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Tuesday, January 06, 2009
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The Link Between Nutrition and Fatigue
By Randi Fredricks
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Fatigue is generally a result of stress combined with the typical North American diet of white-flour baked goods,
red meat, hydrogenized fats, sugar and commercial processed foods.
It's important to approach nutritional therapy for fatigue cautiously as overdosing on vitamins and minerals is also
linked to fatigue and needs vary depending on age. A simple magnesium deficiency can result in fatigue and a well-balanced
diet may be enough to solve the problem. In addition, 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 would consist 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. Foods that combat fatigue include complex carbohydrates, potassium and magnesium-rich
foods, and iron-rich foods and high vitamin B and C foods. Reduction of sugar and caffeine would be in order, since they
drain adrenals. Dairy foods should also be reduced or eliminated.
Supplements
Supplementation is critical in the treatment of fatigue. L-carnitine, iron, potassium, magnesium, vitamin E, selenium and
CoQ10 are all good energy enhancement supplements. Start with a good daily multi-vitamin and then fill in the missing
pieces. Recommended daily supplements would include 100 mg B complex, 500 mg pantothenic acid, 200 mcg chromium
picolinate, 500 mg tysosine, 3000 mg vitamin C with bioflavonoids, 1000 mg glutamine, 50 to 75 mg zinc picolinate, and
a full spectrum amino acid compound. Other daily supplements would include 1 mg cobalamin, 5,000 IUs vitamin A, 100 mcg
selenium, and 15 mg zinc. Men would take 10 mg of iron daily and women would take 19 mg. In addition, other daily
supplements would be 200 to 300 mg magnesium oxide, 4 to 5 mg manganese, 640 to 1280 mg potassium, and 10 mg daily
thiamine.
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If fatigue persists after the first month of nutritional therapy, other supplementation may be needed. |
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One of the most common complaints with regards to fatigue is a lack of energy. Royal jelly is a great energizer at
1 to 2 tsp daily. Also important every day are 400 IU vitamin E, 1000 mg magnesium, and 75 mg CoQ10. Adrenal glandular
supplements are often recommended at 50 to 100 mg 2x daily. Thymus and spleen extract can also be taken as directed by
the manufacturer. In addition, 5 mg of folic acid daily helps support the adrenals. Spirulina, shown effective for fatigue,
should be taken according to directions. Maitake mushrooms can help chronic fatigue. Take 1 to 4 grams Maitake cooked or
in tablet form with 30 mg vitamin C. For more chronic problems, take 4 to 7 grams per day.
If fatigue persists after the first month of nutritional therapy, other supplementation may be needed, such as additional
amino acids like tyrosine at 500 mg daily, lysine at 50 to 100 mg daily, and taurine at 100 to 500 mg daily. Chronic
Fatigue Syndrome 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 more aggressive nutritional therapy may be warranted.
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