Tired in the morning, a slump in the afternoon, exhausted in the evening. Many people then reach for coffee or for an energy supplement.
But tiredness has many causes. Nutrient gaps are one of them, and one that can be clarified.
In this article you'll learn which nutrients play a role in tiredness, where vitamin B12 occurs naturally and when a supplement for tiredness makes sense and when it doesn't.
Where does tiredness come from?
The most common reasons are mundane: too little or poor sleep, stress, little exercise and little daylight. On top of that come infections, medication and illnesses, for example of the thyroid.
A nutrient deficiency is just one of many possible causes.
Which nutrients play a role in tiredness
For some nutrients it is officially authorised in Switzerland that they contribute to the reduction of tiredness and fatigue. The most important ones and their natural sources:
| Nutrient | Good natural sources |
|---|---|
| Iron | Liver, spleen, red meat, legumes |
| Vitamin B12 | Liver, kidney, meat, fish, eggs |
| Folate | Liver, green leafy vegetables, legumes |
| Magnesium | Nuts, seeds, whole grains, legumes |
| Vitamin B2 (riboflavin) | Liver, kidney, dairy products |
| Vitamin C | Bell peppers, berries, citrus fruits, potatoes |
Important: these statements refer to a normal supply. If you are already well supplied, more of them won't give you extra energy.
Iron: the most common deficiency
Iron contributes to normal oxygen transport in the blood. If it is lacking, less oxygen reaches the cells. In a study of women aged 18 to 42 from the area around Zurich, just under 23 percent had an iron deficiency.
An iron deficiency can cause tiredness even without anaemia. In one study, women with low iron stores reported less tiredness more often after receiving iron than with a placebo. However, the effect only appeared when iron stores were very low.
That's why you shouldn't take high doses of iron just on suspicion. The ferritin level in your blood shows how full your stores are. The body absorbs haem iron from meat and organ meats better than iron from plants.
Vitamin B12 naturally: where it occurs
Vitamin B12 contributes to normal energy-yielding metabolism and to the reduction of tiredness. According to the Swiss Society for Nutrition, animal foods are the only natural sources. Algae or fermented products do contain traces, but the vitamin in them is largely inactive.
Organ meats top the list. Calf liver provides around 60 µg per 100 grams, beef liver is similarly high at around 59 µg and beef kidney at around 27 µg. For comparison, an egg provides less than 1 µg.
A deficiency develops slowly because the body stores vitamin B12 for a long time. Those most at risk are people who eat a vegan diet, older people and people who take certain medications.
Magnesium
Magnesium contributes to the reduction of tiredness and fatigue and to normal muscle function. You get it from many foods: fish, meat and dairy products such as cheese.
Magnesium-rich mineral water is also an easy source. If you sweat a lot, for example during exercise, you lose more of it.
Energy supplements: what they can do
Search online for "energy supplement" and you'll find everything from caffeine tablets to multivitamins with 30 ingredients.
The point is not that supplements are useless. The point is that they only help where there is a gap. Caffeine masks tiredness in the short term but doesn't fix any cause. And a nutrient that isn't lacking doesn't provide extra energy.
Then there is the risk of oversupply. The Swiss Federal Food Safety and Veterinary Office (FSVO) warns of oversupply from food supplements, especially when several products are combined. This matters particularly with iron, because the body can hardly excrete excess iron.
A supplement for tiredness makes sense above all when a blood test shows a deficiency or when your diet has a clear gap, for example if you hardly eat any animal foods.
Natural sources instead of isolated single substances
Most products provide single, often synthetically produced substances. Foods, on the other hand, provide nutrients together: in liver, iron, vitamin B12, folate and copper occur together, along with protein.
Beef organ meats are particularly nutrient-dense. Liver, heart, kidney and spleen each bring their own nutrient profile. The problem: very few people eat them regularly.
If you don't want to cook the organs yourself, you can get them freeze-dried in capsules. Our Ultimate Organ Complex is a natural food supplement made from six organic grass-fed beef organs: liver, heart, kidney, spleen, lung and pancreas. Among other things, it provides iron, zinc and vitamin B12 from a natural food source, without fillers or additives. If you are mainly interested in liver, there are also pure beef liver capsules.
What remains important: even the best supplement replaces neither sleep nor a balanced diet.
Frequently asked questions
Which supplement helps with tiredness?
That depends on what you are lacking. Iron, vitamin B12, folate and magnesium contribute to the reduction of tiredness and fatigue. A blood test shows whether you have too little of them.
Which deficiency makes you tired?
Iron or vitamin B12 deficiency are common. An underactive thyroid can also be behind it. Only a blood test brings clarity.
Where does vitamin B12 occur naturally?
Almost exclusively in animal foods. Liver and kidney contain particularly large amounts, as do meat, fish, eggs and dairy products. Algae are not considered a reliable source.
Is there a natural energy supplement?
No food and no supplement provides energy at the push of a button. However, nutrient-rich foods such as organ meats help avoid gaps in iron and vitamin B12. Both contribute to normal energy-yielding metabolism.
When should I have my tiredness checked by a doctor?
If it lasts for several weeks, occurs despite enough sleep or is accompanied by other symptoms such as shortness of breath, weight loss or paleness.