Feeling constantly tired with no energy often stems from lifestyle factors like poor sleep, diet, or stress, but can also signal underlying issues like anemia, thyroid problems, depression, dehydration, or certain medications; addressing sleep hygiene, nutrition, activity levels, and stress management can help, but a doctor's visit is crucial for persistent fatigue to rule out serious medical conditions.
Most of the time fatigue can be traced to one or more lifestyle issues, such as poor sleep habits or lack of exercise. Fatigue can be caused by a medicine or linked to depression. Sometimes fatigue is a symptom of an illness that needs treatment.
Fatigue red flags signal potentially serious issues beyond normal tiredness, including unexplained weight loss, persistent fever, night sweats, shortness of breath, chest pain, severe headaches, confusion, or new neurological/joint problems alongside exhaustion. Other signs include fatigue worsening with activity, significant cognitive/mood changes, or lack of energy despite rest, suggesting conditions like infection, autoimmune disease, heart problems, cancer, or mental health issues, warranting prompt medical evaluation.
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.
Deficiencies. Anemia and other vitamin deficiencies (such as vitamin D or vitamin B12) are often responsible for fatigue. Dehydration can cause fatigue because the body needs plenty of fluids to function.
Vitamin B12
Vitamin B12 helps make your DNA, produce red blood cells and protect your nervous system. “Red blood cells transport oxygen through your body,” explained Dr. Shah. “So, when you don't have enough B12 to produce red blood cells, oxygen doesn't get transported to your cells, which leaves you feeling tired.”
The four Ps are problem solving, planning, prioritising and pacing. The aim is to think of the four Ps at the beginning of each day or week to help you manage your energy levels.
Profound and debilitating fatigue is the most common complaint reported among individuals with autoimmune disease, such as systemic lupus erythematosus, multiple sclerosis, type 1 diabetes, celiac disease, chronic fatigue syndrome, and rheumatoid arthritis.
By 9 a.m. one may already feel the exhaustion of a full workday. Others describe weakness and a lack of energy throughout the entire day. Their usual "pep" is now gone. Even little tasks become more trying and around 4 p.m., they simply must lie down to take a nap.
Symptoms said to be due to adrenal fatigue include tiredness, trouble falling asleep at night or waking up in the morning, salt and sugar craving, and needing stimulants like caffeine to get through the day. These symptoms are common and non-specific, meaning they can be found in many diseases.
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.
Complex carbohydrates
There isn't a single “fatigue blood test.” Instead, providers often order a panel of labs such as a CBC, thyroid panel, iron studies, vitamin D, and vitamin B12 to look for common causes. The right tests depend on your symptoms and health history.
Cardiomyopathy refers to conditions that affect your heart muscle. If you have cardiomyopathy, your heart can't efficiently pump blood to the rest of your body. As a result, you may experience fatigue, shortness of breath or heart palpitations. Cardiomyopathy gets worse over time.
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. Vitamin D deficiencies affect over 50% of the global population, and approximately 12.5% have iron deficiency anemia.
Fatigue is a feeling of constant exhaustion, burnout or lack of energy. It can be physical, mental or a combination of both.
Four key warning signs of a damaged liver include jaundice (yellow skin/eyes), abdominal issues (swelling, pain), fatigue/weakness, and changes in urine/stool color, alongside symptoms like itchy skin, easy bruising, confusion, or nausea, indicating the liver isn't filtering toxins or clotting blood properly.
Fatigue becomes worrisome when it lasts over a couple of weeks without relief, disrupts daily activities, comes on suddenly without a clear cause, or is accompanied by "red flag" symptoms like unexplained weight loss, shortness of breath, fever, unusual bleeding, severe headaches, or chest pain, indicating a need to see a doctor promptly. It's crucial to seek medical advice if rest, good nutrition, and stress management don't improve your energy levels.
Some liver and kidney disorders and some urinary tract infections can turn urine dark brown. So can bleeding inside the body called a hemorrhage. A group of illnesses that mainly affect the skin or the nervous system, called porphyria, also can cause brown urine.
Cytokines are responsible for coordinating the attack against pathogens, and they also cause inflammation. Because the immune system is overreactive in autoimmune disease, cytokines are likewise elevated, creating high inflammation and fatigue.
When trying to cope with fatigue, a simple rule is to remember The Five P's: Plan, Prioritise, Pace, Position and Permission. Plan and organise your time. Plan your day ahead with periods of rest and periods of activity.
Despite its significant impact on quality of life, ME/CFS lacks definitive diagnostic biomarkers, complicating diagnosis and management. Recent evidence highlights potential blood tests for ME/CFS biomarkers in immunological, genetic, metabolic, and bioenergetic domains.
Dietary suggestions for fighting fatigue
Fatigue indicators to include: time of incident, number of days into shift pattern, number of hours into shift, number of rest days in previous 14 day period, rest in previous 24 hours, amount of sleep in previous 72 hours, work activity, commute time.
Most people with a terminal illness feel extreme or constant tiredness (fatigue). Try to pace yourself and save your energy for the activities that are most important to you. An occupational therapist may be able to help with equipment at home to reduce the energy needed for daily activities such as showering.