7 Energy Supplements That Work (& Why You Have Low Energy)

7 Energy Supplements That Work (& Why You Have Low Energy)

Low energy is a common and frequently ignored symptom that many patients suffer from. 

Wouldn’t it be nice if you could take something to help increase your energy?

While there isn’t a magical “energy supplement” that will cure your fatigue, there are many supplements that may help. 

Learn more about targeting your supplements to help boost your energy in this guide: 

What Causes Low Energy?

Fatigue or low energy is a very common complaint among many patients. 

But why do so many people have low energy?

Is it because they are missing some critical supplements?

Not really. 

The problem with “low energy” is that it is very non-specific and doesn’t necessarily mean anything on its own. 

If you were to look at the number of diseases and conditions that are associated with low energy it would number in the hundreds (1).

lab tests in patients with fatigue

This is probably one of the main reasons that Doctors tend to ignore low energy as a symptom. 

It’s quite non-specific and is related to hundreds of diseases. 

Fortunately, there are a number of things that you can do to actually increase your energy level. 

It all starts with understanding where energy comes from in the body. 

From there you can then target therapies to treat these problems and finally increase your energy. 

So where does energy production come from?

The vast majority of the energy produced in your body comes from a special portion of the cell known as the mitochondria (2).

Mitochondria take macro-molecules (fats and carbohydrates) and turn them into a molecule known as ATP or adenosine triphosphate. 

ATP then acts as the energy currency in your body. 

ATP helps your muscles contract (actually it helps them to relax but it is still required), it helps manage very important electrolyte gradients, allows nerve conduction (3) and so much more. 

the importance of ATP in nerve conduction

When ATP levels are reduced (even by a little bit) the consequence may be subjectively felt as “low energy” or “fatigue”. 

So when we take a 35,000-foot view of energy production in the body we can begin to target therapies to treat the underlying problem. 

What do I mean?

Let’s use a few quick examples and discuss how they alter energy production and why these conditions may lead to low energy: 

#1. Nutrient Deficiency

Sub-optimal levels of certain nutrients may promote fatigue because they act as co-factors in mitochondria energy production. 

We all know that B complex vitamins are routinely felt (at least subjectively) to increase energy levels when taking them. 

Most people who take B complex vitamins, B12 shots or other forms of B12 have no doubt experienced an increase in energy. 

Despite this, they may not even realize why it occurs. 

While we aren’t 100% sure, one such theory is that suboptimal levels of B12 in the body may reduce total energy production. 

By repleting B12 in the body, mitochondrial energy production may increase and therefore you may feel a “surge” of energy (4).

Vitamin B12 and energy production

B vitamins aren’t the only nutrients required for energy production either. 

Low levels of iodine (5) may impair thyroid function and lead to sub-optimal thyroid status in the body as well. 

One of the most common symptoms of hypothyroidism is fatigue (along with many others). 

The moral of the story?

Many nutrients are involved in energy production and we will discuss the most important ones below. 

#2. Lack of Sleep

It is well known that lack of sleep will lead to fatigue and low energy, I don’t think anyone would dispute this fact. 

Studies show that people who sleep less than 6 hours each night are at increased risk of developing weight gain, inflammation, and certain hormone imbalances. 

Studies also show that these patients frequently experience fatigue and cognitive impairment (6) (difficulty with concentration or “brain fog”). 

lack of sleep and low energy

It isn’t clear exactly why this occurs, but we know that it does indeed happen. 

The fatigue associated with lack of sleep has such a powerful influence on the total subjective sense of “energy” that if present it should become your top priority as far as treatment is concerned. 

If you have low energy and you are sleeping less than 8 hours per night then you should make this your #1 priority. 

#3. Reliance upon Caffeine

Caffeine is often used as a stimulant and an antidote to treat low energy levels. 

Every morning people wake up and make coffee and/or drink energy drinks to get through their day. 

What they may not realize is that caffeine may be making their low-energy problem worse. 

Caffeine acts as a stimulant in the body but may put increased demand on certain hormones (including cortisol and catecholamines such as epinephrine and norepinephrine). 

Constant use of caffeine may reduce your quality of sleep and increase your risk of developing hormone imbalances that make fatigue worse. 

The cycle is often made worse when people feel even more fatigued and then drink another cup of coffee in the afternoon or use it as a “pick-me-up”. 

This often leads to a perpetual state of fatigue which may get continually worse over time. 

The trick to banishing fatigue related to caffeine reliance is to stop the use of caffeine and to take certain nutrients (we will discuss these below). 

#4. Obesity

Extra weight gain on your body may actually be contributing to your energy levels as well. 

It is well known that fatigue is a frequent complaint among people who are overweight. 

The connection is not well understood but overweight patients often experience increased sleep problems, have other medical conditions, often are more depressed, and may experience hormone imbalances (7) (such as leptin and insulin resistance). 

In addition, extra weight on the body increases exertion for everyday activities such as walking and exercising and makes your heart beat harder to fit this demand. 

The main issue with fatigue related to obesity is that the only way to improve energy is to lose weight (and keep it off). 

Fortunately, patients who experience fatigue related to weight gain often have other issues that contribute to their total “fatigue”. 

Meaning obesity may only contribute 15-20% to their fatigue and other therapies will still increase their energy. 

#5. Hormone issues

Lastly, another huge contributor to fatigue is hormonal issues. 

We already know about cortisol and thyroid, but your sex hormones can also contribute to fatigue. 

Sex hormones do more than just influence your sex drive. 

Low testosterone, for instance, has been shown to promote fatigue, decreased energy, poor concentration, and a decreased sense of well-being (8).

These symptoms exist for both males and females, by the way, which means that checking your sex hormones is important if you are suffering from fatigue. 

I won’t mention much in the way of fatigue related to sex hormone imbalances because the treatment usually requires the replacement of certain hormones and these don’t “count” as supplements because they often require a prescription. 

Energy Boosting Supplements That Work

The main idea behind supplementation to boost energy is that you need to go after the root cause. 

If you are looking for a simple “energy” supplement, it really doesn’t exist. 

Some manufacturers may put various “energy nutrients” into 1 supplement and call it a day but it certainly won’t work for most people. 

Instead, I recommend taking a more targeted approach. 

Try to use supplements that match your symptoms or known problems that you may be experiencing. 

You can start with these 7 supplements that I find work for most patients (not in order of importance): 

#1. Adrenal/Cortisol Boosting Supplements

One of the most common causes of fatigue among patients is a condition known as “burnout” or “adrenal fatigue”. 

This condition has been around for thousands of years and basically is used to define a state in which patients experience a certain set of symptoms (9) (more on that below). 

Patients with this condition also tend to improve with the use of adrenal glandulars and adrenal adaptogens. 

Even conventional physicians will admit that this condition exists (because many of them suffer from it just like you!). 

What they don’t agree on is the cause of this condition (10).

Alternative providers will argue that this condition exists as a result of changes to serum cortisol levels or cellular receptor resistance to the hormone cortisol. 

The idea is that constant stress, a poor diet, lack of sleep, etc. all contribute to hormonal changes which lead to adrenal burnout. 

The problem is that there aren’t a lot of studies that confirm the pathophysiology behind the disease. 

But does it matter?

Because the truth is that the condition exists and many patients find relief from the use of certain supplements. 

So how do you know if you suffer from adrenal burnout or adrenal fatigue?

Patients often experience some or all of the following symptoms: 

  • Fatigue or low energy
  • Reliance upon caffeine as a source of energy
  • Sugar cravings or carbohydrate cravings that seem to increase energy after consumption
  • Inability to tolerate stressful situations
  • Patients may experience a “crash” around 2-3 pm each day
  • Patients may experience a “second wind” or increase in energy around 10-11 pm each night
  • Difficulty with sleep or insomnia

As you can see these symptoms tend to be non-specific but are often shared among individuals who have this condition. 

If you suffer from adrenal-related issues then you may stand to benefit from the use of adrenal supplements. 

There are 2 main classes of supplements known to help in this category:

Adrenal glandulars and adrenal adaptogens. 

Adrenal Glandulars contain bovine-sourced adrenal glands while Adrenal Adaptogens are primarily plant-based. 

Just because there is no agreement on what causes adrenal burnout doesn’t mean that these supplements don’t work. 

Certain adrenal adaptogens (such as ashwagandha) have been shown to increase testosterone, improve sleep, help with weight loss (11), improve thyroid function, and help normalize serum cortisol. 

Adrenal glandulars have fewer studies compared to adrenal adaptogens but in my experience, they tend to work quite well. 

You can learn more about using adrenal glandulars here

And you can learn more about using adrenal adaptogens here

#2. B Vitamins (B Complex + B12) 

B vitamins are especially important for energy production because of their role in mitochondrial energy production. 

Most people who have used them no doubt have experienced some subjective improvement in energy levels. 

Despite this most physicians do not routinely recommend B12 or B complex vitamins. 

The main issue here is that we don’t have great ways to assess B vitamins in the serum. 

Your serum Vitamin B12 level doesn’t adequately reflect what is happening at the cellular level. 

Physicians know this, but for some reason get stressed out when they see someone with a serum B12 level greater than 1,000. 

Low serum B12 levels

All Doctors are taught in medical school that a more sensitive test to assess B12 levels is methylmalonic acid (12), but this is rarely ordered by conventional physicians.

Instead, physicians will often recommend against the use of B12 or B complex vitamins, even though they may help.  

As a side note: high serum levels of B12 are generally not of concern because B vitamins are water soluble and will be eliminated through the kidneys (provided you have adequate kidney function). 

So how do you know if you have sub-optimal B levels? 

Potential warning signs of low cellular vitamin B status include elevated serum homocysteine (13) (greater than 10.0) and/or an elevated MCV (greater than 92.0). 

These are not 100% sensitive or specific to sub-optimal B status (14) but they can provide a metric for you to follow. 

When in doubt it’s worth a trial of B complex (and B12) supplementation. 

Supplements remain cost-effective and are generally very well tolerated. 

When supplementing with B vitamins it’s best to find supplements that contain pre-methylated formulations of B vitamins (when appropriate). 

These pre-methylated preparations are easier to utilize for the body and will often yield superior results, they are also safe to use in those people with MTHFR defects or issues with methylation. 

It’s also important to use high concentrations of B vitamins. 

You can learn more about properly using B complex vitamins and B12 here

As a final note…

Some patients may also benefit from the use of B12 shots over B12 and B complex oral supplementation. 

If you fail to improve on oral B12 then it might be worth a shot at IM B12. 

#3. Thyroid Boosting Supplements (T3 Conversion Supplements + Iodine Supplements)

Low thyroid function is another very common reason for fatigue, especially in the US. 

The main issue with hypothyroidism is that it is under-appreciated and underdiagnosed

Many cases of hypothyroidism may be missed unless thyroid antibodies are checked, which may indicate the presence of an autoimmune disease known as Hashimoto’s thyroiditis. 

This condition may cause relatively “normal” thyroid lab tests but these patients often exhibit many of the symptoms of hypothyroidism and do benefit from treatment. 

With up to 20% of the population suffering from thyroid disease (including subclinical hypothyroidism, hypothyroidism, and Hashimoto’s thyroiditis) it’s worth evaluating if you suffer from fatigue. 

In addition, many conditions such as obesity and inflammation may lower thyroid function prematurely and lead to changes in free serum thyroid concentrations. 

The idea with thyroid supplementation is to focus on 4 major areas:

  • Supplements that promote thyroid hormone production (such as iodine) 
  • Supplements that help improve thyroid hormone conversion (nutrients such as zinc, selenium, and guggul)
  • Supplements that increase thyroid cellular action and sensitivity (Supplements such as Vitamin A)

If you aren’t sure where to start I’ve written extensively about supplements and nutrients that are important for thyroid function here

You can also find very specific and targeted supplements that promote T4 to T3 conversion here

Supplements that help to increase thyroid hormone production, supplements that help 

#4. Supplements to Improve Mitochondrial Function Directly

There are several supplements that may directly help improve mitochondrial function and may, therefore, increase energy levels. 

These supplements seem to work by helping to reduce inflammation and oxidative stress in the mitochondria (and in other cells such as the liver). 

Studies indicate that the use of these supplements may slow down damage in certain inflammatory diseases such as insulin resistance and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (15).

The type of damage from oxidative stress is the result of the inevitable breakdown of cells over time. 

The idea behind supplementation is to reverse this process and bring the mitochondria back to their “youthful” state. 

Another benefit to these supplements is that they may help with weight loss. 

By increasing the number and the efficiency of mitochondrial units in the skeletal muscle you can impact or improve basal metabolic rate. 

This basal metabolic rate is what helps determine how much energy you burn at rest and, therefore, how many calories you burn day to day. 

Supplements that may directly increase mitochondrial function include: 

  • Alpha Lipoic Acid – ALA helps reduce inflammation and oxidation both systemically and in the mitochondria. ALA can also help directly with weight loss through a number of mechanisms. To can learn more about using ALA here. If you supplement with ALA try to find a delayed-release system and use up to 1,800mg per day.  
  • CoQ10 – CoQ10 otherwise known as Vitamin Q10 is a co-factor found in almost every cell in the body but found most abundantly in organs with a high metabolism (16) (heart, kidney, and liver). CoQ 10’s primarily helps transfer electrons in the electron transport chain in the mitochondria making it essential for the health of all human tissues. It also acts as a powerful antioxidant and helps to prevent the generation of free radicals which are found in inflammatory states and various disease states. Supplementation with CoQ10 has been shown (17) to reduce oxidative stress and may improve mitochondrial function and therefore energy production. Use 120mg daily for at least 4-8 weeks. 

#5. Anti-Inflammatory Supplements

Fatigue is frequently seen in several chronic inflammatory diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, chronic pain syndromes, and even metabolic syndrome. 

The exact mechanism behind why inflammation results in fatigue are not well understood. 

It is felt that some of this fatigue is most likely the result of “physiologic fatigue” which basically means that the body is working hard to try and get back to normal and this puts a huge demand on the body. 

For these reasons, chronic medical conditions often “sap” the body of energy and result in fatigue. 

fatigue and inflammation pathway

Beyond this, fatigue may also be the result of impaired immune function (18) (and the triggering of the inflammatory cascade and inflammatory cytokines (19)), dysregulation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis, and central neurological changes which all may result in fatigue. 

You can identify the presence of systemic (whole-body) inflammation by checking serum levels of ESR, CRP, and ferritin. 

These can help determine if inflammation is present, but they aren’t 100% perfect and may not detect low-grade organ-specific inflammation. 

Finding the root cause of inflammation can be tough in certain individuals so you may need physician assistance. 

You can get started with some basic supplements to help reduce inflammation, however, including these well-studied nutrients: 

#6. Supplements (& Therapies) to Improve Sleep

If you suffer from fatigue you need to make sure that you are sleeping at least 8 hours each and every night. 

It’s also that this sleep is high quality and leaves you feeling well rested when you wake up. 

If you have trouble sleeping then try these tips to help improve the depth and quality of your sleep: 

meditation and fatigue

Do not neglect this step! 

If you aren’t sleeping well then it should be your #1 priority as it is most likely to help more than any other therapy listed here. 

#7. Hormone Balancing Supplements (Testosterone, Estrogen, Progesterone)

Lastly, your hormones have an influence on the total amount of energy that you produce. 

Small changes to your sex hormones (testosterone, estrogen, and progesterone), in both men and women, may result in diminished energy levels. 

The problem with hormonal balance is that most physicians tend to ignore them, or simply say that hormonal changes are normal as you age. 

This leaves a huge gap in treatment for many patients who stand to benefit from small therapies which can dramatically influence their hormones. 

Achieving hormonal balance and increased energy depends on which hormone imbalance you are presenting with. 

You can read more about managing estrogen here. 

You can learn more about high and low testosterone in women here

Final Thoughts

If you are serious about improving your energy the best thing you can do is find the source of fatigue in your body. 

Remember this:

Most energy problems stem from some issues related to mitochondrial energy production. 

Conditions such as inflammation, nutrient deficiencies, hormone imbalances, and even diet can influence this production of energy. 

Whenever possible make sure you supplement for your body and target it to the root cause. 

Now I want to hear from you:

Have you tried taking energy supplements before?

Did they work for you?

Why or why not?

Leave your questions or comments below! 

#1. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1071607/

#2. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16945388

#3. https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/agricultural-and-biological-sciences/adenosine-triphosphate

#4. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16765926

#5. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3063534/

#6. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2699166/

#7. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2665992/

#8. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4707424/

#9. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5580576/

#10. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4997656/

#11. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3252722/

#12. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17623858

#13. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1283514/

#14. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10757449

#15. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24176233

#16. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3178961/

#17. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2315638/

#18. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4593220/

#19. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24782222/

#20. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3535097/

#21. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4407465/

supplements that increase energy and fight fatigue

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About Dr. Westin Childs

Hey! I'm Westin Childs D.O. (former Osteopathic Physician). I don't practice medicine anymore and instead specialize in helping people like YOU who have thyroid problems, hormone imbalances, and weight loss resistance. I love to write and share what I've learned over the years. I also happen to formulate the best supplements on the market (well, at least in my opinion!) and I'm proud to say that over 80,000+ people have used them over the last 7 years. You can read more about my own personal health journey and why I am so passionate about what I do.

P.S. Here are 4 ways you can get more help right now:

#1. Get my free thyroid downloads, resources, and PDFs here.

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3 thoughts on “7 Energy Supplements That Work (& Why You Have Low Energy)”

  1. Thank you for the information that was given in this article. I am always fatigued, I sleep 10-12 hours a day, I am taking Proaz for depression, I have RA, using Orezcea, one injection weekly. The B 12 they do help, but my mind wants to move buy my body will not follow,

    My blood work has been normal, little low, 11.0 Have auto-immune disorder.

    I do not know a sleep disorder physician or what. I do need to lose about 20 pounds, I am 65 years old and also have been a active person, but in the last 4 years, I have slowed down .

    What is your opinion.

    Venitta Thomas
    Venittajthomas@yahoo.com

    Reply
  2. I am trying to find something to help my husband regain some of his energy. 6 years ago he was diagnosed with prostate cancer with PSA levels of 94. He underwent aggressive radiation treatments and has been considered to be in remission for the last 3 years. Needless to say the radiation left his immune system compromised. At the same time he was diagnosed with Afib that has never been brought under control.

    In September of 2021 he was diagnosed with Covid which lead to pneumonia and two heart attacks in October. His lungs were not damaged but his heart is only functioning at 30 and cannot be repaired. He has been treated at Winchester Cardiology and Vascular Medicine in Winchester, VA. His diagnosis regarding Covid has been classed as long Covid.

    I said all this as I know it has a bearing on what vitamins and supplements he can take. He has been an avid outdoorsman a, horse trainer and farmer all his life. He has given up any activities that are too extreme for him and is very careful to limit what needs to be done on the farm but does get very aggravated about his lack of energy. He is 76 years old.

    So, is there anything you can recommend to possibly help build him back up? I am really determined to help this man I’ve been married to for 57 years!

    Thank you for taking the time to read this. I truly appreciate it.

    Mrs. James Anderson (Pam)

    Reply
    • Hi Pam,

      Testosterone is usually one of the best ways to give men energy but that may not be a good idea given his history of prostate cancer. The other option would be to try adrenal adaptogens and adrenal glandulars. These types of treatments seem to have diminished effects in those who have undergone cancer treatment but it would still be worth a try. They are relatively inexpensive and well-tolerated so the risks from that perspective would be low. Whether or not they will provide a big benefit is another story, though. I would recommend looking at one similar to this: https://www.restartmed.com/product/thyroid-adrenal-reset-complex/

      Reply

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