A common complaint doctors hear from their patients is fatigue. The type that doesn\u2019t seem to go away no matter what you do. Fatigue can affect every aspect of our lives and prevent us from living life to the fullest. And because it can be caused by many different factors, finding the source of your fatigue can be a frustrating, costly, and time-consuming endeavor. Read on to discover the 5 common causes of fatigue and which blood tests can help you zero in on them.<\/p>\n
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Fatigue is our body\u2019s way of letting us know that we need to rest and recover. It happens after intense exercise<\/a> or sleep<\/a> loss. Normally, we can beat fatigue by sleeping more, letting our bodies recover after exercise, eating healthier, and reducing stress<\/a>. But what happens when you\u2019re still tired all the time even after a full night\u2019s sleep and cutting the sugar out of your diet? This is when fatigue becomes chronic. With chronic fatigue, you don\u2019t just feel physically tired and weak. You also lack the motivation<\/a> to accomplish daily tasks, can\u2019t concentrate, and may even feel slightly depressed.<\/p>\n If you can relate to this, then it\u2019s time to dig deeper to see what\u2019s really going on. By taking specific lab tests, you can uncover the source of your fatigue and start taking steps to get your mood, focus<\/a>, and energy back.<\/p>\n Anemia<\/a> is a condition in which your body isn\u2019t producing enough red blood cells<\/a> or enough hemoglobin<\/a> (the protein that carries oxygen). The main symptom of anemia is fatigue. Anemia can be caused by many different things, but three common nutritional causes are deficiencies in iron<\/a>, vitamin <\/a>B1<\/a>2<\/a>, and folate (vitamin B9<\/a>).<\/p>\n Your doctor can diagnose anemia, taking into account your medical history, symptoms, and test results such as red blood cells (RBC), hemoglobin, and hematocrit.<\/p>\n One of the most common causes of fatigue is iron deficiency. Indeed, it\u2019s the most common nutrient deficiency worldwide. Iron is a mineral that plays an essential role in the body. Most of the iron in the body is found in hemoglobin, where it helps to carry oxygen to cells, which use it to produce energy. Iron is also needed for [R<\/a>, R<\/a>, R<\/a>, R<\/a>, R<\/a>, R<\/a>]:<\/p>\n Low iron levels can be caused by [R<\/a>]:<\/p>\n Blood Test<\/strong>: Because blood iron fluctuates daily and increases after you eat iron-rich foods, ask your doctor about a ferritin<\/a> test instead. Ferritin is a protein that stores and transports iron and is a much more accurate indicator of how much iron is in the body. Low ferritin levels strongly suggest iron deficiency as there are only a few other conditions that decrease ferritin [R<\/a>, R<\/a>, R<\/a>]. Talk with your doctor to find out more.<\/p>\n Like iron, vitamin B12 is also needed to make red blood cells, making it a crucial nutrient for energy production. It also plays a key role in making DNA and is required for the brain and nervous system to work properly [R<\/a>, R<\/a>, R<\/a>, R<\/a>].<\/p>\n Vitamin B12 deficiency often takes years to develop as the body is able to store large amounts in the liver. People at a higher risk of vitamin B12 deficiency include [R<\/a>, R<\/a>, R<\/a>]:<\/p>\n Blood Test<\/strong>: You can ask your doctor if you should test your vitamin B12 levels. Total vitamin B12 levels are most commonly tested. There are proponents of testing the active vitamin B12, but research is conflicted on whether it improves the detection of vitamin B12 deficiency over total vitamin B12 while being more expensive and hard to perform [R<\/a>].<\/p>\n Folate<\/a> is another key vitamin needed to make your red blood cells. It also is needed for [R<\/a>, R<\/a>, R<\/a>, R<\/a>]:<\/p>\n Folate deficiency is rare. It can happen in people not eating enough fruits and vegetables. Alcoholics and lactating mothers also have an increased risk of deficiency [R<\/a>].<\/p>\n Blood Tests<\/strong>: You can test either your serum folate or red blood cell folate (RBC folate). Folate is more concentrated in red blood cells, making RBC folate a better indicator of how much total folate is stored in your tissues [R<\/a>].<\/p>\n The thyroid is a gland that controls how fast your body\u2019s metabolism runs. Hypothyroidism<\/a> is a condition in which your thyroid isn\u2019t making enough thyroid hormones<\/a>. If you have hypothyroidism, you will experience fatigue, inability to lose weight<\/a>, hair loss, and sensitivity to cold<\/a>.<\/p>\n Nearly 90% of hypothyroid<\/a> cases are caused by an autoimmune disease called Hashimoto\u2019s thyroiditis, in which the body attacks the thyroid gland and causes inflammation. Other causes include iodine<\/a> and selenium<\/a> deficiencies, certain medications, and radiation therapy for cancer [R<\/a>].<\/p>\n Blood Tests<\/strong>: If you have symptoms of hypothyroidism, doctors will usually test your thyroid-stimulating hormone<\/a> (TSH<\/a>) first. TSH is a hormone that tells the thyroid gland to make thyroid hormones. They may also check the levels of free T3 and free T4<\/a>.<\/p>\n If needed your doctor will check your thyroid antibodies: thyroid peroxidase antibodies (TPOAbs) and thyroglobulin<\/a> antibodies (TgAbs). TPOAbs are found in more than 90% and TgAbs are found in 80% of Hashimoto\u2019s patients [R<\/a>].<\/p>\n<\/a>Common Causes of Chronic Fatigue<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n
<\/a>1) Anemia<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n
<\/a>Iron Deficiency<\/strong><\/h4>\n
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<\/a>Vitamin B12 Deficiency<\/strong><\/h4>\n
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<\/a>Folate (Vitamin B9) Deficiency<\/strong><\/h4>\n
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<\/a>2) Poor Thyroid Function (Hypothyroidism)<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n