How to combat tiredness and fatigue with food and supplements

Fatigue and tiredness are common problems that affect many people.
The cause of these problems can range from lack of sleep, stress, chronic diseases, among others.
However, one of the most effective ways to combat fatigue and tiredness is through a correct diet and, if necessary, the addition of a nutritional supplement.
In this article, we will explore the scientific evidence behind this claim and how it can be applied to daily life.

What are fatigue and tiredness?

One of the most significant differences between tiredness and fatigue is that the person who is tired can maintain an extra reserve of energy, however, the person who is fatigued has the feeling of extreme tiredness or exhaustion that makes it impossible for them to continue with work or daily tasks, and in this case there is a sustained lack of energy. Fatigue makes up approximately 20% of symptoms in family doctor visits and negatively affects family life, work performance, and social relationships over time.
Thus, if the symptom lasts six months, it is considered chronic fatigue.

In this article, we’ll review the scientific literature that indicates how omega-3, DHA, and B-complex vitamins foods and supplements can help fight tiredness and fatigue.

The glorious Omega-3s

As we mentioned in previous articles, Omega-3s are essential fatty acids that are naturally found in foods such as fish, nuts and seeds.
DHA (docosahexaenoic acid) is a type of Omega-3 found in seafood such as oily or deep-sea fish.
The characteristic of blue is given by the proportion of fat inserted between the muscles, which is greater than 6%.

These lipid nutrients are important for human health and have special relevance in the brain and heart, but they can also have a positive impact on fatigue and tiredness.

The disease called Chronic Fatigue Syndrome is a complex event that particularly affects women and has its own criteria.
One in seven patients suffering from chronic fatigue is included in this syndrome, and its frequency increases by up to 10-15% in tertiary care consultations.
The pathophysiology involves the passage of increased cytokines into the circulation as a result of peripheral inflammatory signals through areas without a blood-brain barrier and the induction of cytokine release from microglia by prostaglandin E2.

The B complex

Many patients with chronic fatigue syndrome show signs of oxidative stress and a chronically activated innate immune system.
Recent studies have shown that the generation of free radicals could be involved in the etiology of the so-called syndrome.
Symptoms of fatigue could be related to loss of efficiency of the electron transport chain and decreased mitochondrial function.
Oxidative mitochondrial damage, particularly of Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS), induces damage to mitochondrial membrane lipids, resulting in rapid loss of mitochondrial function, although it causes peroxidation of proteins and DNA, as well as cellular mitochondrial lipids.
In other words, due to the formation of an excess of free radicals, oxidative stress could be involved in the pathology of chronic fatigue syndrome.

Numerous reviews reported that some nutritional deficiencies could be implicated as etiologic agents of chronic fatigue syndrome.
These include deficiencies of vitamin C, vitamin B complex, sodium, magnesium, zinc, folate, l-carnitine, l-tryptophan, essential fatty acids, and coenzyme Q10.
For example, a dose-response association and the long-lasting effects of B12/folic acid provide an adequate positive reaction in patients with chronic fatigue syndrome examined. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0124648

Another study sought to evaluate the effects of vitamin B12 alone, in addition to vitamin B12 and folic acid with or without vitamin B6 on cognitive development, functional development, depressive symptoms, and idiopathic fatigue in patients without advanced neurological disorders or overt vitamin B12 deficiency.
The result was that supplementation did not result in positive changes in cognitive or functional development or depressive symptoms, but it did in cases of fatigue of idiopathic origin. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu13030923

The role of inflammation

Inflammation is an overt or covert component of numerous human conditions and diseases.
Although inflammation can affect different compartments of the body, a common feature of these conditions and diseases is the excessive or inadequate production of inflammatory mediators, including eicosanoids and cytokines.
It has been highlighted that Omega-3 fatty acids can act in several ways to reduce inflammation:

• Decrease the production of eicosanoid mediators of arachidonic acid, many of which have pro-inflammatory functions.
• Increase the production of weakly inflammatory or anti-inflammatory eicosanoids from EPA.
• Increase the production of anti-inflammatory and inflammation-enhancing resolvins from EPA and DHA.
• Decrease the chemotactic responses of leukocytes.
• Decrease the expression of adhesion molecules in leukocytes and endothelial cells and decrease intercellular adhesive interactions.
• Decrease the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines and other pro-inflammatory proteins induced through the NFκB system.

The roles of marine-based omega-3 fatty acids in the formation and regulation of inflammatory processes and responses suggest that the level of exposure to these fatty acids could be important in determining the development and severity of inflammatory diseases.
The recognition that marine omega-3 fatty acids have anti-inflammatory actions has led to the idea that supplementation of the diet of patients with inflammatory diseases may have a clinical benefit. Those conducted on patients with rheumatoid arthritis appear to be the most successful, and most trials report several clinical benefits. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bbalip.2014.08.010

Central cytokines act through the NF-ƙβ signaling pathway and affect neurotransmitters in several pathways, such as norepinephrine, dopamine, and serotonin.
As a result, the clinical picture of pain, sleep disturbance and fatigue arises.
The most common cause in etiology is changes in psychological status with a rate of 80%.
Other causes include chronic fatigue syndrome, rheumatological and oncological events, infections, neurological, hematological, and endocrinological diseases, and end-stage organ diseases. Often, the feeling of chronic fatigue is accompanied by generalized body pain or weakness, and the current situation becomes more complicated. The doctor-patient relationship is extremely important in treatment, and the first thing to do is to stop medications that may cause fatigue.
Sleep, diet, physical activity, work life and stress should be assessed and interventions should be made to regulate physiological needs.
Today, B vitamins and coenzyme complexes, omega-3 fatty acids, and herbal supplements can be recommended as therapeutic options. https://doi.org/10.33713/egetbd.568526

There is evidence that omega-3 fatty acids slow the progress of atherosclerosis, which has an inflammatory component.
In addition, they reduce mortality from cardiovascular diseases; This may be due, in part, to the stabilization of atherosclerotic plaques against rupture, as they have an inflammatory component.
Therefore, the anti-inflammatory effects of omega-3 fatty acids may contribute to their protective actions against atherosclerosis, plaque rupture, and cardiovascular mortality. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu2030355

How is Omega-3 and DHA incorporated into the daily diet?

A simple way is through food. Foods rich in omega-3s include fatty fish such as salmon, mackerel, and tuna, as well as nuts and seeds such as chia and flaxseeds. To get an adequate amount of DHA, it is recommended to consume fatty fish at least twice a week.
Omega-3 and DHA supplements can also be taken in the form of fish oil capsules or pearls.

However, it is important to note that omega-3 and DHA supplements are not a cure for fatigue and tiredness, but a therapeutic contribution.

Likewise, evidence has been found that they help not only when both symptoms are part of pathologies, but also in exercise.

Exercise activates multiple molecular and biochemical pathways, many of which involve the immune system, and there are more and more data points indicating that they are sensitive to nutritional influences.
Nutritional strategies and supplements such as omega-3 fatty acids can result in optimal training gains, improved recovery, reduced risk of disease, and high-level competitive performance.
In addition, it was shown that they could affect mood and emotional states.
Supplementing 24 elite female soccer players with 3.5 g per day of DHA-rich fish oil for four weeks produced perceptual-motor benefits (i.e., improvements in complex reaction time and efficiency).
This supports the view that DHA can improve performance in sports where perceptual-motor activity and decision-making are the keys to success.
If the observed positive associations are causal, increasing omega-3 fatty acid intake by eating more fish or taking supplements is an intervention that could be applied to this segment of the population.
This has the potential to be an ergogenic aid that improves training and athletic performance at low cost and low risk. https://doi.org/10.7205/MILMED-D-14-00160

Our contribution

Active Ω3 B-Complex is a dietary supplement with DHA and B vitamins, indicated to relieve symptoms associated with stress, tiredness and fatigue.
It contains omega-3 fatty acids from cold-extracted fish oil (76% DHA in the form of triglycerides) and B vitamins. It is necessary to take a pearl daily to obtain the benefits of this exclusive formulation.

Conclusion

Tiredness and fatigue reduce our performance in a perceptible way.
Both symptoms can appear in isolation, in which case it will be diagnosed as chronic fatigue syndrome or idiopathic fatigue, but other times it is part of more complex diseases.

The studies mentioned above show that supplementation with omega-3 fatty acids and/or B complex improves performance, responsiveness and symptom subjectivity.

Through our Active Ω3 B-Complex we can help in the prevention and treatment of fatigue and tiredness.

We hope our article has been of interest to you, and as always, we hope