A woman feels weak and tired due to factors like iron deficiency (anemia), poor sleep, stress, and diet, common in menstruation and pregnancy; but also from conditions like thyroid issues, diabetes, depression, or sleep apnea, and can be affected by lifestyle choices like lack of exercise or dehydration. Medical causes, mental health, and lifestyle all significantly contribute to persistent fatigue, making a doctor's visit important for diagnosis.
Some possible causes are medical, such as menstruation and menopause. Others are nonmedical, such as poor sleep, stress, and not eating the right foods. It's easy to confuse “fatigue” with “tiredness.” The main difference is that tiredness improves with rest, but fatigue persists even after you rest.
Exhaustion that doesn't let up might be a sign of:
Key Takeaways. Nutritional deficiencies, like low iron, vitamin D, and vitamin B12, can make you feel tired. Stress and anxiety are mentally and physically exhausting and can cause fatigue. Fatigue can be a side effect of medications like antidepressants and beta-blockers.
Hormonal and lifestyle differences like pregnancy, menstruation and menopause mean that women need more iron than men in their diet, but few women actually get as much as they need. The result — anemia's — most common symptoms include fatigue and weakness.
Vitamin C, Iron and Magnesium Are Also involved in Energy-Yielding Metabolism. Vitamin C is needed for two dioxygenase enzymes involved in the biosynthesis of carnitine, an essential cofactor in the transport of long-chain fatty acids into the mitochondria.
Vitamin and mineral deficiencies, including B2, B3, B5, B6, B9, B12, C, D, iron, and magnesium, are among the most common causes of unexplained fatigue.
Progesterone, estrogen's cousin, is the hormone that helps maintain pregnancy. It is produced in a woman's eggs, adrenal glands and placenta (when a woman is pregnant). Known as the “relaxing hormone,” progesterone has a mildly sedative effect.
Issues with specific organs could lead to severe fatigue. The thyroid, liver and brain are possible contributors, but heart and lung conditions are the most common cause. If this condition becomes serious, your doctor may recommend cardiac care or cardiopulmonary.
You also might crave certain foods. Fatigue: Feeling exhausted often or constantly is possible with vitamin C deficiency (scurvy). It can also happen if you have anemia from a lack of vitamins B6, B9 and B12.
Myasthenia gravis is a rare long-term condition that causes muscle weakness. It most commonly affects the muscles that control the eyes and eyelids, facial expressions, chewing, swallowing and speaking.
What is the best vitamin to take for tiredness? Vitamin B12 is the best vitamin supplement for treating tiredness and fatigue. This essential nutrient helps your body produce energy and keeps you feeling less fatigued both physically and mentally.
Evaluation of ME/CFS
Diabetes can make you feel very tired. This is called fatigue. It happens because high blood sugar disrupts the body's ability to use sugar for energy. Dehydration from increased urination also can leave you feeling tired.
See a GP if: you've been feeling tired for a few weeks and you're not sure why. your tiredness affects your daily life. you feel tired and have other symptoms, such as weight loss or mood changes, or you've been told you're making gasping, snorting or choking noises when you're asleep.
The most common symptoms of heart failure are: breathlessness – this may occur after activity or at rest; it may be worse when you're lying down, and you may wake up at night needing to catch your breath. fatigue – you may feel tired most of the time and find exercise exhausting.
Once you start to get symptoms of liver disease, your liver is already damaged and scarred. This is known as cirrhosis. Symptoms of cirrhosis include: feeling very tired and weak all the time.
Many cases of tiredness are due to stress, not enough sleep, poor diet and other lifestyle factors. Try these self-help tips to restore your energy levels. If you feel you're suffering from fatigue, which is an overwhelming tiredness that isn't relieved by rest and sleep, you may have an underlying medical condition.
What are the signs and symptoms of hormonal imbalance?
Hormonal imbalances show up as symptoms like fatigue, mood swings, weight changes, irregular periods, skin issues (acne), hair changes, sleep problems, brain fog, low libido, digestive issues, and temperature sensitivity, affecting energy, body functions, and mental well-being, often linked to stress, thyroid, or reproductive hormones.
Various chronic conditions cause ongoing weakness. These include strokes, chronic fatigue syndrome, muscular dystrophy, concussions, diabetes, fibromyalgia, rheumatoid arthritis, anemia, hypothyroidism, and more.
The first step is to collect blood, either by a finger-prick test or by collecting venous blood. The next step is to send the blood sample to a laboratory. The laboratory will then test the levels of vitamins and minerals. The results will usually be available within a few days.
The 40s and 50s
Both fluctuations can result in lower energy levels, feeling lethargic, and less muscle mass. Again, the 40s and 50s impact people differently, with some noticing fewer effects than others. However, during this stage, people will usually notice they're "getting old".