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Do you wake each morning feeling unrefreshed?
Are you a victim of "3:30itis" (afternoon slump)?
Do you wish you had more energy for the things you love?
With modern life full of personal stressors, work demands, social commitments, relationships to nurture, healthy food to prepare and exercise to complete, you wouldn’t be alone if you’re feeling a little too tired to ‘fit it all in’. To help refill your tank, it’s vitally important that your body and mind are supported with specific minerals and vitamins for energy.
How do Vitamins and Minerals Produce Energy?
Vitamins and minerals don’t “create” energy per se; however, they are involved in the body’s processes that enable us to get energy from the food we eat. For example, most of the B vitamins plus magnesium and iron play important roles in at least one or several steps of energy-production in the body’s cells.¹ Our bodies also rely on some B vitamins and iron to form red blood cells, which carry oxygen to the body’s tissues.¹
If your intake is inadequate for any of these energy-supporting nutrients, you can experience tiredness and fatigue.
What are the Best Supplements for Energy?
Among the most important nutrients, minerals and vitamins for energy are the B vitamins, magnesium and iron.
B-Group Vitamins
Most of the B vitamins, including B1, B2, B3, B5, B6, B12 and biotin are involved in the normal functioning of the energy-production system in the body. B vitamins play many critical roles in the generation of energy and a large number of enzymes require B vitamins to help with their functions. For example, vitamin B1 is needed for several enzymes associated with the metabolism of carbohydrates, amino acids and fatty acids and vitamin B12 is needed for fat and protein breakdown and red blood cell production.¹ The majority of B vitamins (other than B12) are ‘water soluble’, which means they aren’t stored in the body and must be consumed through food on a regular basis.
If you’re feeling depleted in energy, you may not be getting the B vitamins your body needs. One way to top up your levels is to take a combination of B vitamins such as those found in Meta B Complex. A potent formulation of vitamins B (1, 2, 3, 5, 6 & 12) with antioxidants, Meta B Complex support energy production and helps maintain healthy energy levels.
Another energy supplement that you may find beneficial is EnergyX powder, which combines magnesium with activated B vitamins, to provide support for energy and fatigue when dietary intake is inadequate. Regular B vitamins need to undergo various conversions in the body in order to become ‘active’ and useful for body processes, including energy production. The B vitamins in EnergyX come ‘pre-activated’, which means they are immediately ready to be utilised by the body.
Magnesium
Our bodies need magnesium for hundreds of functions, 300 in fact! Magnesium is required for the metabolism of carbohydrates and fats to produce energy. In addition, the main source of energy for the body’s cells (ATP - adenosine triphosphate), must be bound to a magnesium ion in order to ‘activate’.² Magnesium is also required for nervous system function and a healthy stress response. Ongoing stress can take a toll on your energy levels and leave you feeling depleted. Stress can rob the body of magnesium, and a lack of magnesium can increase your susceptibility to stress,³ resulting in a vicious cycle that is sure to impact how energetic you feel.
Taking a high-quality, easily absorbed magnesium supplement such as EnergyX may be beneficial for supporting your energy production, relieving tiredness and reducing symptoms of stress.
Iron
Iron plays an important role in cellular energy production and is also needed to form haemoglobin and myoglobin.¹ Haemoglobin is the part of red blood cells that transports oxygen in the blood, which is essential for providing the body with energy for daily life. Myoglobin is a protein found in muscle cells that is used for the storage of oxygen. If you don’t get the iron your body needs, you’re likely to feel tired and fatigued.
It is estimated that 1 in 8 people are deficient in iron.⁴ Those most at risk include teenage girls, menstruating women (especially those with heavy periods), pregnant and breastfeeding women, vegetarians and vegans and people with conditions that affect their absorption of iron (i.e. coeliac disease).⁴ If you suspect that you may be iron deficient, it is important to seek advice from your GP, who may check your iron levels via a blood test.
If you’re looking for an iron supplement, look no further than Hemagenics Iron Advanced. Formulated with easily absorbed iron bisglycinate in combination with active B12 and active folate (5-MTHF), Hemagenics Iron Advanced supports healthy energy levels and the normal production of red blood cells.
What if I Feel Tired but Also Wired?
If you’re feeling tired but also wired or on edge, it can make it difficult to relax and get the rest your body needs to support your energy levels. Thankfully, there are specific herbs available to help. Rehmannia, American Ginseng, Wild Oats and Lavender, found in Adaptan, have been proven and traditionally used in Western and Chinese medicine to relieve restlessness and nervous tension and reduce fatigue due to ongoing stress.
For specific advice on which energy supplement and dose is best for you, speak with a healthcare practitioner. Use our Find a Practitioner tool to get quality advice from trusted professionals in your area.
References
- Tardy AL, Pouteau E, Marquez D, Yilmaz C, Scholey A. Vitamins and Minerals for Energy, Fatigue and Cognition: A Narrative Review of the Biochemical and Clinical Evidence. Nutrients. 2020;12(1):228. doi:10.3390/nu12010228
- Higdon. Magnesium. Linus Pauling Institute. Updated February, 2019. Accessed June 18, 2024. https://lpi.oregonstate.edu/mic/minerals/magnesium
- Pickering G, et al. Magnesium status and stress: the vicious circle concept revisited. Nutrients. 2020;12(12):3672
- Better Health Channel. Iron and iron deficiency. Updated January 6, 2022. Accessed June 18, 2024. https://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/health/conditionsandtreatments/iron