The Good In many cases, lifestyle changes and various nutrients/herbs can positively affect fatigue, particularly when it is related to stress, depression, or inactivity. *

The Not-So-Good  Fatigue can be caused by conditions ranging from minor nutritional deficiency, low blood sugar,  or lack of sleep to serious illness. Anyone who is experiencing abnormal fatigue should see a nutritionally-oriented doctor and get a basic check-up and blood work. From there, you can then decide whether nutritional and lifestyle changes would be useful. In most cases they are.

Issues Fatigue often is associated with depression or anxiety/stress, and in such cases, a look at the Anxiety and Depression pages will be useful. Like both depression and anxiety, fatigue will generally improve with regular exercise, sunlight, and stress-management. Though the supplements listed below show good research results, it's advisable (as with any condition) to take a big-picture view of both the causes and treatment of fatigue in your individual case.

Useful Nutrients A top-N list of supplements that help fatigue is shown in the table below. But a good, daily B-vitamin is critical. The spectrum of nutrients provided by a quality multivitamin combo like Source Naturals Life Force and Life Extention's Super Booster is a great base (if you cannot afford the LE product, Life Force alone gives you pretty good coverage). If you feel your fatigue is stress-related, rhodiola (taken occasionally as a 'tonic') might help both the fatigue and stress issues. Carnitine products have shown solid impacts on fatigue in research. Meditation, yoga, and breathing exercises are also useful. For a general look at fatigue and supplements, have a look at biochemist James South's excellent article.
Item Notes Research Item Link
Propionyl L-carnitine Reasearch shows great results against physical fatigue, and benefits for cardiovascular health. - carnitine and fatigue propionyl l-carnitine
Garum/Adapton/StabiliumThis product extracted from the fish Garum Armoricum, and sold as Adapton and Stablium is popular in Europe and shows excellent results in limited research. Note that the dosage is four capsules a day, so the 30-capsule boxes -- while inexpensive -- do not go very far.  - fatigue studyStabilium
B-complexResearch suggests that B complex has an impact on many aspects of cellular energy.  Use a balanced, quality formula like the one cited here.(see James South article link above)Jarrow B-complex
Acetyl L-carnitine Improves mental energy, and in combination with r-lipoic acid, retards aging in lab research. (Carnitine should be taken with r-lipoic acid to prevent pro-oxidant effects in the cells.) (see carnitine and fatigue, above)
- alc and aging
 acetyl l-carnitine
alc arginate
stabilized r-lipoic acid
MagnesiumCritical to the cellular enrgy (ATP) cycle,. Research suggests good results for chornic fatigue. Since it has so many benefits, Mg should be considered a core nutrient.-chronic fatigue studymagnesium capsules
lemon 'Calm' Mg powder
rasp/lemon Calm packets
Coenzyme Q-10Criitcal to the cellular ATP cycle and and important cellular antioxidant. Recommended by James South as part of his anti-fatigue regimen.conenzyme Q-10
Rhodiola rosea An adaptagen that shows particular benefits for work-related stress. As with other adaptogens, should probably be 'cycled' -- take it for up to several months, then take a month or two off. Accurate dosage seems to be important (see links for products matching the research).- summaryrhodiola
Ashwagandha  Anti-stress, promotes mental clarity, and provides anti-cancer benefits. - research summary Sensoril ashwagandha 
Life Extension Products

Fatigue
Fatigue Supplements Table The table below summarizes the current research for nutritional and lifestyle effects on fatigue, and provides one or more links to key research and related products. As always, this table should be taken only as a general guideline. Anyone embarking on a nutritional/exercise regimen should work with a sympathetic doctor, particularly if medications are also involved.
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