Low energy? You’re missing these key nutrients

“], “filter”: { “nextExceptions”: “img, blockquote, div”, “nextContainsExceptions”: “img, blockquote, a.btn, ao-button”} }”>

Nutrient deficiencies are more common than you think – even when you eat a healthy diet, you can unknowingly be lacking in essential vitamins and minerals. And over time, these nutritional deficiencies can dull your vigor and leave you feeling foggy, lethargic, and in need of a nap. Not getting certain nutrients from food can completely zap your energy levels.

It’s time to check your diet and see if you’re getting all the energy-boosting nutrients you need day in and day out. Here are six must-have vitamins and minerals, along with tips for upping your intake when you’re low.

1. Magnesium

This mineral goes far beyond building strong bones. Magnesium plays a central, though often overlooked, role in the vitality of the whole body. It is essential for the production of adenosine triphosphate (ATP), a molecule that transports energy in cells, and which has an impact on your endurance at the cellular level. Magnesium is also involved in muscle contraction and relaxation, protein synthesis, hormone secretion, electrolyte balance, and hundreds of other physiological processes that ultimately influence vigor and verve.

More, magnesium relieves stress, anxiety and depression, all of which are linked to higher rates of fatigue and lethargy. And by interacting with neurotransmitters that soothe and calm the nervous system, it promotes deeper sleep, which means you sleep better, wake up energized and ready to go when you get plenty of magnesium.

However, deficiencies are common. Antibiotics, painkillers, birth control pills, too much sugar or caffeine, and ongoing physical or mental stress are all factors that can deplete magnesium, and studies link low levels to reduced endurance and faster fatigue. .

Magnesium-rich foods include: Spinach, kale, cabbage, avocado, pumpkin seeds, almonds, cashews, beans, lentils, tofu, and dark chocolate.

2. Complex carbohydrates

They’re scolded, belittled and often feared – but carbs are the body’s main source of fuel for endurance. The carbohydrates you eat are converted into glucose, a simple sugar used by cells to fuel their operations. Any glucose that is not used for energy is converted into glycogen, a network of connected glucose molecules that are stored in the liver and muscles. In the absence of adequate dietary glucose, the body breaks down glycogen for quick fuel.

But carbs, as you know, are not equal. Simple carbohydrates (bread, rice, pasta) are hastily digested and rushed into the bloodstream – so the initial rush is quickly followed by crashes, crushing fatigue and mental fog. Fiber-rich, complex carbohydrates are broken down at a slower rate, for balanced energy throughout the day to improve stamina and endurance, especially during activities such as sprinting, weight training and routines HIIT that require short bursts of intense movement.

And because glucose is the brain’s preferred fuel, carbs promote mental clarity. When glucose levels drop, attention and concentration decrease. Some research suggests that very-low-carb diets impair cognition, learning, and memory, although other studies show that low-carb diets improve attention and the ability to stay on task.

Foods high in complex carbohydrates include: Beans, peas, lentils, rolled oats, butternut squash, acorn squash, sweet potatoes, barley and quinoa.

3. Protein

Carbohydrates are the body’s basic fuel, but you need plenty of protein to build and repair muscle and energy throughout the day. Proteins are broken down more slowly than carbohydrates, providing balanced and sustained endurance. More, research links protein-rich meals with significant increases in stamina and energy.

Protein-rich foods that contain healthy fats and complex carbohydrates (like almond butter, hummus, and eggs) also stabilize blood sugar and fight fatigue. Additionally, some amino acids are directly involved in the production of cellular energy. In addition to physical preparation, proteins also support the synthesis of norepinephrine and dopamine, neurotransmitters associated with alertness, dynamism and motivation. Studies show protein-rich meals improve alertness and concentration, improve reaction time.

Protein deficiencies are rare, but vegans, super-athletes, or people with digestive issues may need more. If you follow a meatless diet, you can supplement with concentrated sources; consider combinations of plant-based protein powders (like rice and peas) that cover all of your amino acids to form a complete protein.

Top protein foods include: Grass-fed beef, chicken, seafood, nuts, yogurt, tofu, beans, peas, lentils, cottage cheese, and protein powder.

4. Potassium

Your weak, foggy, fuzzy self could use more potassium. This essential mineral acts as an electrolyte, carrying a small electrical charge that triggers nerve and cell function throughout the body. Potassium plays a key role in regulating heart rate, fluid balance, blood pressure, and muscle contractions, and is needed to convert blood sugar to glycogen. Low levels cause cramping, weak muscles and accelerated fatigue. And when potassium drops below a certain point, electrical signals in the brain are disrupted, which manifests as slow thinking, confusion, and generalized brain fog.

Since potassium balance is tightly controlled by the body, life-threatening deficiencies are rare. But even relatively small changes in potassium concentrations can sap strength, endurance, and mental clarity. Prolonged exercise, intense heat, and excessive sweating significantly deplete potassium, as do diuretics and other medications. And on-the-go eating habits mean many of us are lacking it. When sodium levels go up, potassium goes down – so salty, processed and fast foods encourage deficiencies.

Potassium-rich foods include: Potatoes, sweet potatoes, beet greens, chard, spinach, mushrooms, pinto beans, lima beans, watermelon, tomato paste and coconut water.

5. Iron

Run down and tired, all the time? You might need more iron. This important mineral is involved in many physiological functions related to endurance, concentration and vitality. Cells need iron to make ATP and hemoglobin, which are needed to transport oxygen in the blood. Low levels disturb hemoglobin production, affecting the blood’s ability to carry oxygen and nutrients to starving cells, sapping their strength. Iron also influences the synthesis and signaling of neurotransmitters related to attention, drive and motivation; insufficient reserves cause weakness, fatigue and lethargy.

Iron deficiencies are common, especially among women, vegetarians and vegans. Stress, poor diet and heavy alcohol consumption are all factors that can deplete iron, and certain foods – such as coffee, tea and milk, tannins in wine and apples, oxalates in chocolate and leafy greens – hinder its absorption. And if you follow a meatless diet, the non-heme iron found in plants is less available than the heme forms found in animal products. Additionally, the phytic acid in legumes, grains, and nuts impairs your ability to absorb iron, as well as zinc, calcium, and other minerals.

To maximize iron in the foods you eat, soak legumes and grains before cooking to reduce phytic acid and combine non-heme iron with foods rich in vitamin C; it has been shown to stimulate iron absorption.

Iron-rich foods include: Grass-fed beef, organ meats, seafood, shellfish, navy beans, blackstrap molasses, spinach, beet greens, lentils, and soy.

6. B vitamins

If you are tired, moody and mentally confused, it could be a sign of Vitamin B deficiency. As a group, the eight primary B vitamins regulate a range of physiological functions, acting as coenzymes in cellular energy metabolism and influencing ATP synthesis and red blood cell formation. They are essential for the functioning of the nervous system, the production of neurotransmitters and cognitive performance, and Studies show lower than normal levels accelerate fatigue, impair concentration and alertness.

Although B vitamins are abundant in foods, deficiencies are more common than you might think. They are not stored in the body and low levels are linked to lethargy, blurred concentration and decreased physical and mental stamina. Stress, sleepless nights, medications (like birth control pills), excessive alcohol consumption, and a not-so-healthy diet can deplete your supply. And since vitamin B12 is only present in animal products, vegans are likely to be deficient in it. If you follow a strictly plant-based diet, take a B12 supplement; sublingual forms of methylcobalamin are better absorbed and utilized.

Foods rich in B vitamins include: Spinach, cabbage, turnips, lentils, beans, shellfish, sunflower seeds, eggs, turkey and nutritional yeast.

For more ideas and nutrients that boost energy and restore stamina, keep reading: