Many people immediately link tiredness to a lack of vitamins and start taking various vitamins or supplements on their own. Science does not always support this approach, because tiredness is not a disease but a signal from the body.

What is the body trying to say?

Billions of cells in the body work without pause to produce the energy we need. For this, oxygen, nutrients, vitamins, minerals, hormones and the nervous system must all work together. If one link in this chain fails, the body may signal it through tiredness.

The most common causes of tiredness

• Not enough sleep or poor-quality sleep. Even after enough hours, the body may not fully recover if sleep is not deep.
• Constant stress. Long-lasting stress affects the nervous system and hormones and can lower the feeling of energy.
• Anaemia. When haemoglobin is low, tissues do not get enough oxygen and a person tires quickly.
• A lack of certain vitamins and minerals. Low iron, vitamin B12, folate or vitamin D can cause tiredness in some people.
• Certain illnesses. Thyroid disorders, diabetes, and heart, liver or kidney disease can also show up as tiredness.

Why this matters

The same symptom does not always have the same cause. Two people may both complain of tiredness: one has an iron deficiency, the other a sleep problem or a change in thyroid function. So something that helped one person will not necessarily help another.

The right solution starts with understanding the real cause. If tiredness does not go away, see a doctor and get tested before choosing vitamins or supplements.