Most people experience different levels of fatigue or low energy from time to time, but extreme, chronic fatigue could indicate an underlying health problem or medical condition. If you have prolonged, persistent fatigue, you could have chronic fatigue syndrome. Certain nutritional supplements could help to increase your energy levels and fight fatigue. Consult your doctor to discuss the possible dangers and proper dosage before taking any supplement to treat fatigue.
Identification
Extreme fatigue can be caused by an underlying medical condition such as chronic viral hepatitis, fibromyalgia, anemia or hypothyroidism, according to the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. Chronic, extreme fatigue can also stem from a psychological condition such as depression. Your doctor might diagnose you with chronic fatigue syndrome if you experience serious fatigue for six months or longer that causes you to decrease your normal daily activity by 50 percent, explains the University of Michigan Health System. Some people with chronic fatigue syndrome have an underlying condition such as food allergies, hypoglycemia, adrenal-gland disorders or chronic mononucleosis.
Prevention/Solution
Certain nutritional deficiencies can cause or contribute to severe fatigue, and taking supplements might help, reports the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. For example, an iron deficiency can cause anemia and chronic fatigue, so taking an iron supplement could help reduce your fatigue. If you have chronic fatigue syndrome, you might be deficient in vitamins B-6 or B-12, magnesium, L-carnitine and dehydroepiandrosterone, notes the University of Michigan Health System. Supplements of essential fatty acids such as those in fish oil and nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide could also help reduce your fatigue, even without a clear deficiency. Taking a supplement of coenzyme Q10 or vitamins B-5 and D could help ease your fatigue, while vitamin C and beta-carotene supplements can boost your immune system. Additionally, supplements of chromium, L-citrulline, adrenal extract, pyruvate and pregnenolone could help treat fatigue in some people. Talk with your health-care provider before taking any supplements for fatigue.
Amounts
You might take 300 to 1,000 mg of magnesium, with or without 600 mg of malic acid, daily to combat fatigue, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center. A typical dosage of L-carnitine is 500 to 1,000 mg taken three times daily for about two months, while the dosage of vitamin D is 600 to 1,000 international units -- IU -- per day, if you have a deficiency. You could take 250 mg of vitamin B-5 twice daily, 1,000 mg of fish oil three times daily, 50 to 200 mg daily of DHEA, 60 to 100 mg of coenzyme Q10 each day, or 5 to 20 mg of NADH daily. Injections of vitamin B-12 and magnesium have been used for treating chronic fatigue as well, notes the University of Michigan Health System. Ask your physician about the dosage that's right for you before taking any amount of a nutritional supplement to treat fatigue.
Considerations
Other nutritional practices can help treat your extreme fatigue, including dietary modifications such as avoiding alcohol, caffeine, sugars, processed or refined foods, and saturated fats, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center. Exercising regularly and pacing yourself throughout the day, as well as reducing stress with deep breathing, yoga or meditation can also help ease your fatigue. Certain herbal supplements, such as licorice root, eleuthero or Asian ginseng, could also help treat fatigue, notes the University of Michigan Health System. You can try other purported fatigue-fighting herbal supplements such as schisandra, suma, reishi, cordyceps, ashwagandha, bee propolis, maitake, guarana, rhodiola, maca and royal jelly, according to the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. No widely accepted medical research supports the use of any herbal supplements for treating fatigue, however.
Warning
Like conventional medications, nutritional supplements can pose health risks for some people and interact with certain drugs. For instance, taking iron supplements can be dangerous unless you have a deficiency, warns the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. Magnesium and L-carnitine can influence your blood pressure, fish oil can interact negatively with blood-thinning medications like Coumadin, and DHEA can worsen hormone-sensitive diseases including breast cancer, cautions the University of Maryland Medical Center. Discuss these and other possible health risks with your doctor before taking any fatigue-fighting supplements.
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