Why Am I Always Tired?.

The extra energy people feel in the summer months, may be related to their vitamin D levels. Vitamin D is unique as the body can only synthesis it when your skin is exposed to sunlight. Vitamin D deficiency can lead to rickets and osteomalacia – bone conditions in children and adults, respectively. Additionally, new evidence is indicating a connection between vitamin D deficiency and depression, diabetes, and heart disease⁸.

Like vitamin B12, vitamin D deficiency is relatively common and could explain why your feel tired all the time. Studies have shown that supplementation in people with vitamin D deficiency who were otherwise healthy, significantly improved their fatigue⁹.

The thyroid gland is responsible for the production of thyroid hormones which are crucial in preserving the intricate equilibrium of cellular metabolism, essential for the optimal performance of cells, tissues, and ultimately, organs. These roles involve regulating heart and breathing rates, activating the nervous system to promote wakefulness and alertness, and supporting reproductive health¹⁰.

An underactive (hypothyroidism) or overactive thyroid (hyperthyroidism) causes changes in the tightly regulated levels of the hormones produced by the thyroid and can result in feeling tired all the time or fatigue, as well as a variety of other conditions including, cardiovascular complications^11,12.

Iron deficiency causes a reduction in red blood cells which are essential for transporting oxygen around the body. Iron is an essential component of haemoglobin, the protein in red blood cells required for oxygen binding.  A shortage of iron means the body cannot produce as many red blood cells, resulting in inefficient oxygen transport.

Iron deficiency anaemia can be the cause of feeling tired all the time or lack of energy as well as shortness of breath and heart palpitations.

Iron deficiency  can lead to increased risk of other illness or infection and cardiovascular complications. However, it is generally easy to treat by including iron-rich foods like dark-green, leafy vegetables, meat, and pulses (beans, peas, lentils)¹³.

Fatigue or feeling tired all the time is often the first symptom in people with diabetes. High or low blood sugar levels cause an imbalance in a person’s glucose and circulating or effective insulin levels. In the face of high blood glucose levels, insufficient or ineffective insulin inhibits the cells of the body from obtaining the glucose necessary for cellular metabolism, meaning these cells can’t produce the energy they need. Similarly, when blood sugar is low, the required levels of glucose are not available, and the cells cannot produce enough energy to carry out their functions¹⁴.

Therefore, undiagnosed, or uncontrolled diabetes can result in fatigue and lethargy. If you are feeling tired all the time and haven’t been diagnosed with diabetes, it’s worth getting tested to find out if this might be the source of your fatigue. If you have been diagnosed, it’s possible your blood sugar levels aren’t as under control as you think¹⁵.

Feeling tired all the time can indicate a problem with your kidneys. Sub optimal kidney function can result in a build-up of toxins in the blood, which can make you feel tired, weak and make it difficult to concentrate. Additionally, kidney problems can cause sleep disturbances and anaemia, which as we’ve discussed, can lead to fatigue.

People who suffer from chronic kidney disease (CKD) often report fatigue. If diagnosed early, CKD is a manageable condition, but if left untreated, it can lead to end stage renal disease (ESRD). ESRD is a condition in which one or both of your kidneys no longer function on their own. People with ESRD require dialysis or, in some cases, kidney transplant¹⁶.

These days, most of us are familiar with ‘long-COVID’, but this isn’t a new phenomenon.

Post-viral fatigue, as the name suggests, is the development of fatigue after a viral infection.

Even common infections like the cold or flu can cause fatigue that can last anywhere from days to months post-infection¹⁷.

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS) or myalgic encephalomyelitis, is the name given to a syndrome of long-term conditions, including post-viral fatigue, in which the most common symptom is extreme fatigue. It can affect people of all ages but is most seen in people in their mid-20s and mid-40s. It can be caused by all the complications we’ve discussed, as well as some genetic factors.

Feeling tired all the time might not sound too serious in the grand scheme of things but conditions like CFS can affect your quality of life, mental and emotional health, and make it difficult to conduct your daily activities. There are currently no know cures for CFS, however, with treatment CFS can improve overtime¹⁸.