Feeling tired ? Too many late nights, thinking about the work schedule ahead or how you’re going to get to the office through the rush hour. Being and feeling tired is one of the worst feelings in the world because it never seems to end. For most of us actually being tired is as horrible as not having enough sleep or rest. Whilst getting enough sleep and having a more restful, less frenetic and energetic life might help reduce the feelings of tiredness, its possible to find other means to stave that lethargic feeling. Some supplements are available to help relieve the feelings of tiredness and even give us a boost of energy when needed.
Iron To Beat Tiredness
The body needs iron !
Iron is an element, a metal which is needed to help transport oxygen around the body. It is bound to haemoglobin which is the red pigment in red blood cells. Any iron deficiency leads to anaemia and is a reflection of our energy level capacity. Being anaemic invariably leaves us feeling tired and even lacking enough breath.
Taking an iron supplement is not without some careful thought. The amount to take depends on your physical condition, age, weight, whether you are pregnant, whether you follow a vegetarian or vegan diet. Whilst there are many natural foodstuff such as spinach and green leafy vegetables to eat, supplementation sometimes works a treat. These don’t just come in pill form, there are sprays and liquids available as well as capsules and tablets.
To be perfectly honest, improving your diet is probably the best way to deal with an iron shortage and so consider adding more of these foods. Spinach for starters, dark chocolate, various sea food, kidney beans, baked potatoes and buckwheat. Legumes such as peas and beans are good sources. I like white beans which are usually available in cans because of their versatility in cooking. There are also some excellent processed foods out there such as fortified cereals.
By the way, to be able to maximise the benefits of iron consumption make sure there is plenty of vitamin C in the diet from fruits too.
Vitamin B12
Making sure you have enough of all the B vitamins anyway is essential in optimising energy metabolism. A B vitamin complex is available but one of the most important vitamins is B12. On the label, this is known as cobalamin. It helps to improve energy conversion by making full use of all those food molecules in the diet. The symptoms of low levels of vitamin B12 are lethargy, tiredness, weakness and fatigue which happens just a bit too easily. A lack of B12 means the red blood cells cannot transport enough oxygen through the body. There is a clear association in many ways with keeping iron levels up too.
The best sources of B12 are fish and meat, eggs and dairy. Vegans and vegetarians can obtain supplements from non-meat and dairy sources. It is one of those vitamins that needs careful attention when following a more restrictive dietary lifestyle.
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