Fatigue is prevalent in my practice. Patients are frequently coming in tired and they just accept it as normal. Oftentimes, fatigue isn’t even the reason they are coming in but it is listed as a side-note on the intake form. It is not normal, it is not from getting older, and there is likely something causing it that we can find and fix.
HERE ARE MY TOP REASONS FOR FATIGUE
- Nutrient Deficiencies and/or Thyroid Dysfunction: The easiest first step to take for a patient with fatigue is to run bloodwork. Some of my top laboratory tests for fatigue include iron, thyroid, vitamin B12 and vitamin D. Other laboratory tests may be relevant based on your case. If a patient has run bloodwork with their medical doctor, I ALWAYS like to see the results. It isn’t sufficient to know that tests are within range. The laboratory range can be far from the optimal range and patients frequently still have symptoms of a nutrient deficiency even when testing within range.
- Food Sensitivities: Food sensitivities are a common reason for fatigue. Together we will go through all the symptoms of different food sensitivities and we discuss which symptoms or foods you identify with and how you feel when you consume them. Then we eliminate these foods for one month and we see how you feel. If that food is having an impact on energy levels then patients will notice that energy skyrockets throughout the month and crashes when we do a reintroduction of it. Once the food has been out of the system for a month, it is much easier to see the effects of the food once it is reintroduced.
- Stress: Long-term stress can place significant demands on the adrenal glands leading to burnout. In naturopathic medicine, we use certain herbs (known as adaptogens) to improve symptoms of burnout. After approximately six weeks, patients will report feeling more energized, and less overwhelmed by stress. They can see that the stress around them remains the same but they feel like they can just handle it.
- Poor Sleep: Poor sleep can be the result of poor sleep habits (not sleeping long enough hours) or It can be due to insomnia, whether this be difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep. When night wakings occur from 2 am-4 am we often believe cortisol may be the culprit, however when early morning wakings at 5 am occur then this may indicate lower levels of serotonin. There are many different supplements to support patients through all different types of insomnia.
- Depression: Low mood and fatigue often go hand in hand and at times it can be difficult for patients to distinguish whether it is fatigue causing low mood, or low mood causing fatigue.
There are certainly other reasons why a patient may have fatigue. These reasons may include yeast overgrowth in the body, blood sugar dysregulation, general malnutrition or not eating enough calories, and caffeine intake. If you are experiencing fatigue, please book your 1-hour initial consultation to discuss your potential underlying causes and how we can treat them.
Dr Ashley von Martels ND is a naturopath in Toronto focusing on Women’s Health. Her areas of interest include: PCOS, irregular periods, acne, interstitial cystitis, UTI’s, yeast infections, PMS, endometriosis, menopause, fertility, pregnancy and preconception (amongst others). She offers virtual consultations to patients across Ontario.
