Fatigue, tiredness and lack of energy – these are probably the most common symptoms that patients complain of to their general practitioner.

Possible causes

Fatigue may be a symptom of an underlying disorder such as iron deficiency, viral infections, thyroid problems, diabetes, heart or lung disorders to name a few. However, most people complaining of fatigue have none of these problems and all investigations are normal. In this situation, the cause is likely to be related to lifestyle factors including a poor diet, a toxic liver and stress. Other possibilities include chronic fatigue syndrome or adrenal exhaustion.

Treatment and general recommendations

• Avoid smoking and alcohol.
• Regular aerobic exercise like brisk walking, jogging, swimming or cycling is important.
• Stress reducing measures like relaxation exercises, yoga or meditation may be beneficial.

Diet

Give your liver a boost by following “The Liver Cleansing Diet”. In general, avoid refined sugars, white flour products, coffee, alcohol and dairy foods.

Raw juicing

A recommended juice recipe from the “Raw Juices Can Save Your Life”  book is:

High Protein Energy Smoothie

Ingredients

• 1 cup milk – rice, almond, A2 cow’s milk or coconut (sugar free)
• 1 tsp Ultimate Gut Health powder
• 1 tbsp freshly ground flax seeds
• 1 banana
• 1/2 cup fresh berries or 1/2 small paw paw
• 1 dessertspoon carob powder or pure unsweetened cocoa powder

Method

1. Place ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth (Can add ice cubes on a hot day).

Orthodox medical treatment

Fatigue is a common symptom of depression, so if there is no improvement with nutritional medicine and other investigations are negative, improvement may be seen with an anti-depressant medication like fluoxetine or moclobemide.

Recommended supplements for fatigue

• Magnesium Tablets or Magnesium Powder
  Take 1 teaspoon daily or 2 tablets twice daily. Magnesium is essential in the production of energy and performs a critical role in the activation of four of the nine enzymes in the Tri-carboxylic Acid Cycle (TCA cycle). This cycle is at the very center of all cellular metabolism involving protein, fat and carbohydrate metabolism.
• Selenomune
  Take 1 capsule daily with a meal. Selenium is specifically designed to boost energy production from the mitochondria. The mitochondria are the energy factories inside every cell in the body and they produce the natural energy chemical called ATP. If the mitochondria are not producing sufficient ATP, the cells will not have the energy to perform their vital functions. This can lead to many symptoms of poor health.
• DHEA 
  Take 1 capsule daily. A deficiency of DHEA can result in chronic fatigue, muscular weakness and lack of muscle strength and tone.
• Vitamin D
  Take one capsule daily with food in the morning. Low blood levels of vitamin D are very common and associated with fatigue, muscular weakness and generalized aches and pains.

The above statements have not been evaluated by the FDA and are not intended to diagnose, treat or cure any disease.