Fatigue is by far, the most common symptom presented to doctors.
Feelings of tiredness or low energy will have many differing root causes ranging from depression, to infections, to hormonal issues.
Routine blood tests often fail to diagnose fatigue causing disorders. In this case, physicians that specialize in hard to diagnose illnesses, are on high demand.
Also, there may be a need for “non-routine” lab tests to discover an abnormality.
Not all fatigue problems are serious, but if the issue has had a significant impact for more than a six month period, you should get checked out.
1 – Anemia
One illness that is responsible for many cases of fatigue is anemia.
A low red blood cell count contributes to low levels of oxygen in the body.
With lower than normal oxygen levels, the body cant properly function or generate energy.
Symptoms of anemia include low energy, paleness, faster than normal heartbeat, and problems with concentration.
There are over 400 types of anemia, but this disorder is very treatable.
2 – Fungal Infection
Another medical issue that can lead to severe fatigue are candida or yeast infections.
Candida is a fungus that lives within all of our bodies. In certain instances where the immune system might not functioning properly, it can grow out of control.
It is most commonly seen in infants or the elderly as “thrush” or fungal overgrowth in the mouth and throat.
It has also been implicated in cases of severe fatigue and concentration issues.
More research needs to be done in this area to find more reliable ways to diagnose this problem. Currently, it can be diagnosed with an antibody test, that demonstrates an active infection.
3 – Thyroid Problems
Low levels of thyroid hormone in the body are a very common cause of severe fatigue.
Reasons for low thyroid levels in the bloodstream varies, but usually is a result of Hashimoto’s thyroiditis.
This type of autoimmune disease occurs when the body’s own immune system attacks the gland which produces the hormone.
Other causes of low thyroid hormone, especially in the developing world, are lower than normal levels of iodine in the diet.
Low thyroid levels are easily treated by increasing the hormone with medications.
4 – Adrenal Fatigue Problems
The adrenal gland produces hormones which increase energy.
These hormones include cortisol, DHEA, and adrenaline.
An autoimmune disorder called Addison’s disease, occurs when the body produces lower than normal levels of cortisol.
Cortisol plays an important role in the sleep/wake cycle, energy production, and sugar metabolism.
A famous sufferer of Addison’s disease was former U.S. president John F. Kennedy.
Diagnosis of this problem may be difficult because levels of cortisol constantly fluctuate within the body.
A 24 hour urine or saliva test that checks cortisol levels over a 24 hour period is the most accurate.