Excessive daytime fatigue can significantly impact your quality of life; it may affect your career, relationships, family life or your ability to participate in your hobbies.
Unfortunately, fatigue in women is more prevalent than in men, which could result from biological differences or societal and familial pressures. Additional pressures include childbirth, child rearing, 28-day hormonal fluctuations, pregnancy and menopause.
This article addresses the common factors that may be causing fatigue and how you can mitigate them. We then discuss which vitamins and minerals are crucial for fighting fatigue and how you can use a supplement to boost daily energy levels for women.
What can cause tiredness in women?
Fatigue and daytime tiredness are relatively common in women. However, it is always important to rule out an underlying health condition. Get in touch with a healthcare professional if you are worried about fatigue. Below explores some common reasons why you may have low energy.
- Inadequate sleep - regular sleep is essential for feeling refreshed each day. Women may be at a greater risk of poor sleep quality, particularly during menopause, pregnancy and menstruation.
- Stress – Fatigue can be caused by perceived stress. The most common causes of stress-related fatigue are socioeconomic and perceived health status. Many other factors can cause stress, so assess your lifestyle to identify possible stressors.
- Mental health – Feeling overwhelmed or gloomy is associated with reports of fatigue and sluggishness.
- Lack of exercise – Inactivity is linked with a higher prevalence of fatigue. Conversely, overexercising, even in athletic individuals without adequate recovery can also lead to fatigue.
- Stage of your menstrual cycle – muscular strength is higher in the follicular phase of the menstrual cycle. As a result, women may feel more fatigued during the menstrual and luteal stages. Additionally, mental fatigue was reported from the mid-luteal phase.
- Menopause – Fatigue and stress are more common in early menopausal women than in pre-menopause. This could be due to hormonal changes and sleep disturbances.
- Being overweight – being overweight can negatively impact your energy levels.
- Vitamin deficiency – vitamins and minerals are essential for normal energy levels daily, particularly B vitamins, vitamin C, iron and magnesium. If your diet is limited, you may be lacking certain nutrients for fighting fatigue.
How can you increase your energy level?
- Sleep at least eight hours per night. A significant portion of women sleep less than 7 hours per night when the recommended amount is 8-10 hours. If you feel fatigued after eight hours of sleep, you may just need more sleep than others to feel energised.
- Eat a healthy, balanced diet with various animal and plant-based foods. Red meat, fatty fish, organ meats, leafy greens, legumes, berries, nuts and seeds are good sources of B vitamins, iron, magnesium, manganese, vitamin C and vitamin D.
- Regular exercise for six weeks in sedentary individuals improves energy levels. Try 30 minutes of moderate exercise 3 times per week, and you may see results.
- Take dietary supplements to boost your daily nutrient intake.
Which vitamins are the best for energy?
Here, we look at the most important vitamins and minerals for supporting your natural energy levels daily.
B vitamins
Eight B vitamins play a critical role in normal energy levels and the reduction of tiredness and fatigue; these are Thiamine (B1), Riboflavin (vitamin B2), Niacin (B3), Pantothenic Acid (vitamin B5), vitamin B6, Biotin, Folic Acid (B9) and vitamin B12. A vitamin B12 deficiency is the most common in the class of vitamins. Vitamin B12 is not abundant in plant-based foods, so if you are vegan, consider a supplement.
Magnesium
Magnesium contributes to the reduction of tiredness and fatigue and also plays a critical role in energy metabolism. Taking a regular magnesium supplement was reported to decrease fatigue symptoms by 25% in menopausal women.
Vitamin D3
These two vitamins go hand-in-hand. Calcium is vital for normal energy-yielding metabolism, muscle function and the maintenance of normal bones. Vitamin D is essential for the absorption and utilisation of calcium. It is necessary to get enough nutrients to support normal energy levels.
Choosing a supplement to boost energy levels
Supporting your energy levels can be made simple using a combined, all-in-one supplement. Powdered supplements may also be preferable for faster absorption. Also, choose a caffeine-free formula to avoid energy crashes. Our supplement range to support your energy levels for women includes Zest Active, Revive Active, Meno Active and Ubiquinol CoQ10. Below summarises the benefits of each supplement.
Supplement |
Supports |
Ingredients for energy |
Who is it for? |
Energy, Immunity, brain Health, Muscle Function |
B vitamins, vitamins C, magnesium, copper & manganese |
Active adults aged 18+ |
|
Energy, Immunity and Heart Health |
B vitamins, vitamins C, magnesium, copper & manganese |
Active adults over the age of 35 |
|
Energy, Hormonal Activity, Cognitive Function and Nerve Function. |
Iodine, magnesium, B vitamins, copper and manganese |
Women aged over 45 who are going through menopause |
|
Cellular Energy |
Ubiquinol CoQ10 |
Active adults above the age of 18 |
Sources
- Differential Diagnosis of Fatigue in Women
- What are the Important Risk Factors for Daytime Sleepiness and Fatigue in Women?
- Sex Differences in Sleep
- Unique Aspects of Sleep in Women
- Determinants of fatigue and stress
- Fatigue and underperformance in athletes: the overtraining syndrome
- Assessment of Musculoskeletal Strength and Levels of Fatigue during Different Phases of Menstrual Cycle in Young Adults
- Physical and mental fatigue across the menstrual cycle in women with and without generalised anxiety disorder
- The Dynamics of Stress and Fatigue across Menopause: Attractors, Coupling and Resilience
- Vitamins and Minerals for Energy, Fatigue and Cognition: A Narrative Review of the Biochemical and Clinical Evidence
- Going to sleep at 10pm linked to lowered risk of heart disease
- A Randomized Controlled Trial of the Effect of Aerobic Exercise Training on Feelings of Energy and Fatigue in Sedentary Young Adults with Persistent Fatigue
- Do you have a vitamin B deficiency?