4 common causes of fatigue

- Your thyroid works slowly: this important gland secretes hormones that help control the metabolism.  Thyroid problem could be the most common cause of fatigue.  The symptoms are: you feel run-down, weak, sluggish, and your muscles ache, especially in cold weather.  Other symptoms of an underactive thyroid include constipation, weight gain or difficulty losing weight, hair loss, irritability, dry hair, nails and skin and monthly irregularities.

- You don’t consume enough vitamin C: vitamin C helps produce carnitine, a substance that transports the fatty acids to the cells, where they are burned to obtain energy.  Carnitine’s scarcity forces the body to use the carbohydrates and proteins to obtain energy, and this can cause your body to produce lactic acid, a product waste that accumulates in the tissues and causes muscle fatigue.  Consume at least 75 mg of vitamin C daily.

- Iron deficiency: is not just something that happens to women of child-bearing age.  As women approach menopause, their periods often become heavier and more frequent, leading to loss iron.  And postmenopausal women are at risk too.  Your periods are very heavy: heavy periods may lower your iron stores and even cause anemia, which causes you not to have enough red blood cells to carry adequate amounts of oxygen to energize the cells.  The symptoms are the following: you tire easily and notice that tasks you used to do with ease now require effort.  Other symptoms are: pale complexion, shortness of breath, rapid heart rate, feeling cold.

- Sleep apnea: it’s a sleep disorder where your breathing is very shallow or you have periods where you even stop breathing during sleep.  This prevents you from getting a restful sleep and results in fatigue.  Symptoms: you’re overly tired during the day and may nod off at inappropriate moments or have a strong urge to nap.  Other symptoms: snoring, morning headaches, heartburn, poor concentration, frequent visits to the bathroom in the middle of the night.