Sometimes you can feel like you're doing all the right things – eating the right foods, prioritising sleep and managing your stress, yet you still don't have the energy you want and need.
In this blog, I’m going to talk about nutrient deficiencies and energy. We'll look at the key nutrients that can help with energy production at a cellular level and what you can do to reduce stress and increase your energy.
Nutrient deficiencies and energy
The modern environment we live in provides many challenges to having optimal levels of energy. Work demands, family life, conventional farming methods, processed foods, exposure to environmental toxins, the list goes on. All these different factors place an incredible amount of strain on our bodies. In particular, these factors place heavy demands on our nutrient stores.
What many people fail to realise is that all these factors are forms of stress.
The harder you push your body, the more stress you are under, the more vitamins and minerals your body uses.
In a time of stress, your body uses more B vitamins, vitamin C, magnesium and zinc – just to name a few. I believe a lot of people are living beyond their nutritional limits and using 'quick fixes' like caffeine and refined carbohydrates to deal with daily stressors.
We do not have to be aware of the stress our body is under - or acknowledge it as stress - for it to affect our nutrient status.
A prime example of this is exposure to environmental toxins. Most of us wouldn’t consider using conventional toothpaste or a supermarket sunscreen to be a form of stress. Yet the chemicals and substances in these products change the way our bodies process and detox nutrients and hormones. All these changes are very stressful and taxing on the body.
So what can we do?
Nutrients to support energy
1. CoQ10
CoQ10 is an enzyme that functions in the mitochondria - or energy factory - of our cells. It helps carry electrons along the electron transport chain. In turn, these electrons will produce energy. It's lipid soluble which means it can easily cross the cell membrane - when taken as a supplement it moves straight into the mitochondria to produce immediate energy. It also acts as an antioxidant which protects the body against damage from the environmental toxins we are exposed to.
Recent studies have also shown that improved mitochondrial health is a key determining factor in the health of your gut. Improving your energy at a cellular level will also help you assimilate and digest more of the nutrients from your food, increasing your energy.
2. Vitamin C
Vitamin C - also known as ascorbic acid - is a vital nutrient and important for fighting infections. It works as an antioxidant to protect our bodies from damage and is involved in the growth of our bones, tendons, ligaments and skin.Vitamin C also helps us to better absorb other essential nutrients, such as iron.
Fresh fruits and vegetables are our best sources of vitamin C. They help to strengthen our immune system and keep our body healthy. Great food sources of vitamin C include berries, citrus, kiwi fruit, capsicum, and dark leafy green vegetables. However, in times of stress or low immunity supporting your body with extra vitamin C is a great idea.
In our BePure clinics, we recommend incorporating Vitamin C into your post workout window for optimal recovery as well as taking it in Autumn and Winter to help support your metabolism.
3. Adrenal Regeneration
In some cases, a lack of energy could be the result of another health condition such as adrenal fatigue. Our adrenal glands respond to every kind of stress we experience. In response, they produce and secrete hormones such as cortisol and adrenaline. These hormones regulate many essential processes in your body. Stress can fatigue your adrenals causing adrenal hormone levels to drop. This can cause issues such as low energy and adrenal fatigue.
When your adrenal glands are overworked, the resulting biochemical and cellular changes can affect many systems in your body. These include immune function, blood sugar balance, energy production, thyroid function, hormone balance and more.
Other factors to consider
We cannot look at nutrition for energy or key nutrient deficiencies in isolation. These factors combined with stress management, your environment and the health of your hormones ALL affect the level of energy you experience.
Taking active steps to reduce your stress while building healthy habits are critical to having the energy you want to live your life.
Getting started is the hardest part. Here we have 10 ways to find balance as well as 8 healthy habits you can include in your daily routine to help increase your day-to-day energy.
