If you need multiple cups of coffee before you can think straight or wake up feeling drained despite a full night’s sleep, it may be a sign that something more than a busy schedule is at play. Persistent low energy can stem from underlying health issues that deserve medical evaluation, but in some cases, correcting nutritional deficiencies or supporting the body’s energy-producing processes may also help.
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Dr Kunal Sood, an anaesthesiologist and interventional pain medicine physician, has shared five supplements that may help support energy levels in people experiencing chronic fatigue or persistent low energy. In an Instagram video shared on July 16, the physician highlights, “Low energy can come from many causes, including poor sleep, nutrient deficiencies, metabolic stress, or chronic illness. These supplements may support specific energy pathways, but they are not substitutes for identifying the underlying cause.”
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Dr Kunal Sood, MD, is a double board-certified physician in Anesthesiology and Interventional Pain Medicine. He did his residency and fellowship in anesthesiology at Wayne State University in Detroit, Michigan, followed by a one-year fellowship in interventional pain medicine. He later became the Medical Director of the office in Germantown, Maryland.
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According to Dr Sood, creatine helps support short bursts of energy in both the muscles and the brain. It may improve certain aspects of cognitive function during periods of metabolic stress or sleep deprivation, but it is not a treatment for chronic fatigue.
He explains, “Creatine helps regenerate ATP through the creatine-phosphocreatine system, supporting short bursts of energy in muscle and brain. Studies suggest it may improve certain aspects of cognition under metabolic stress or sleep deprivation, but it is not a treatment for chronic fatigue.”
Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) is a naturally occurring antioxidant that plays a vital role in cellular energy production. According to the physician, it may offer modest benefits for reducing fatigue, particularly in people with certain underlying medical conditions.
Dr Sood notes, “CoQ10 helps transport electrons within mitochondria, allowing cells to generate ATP more efficiently. Meta-analyses suggest modest fatigue benefits, particularly in people with underlying medical conditions rather than healthy adults.”
Dr Sood explains that magnesium is essential for nerve signalling and muscle function, and that a deficiency can contribute to low energy levels. Correcting a magnesium deficiency may help improve fatigue, muscle weakness and cramps.
He highlights, “Magnesium is required for ATP-dependent reactions, nerve signaling, and muscle function. Replacing deficiency may improve fatigue, weakness, or cramps, although evidence specifically supporting magnesium malate for fatigue remains limited.”
Vitamin B12 plays a vital role in red blood cell production, myelin formation and healthy nerve function. According to Dr Sood, a deficiency can lead to fatigue, so correcting low B12 levels through supplementation may help improve energy levels.
The physician explains, “Vitamin B12 supports red blood cell production, myelin, and normal nerve function. Replacing B12 can substantially improve fatigue when true deficiency is present, but it does not improve energy in people who already have adequate B12 levels.”
According to the physician, omega-3 fatty acids support healthy cell membranes and help reduce inflammation. While they are not stimulants, they may help ease fatigue associated with chronic inflammatory conditions or certain long-term illnesses in some people.
Dr Sood notes, “Omega-3s support cell membranes and inflammatory signaling rather than acting as stimulants. Fatigue benefits appear inconsistent and are most evident in selected inflammatory or chronic disease populations rather than the general population.”
He concludes, “If you need several cups of coffee just to function, supplements alone are unlikely to be the answer. Persistent fatigue deserves evaluation for causes such as inadequate sleep, anaemia, thyroid disease, vitamin B12 deficiency, medication effects, depression, or sleep disorders.”
Note to readers: This article is for informational purposes only and not a substitute for professional medical advice. It is based on user-generated content from social media. HT.com has not independently verified the claims and does not endorse them.
