Low energy is a frequent concern that patients seek naturopathic care for. Below are the five factors that I find frequently contribute to cases of low energy, despite getting adequate sleep.
Nutrient deficiencies. Low levels of iron, vitamin B12 and vitamin D can leave you feeling like you have to drag yourself throughout the day. Levels of these nutrients are especially important to check if you have inflammatory bowel disease or follow a vegan/vegetarian diet.
Food sensitivities. Symptoms such as low energy, unexplained digestive complaints, skin rashes, headaches/migraines, brain fog, joint pain, weight problems, and chronic congestion can all be caused by eating foods that our body is reactive to. Most patients notice an improvement in symptoms within one month of removing their top food triggers. Food sensitivities can be identified with a blood test provided to you by your naturopathic doctor, or through a trial elimination diet.
Suboptimal blood sugar control. Hypoglycemia, or low blood sugar, is a common cause of low energy levels. Other signs of low blood sugar include headaches, irritability, feeling shaky, and difficulty concentrating. Conversely, feeling tired and bloated immediately after eating may be a sign that your body isn’t able to handle the sugar load dumped into your blood stream right after a meal. Testing your sugar and insulin levels can help identify this as a contributing factor.
Adrenal dysregulation. Your adrenals are two glands that sit on top of your kidneys and pump out your stress hormones, cortisol and adrenalin. This hormonal system often suffers when we constantly push ourselves to do more and more without adequate rest or down-time. Signs of adrenal dysregulation may include fatigue, salt cravings, inability to cope with change and stress, sleep disturbances, brain fog, feeling light headed when rising from a chair, and low blood sugar. The most accurate way to assess for adrenal dysregulation is with a saliva hormone panel, which can be provided to you by your naturopathic doctor.
Suboptimal thyroid function. Your thyroid is a butterfly-shaped gland at the front of your neck. It produces thyroid hormones that regulate everything from our energy levels and body temperature to our mood and metabolism. The top three early warning signs of an underactive thyroid gland are fatigue, constipation and weight gain. I often recommend running a full thyroid panel to catch mild, early disturbances in thyroid function.