There are many efforts you can do to stay energized, including eating a balanced diet, getting enough sleep, and exercising regularly. However, these things are not always possible for many people. With the accelerated pace of life in modern society, it is a common phenomenon that people are in a sub-health state and face "unexplained fatigue", which seriously affects people's health, work efficiency and quality of life.
In this case, there are many supplements and vitamins that can help you boost your energy when you need it most. In addition, some nutraceuticals are also suitable for fatigue during exercise.
Nutraceuticals for Energy
Vitamins and minerals
As shown, B vitamins, vitamin C, iron and magnesium are involved in different steps of the intracellular energy production system (as shown).[1] An adequate supply of these vitamins and minerals is necessary for the proper functioning of the energy production system, otherwise it may limit the rate of energy production with potentially serious metabolic and health consequences.
In addition, vitamins and minerals contribute to physical and mental fatigue by affecting mechanisms such as oxygen regulation in the body and the structure and function of brain cells. The table below shows some evidence from studies that some vitamins and minerals are beneficial for combating fatigue. [1]
| | Relevant Research Evidences |
|---|
| Vitamins | Vitamin B2 | Research suggests that riboflavin (vitamin B2) supplementation before and during long runs may be beneficial for muscle fatigue. |
| Vitamin B5 | Some research findings support the role of pantothenic acid (vitamin B5) supplementation in reducing muscle fatigue. |
| Vitamin B9 | In 73 children with thalassemia approximately 10 years of age, folic acid (vitamin B9) supplementation resulted in a reduction in reported fatigue. |
| Vitamin C | In subjects receiving vitamin C, perceived exertion scores for moderate exercise and general fatigue scores were significantly reduced. |
| Minerals | Iron | A meta-analysis revealed a significant therapeutic effect of iron on fatigue, with an overall reduction in fatigue complaints of more than 60%. |
| Magnesium | Research suggests that the beneficial effects of magnesium on exercise-related fatigue may be related to a reduction/delay in the accumulation of lactic acid in muscles. |
Traditional natural medicine
Some traditional natural medicines are often used as health care products, such as ginseng, Cordyceps militaris (L.ex Fr.Link) and Rhodiola rosea, which have specific anti-fatigue effects, small toxic side effects and rich pharmacological activities. A review pointed out that these natural medicines may exert anti-fatigue effects by improving glycogen storage, reducing accumulation of metabolites (BLA, BUN), and enhancing antioxidant enzyme activity (SOD, CAT, GSH-Px, etc.). Therefore, they can serve as a promising sub-health treatment strategy. [2]
Coenzyme Q10
Studies have found that low levels of CoQ10 are consistently associated with fatigue. A systematic review noted that CoQ10 supplementation had a significant beneficial effect (p < 0.05) on fatigue status in healthy, fibromyalgia, statin-related fatigue, multiple sclerosis, and end-stage heart failure subjects. [3]
Caffeine
Caffeine is known to have energy-boosting properties, but may also cause irritability, nervousness, and restlessness as side effects in some people. The combination of caffeine and L-theanine has been shown to improve memory and reaction time, and reduce fatigue and mental fatigue. In addition, adding L-theanine can help you get the same energy-boosting benefits you get from caffeine without unwanted side effects. [4]
References- Anne-Laure Tardy. (2020). "Vitamins and Minerals for Energy, Fatigue and Cognition: A Narrative Review of the Biochemical and Clinical Evidence," Nutrients 12(1), 228.
- Chuanhong Luo. (2019). "Natural medicines for the treatment of fatigue: Bioactive components, pharmacology, and mechanisms," Pharmacological Research 148, 104409.
- Sanaz Mehrabani. (2019). "Effect of coenzyme Q10 supplementation on fatigue: A systematic review of interventional studies," Complementary Therapies in Medicine 43, 181-187.
- Grace E Giles. (2017). "Caffeine and theanine exert opposite effects on attention under emotional arousal," Can J Physiol Pharmacol. 95(1), 93-100.
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disease.
