a formulation of proven actives that address stress at a cellular level, supporting healthy adrenal function and physical energy.
