by Jonathan Benson – Natural News
There are many different factors and underlying health conditions that can affect energy levels from day to day, as well as trigger the condition that is now commonly known as chronic fatigue. In addition to poor diet, irregular sleeping patterns, and preexisting health conditions, a common but unexpected cause of chronic fatigue is pharmaceutical drugs, which many people are likely unaware could be draining them of their energy and life.
Here are nine types of pharmaceutical drugs that are linked to causing chronic fatigue:
1) Blood pressure medications. Millions of people now take blood pressure medications like lisinopril (Prinivil, Zestril) and furosemide (Lasix) to ease the overall burden on their cardiovascular systems in the hopes of preventing future health problems like heart attack and stroke. But blood pressure drugs also tend to depress the entire nervous system, as well as deplete the body of the vitamins and nutrients it needs to produce energy, which can be a major trigger of chronic fatigue.
2) Statin drugs. Many people suffering from systemic inflammation take statin drugs to artificially lower their cholesterol levels, in accordance with their doctors’ orders. Besides all the other extreme negative side-effects of taking statins (http://www.naturalnews.com/statins.html), one major side-effect that is often overlooked involves the drugs’ tendency to inhibit muscle growth and the production of energy at the cellular level. As a result, many people who take statins experience a steady decline in energy levels over time, which can develop into chronic fatigue.
3) Benzodiazepines. Commonly prescribed to treat anxiety disorders, benzodiazepines tend to sedate or hypnotize patients in order to treat conditions like depression, insomnia, and severe muscle spasms. But it is this induced sedative effect that tends to elicit drowsiness, which often worsens as patients develop a tolerance to benzodiazepines and begin taking higher doses of these drugs. The end result for many taking benzodiazepines is a chronic lack of energy and drive, also known as chronic fatigue.
4) Proton pump inhibitors. Poor diet and a lack of vital nutrients tends to cause acid reflux and various other digestive disorders in many people. And while proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) like lansoprazole (Prevacid) and omeprazole (Prilosec) can offer immediate relief from such symptoms, these drugs also tend to deplete magnesium stores from the body. And magnesium deficiency can lead to a host of severe illnesses, including extreme weakness and fatigue.
5) Antihistamines. Allergies are on the rise in modern society, and many people are obeying the television commercials they see that advise them to take drugs like loratadine (Claritin) and cetirizine (Zyrtec) to manage their allergy symptoms. But these histamine blockers often induce tiredness and drowsiness in patients as well, which over time can worsen and develop into chronic fatigue.
6) Antipsychotics. In mainstream Western medicine, serious behavioral disorders such as schizophrenia and bipolar disorder often call for harsh anti-psychotic medications. But because drugs like aripiprazole (Abilify) and risperidone (Risperdal) are powerful depressants, they tend to induce extreme fatigue, lethargy, and overall weakness in many patients. Anti-psychotics also tend to artificially lower dopamine levels in the body, which can also lead to chronic fatigue.
7) Antidepressants. At least 30 million Americans now take some type of antidepressant drug to manage anxiety disorders such as depression, as well as to treat chronic pain and other related conditions. And while common antidepressants like fluoxetine (Prozac) and sertraline (Zoloft) mask undesired symptoms in some patients, they also tend to trigger fatigue, especially during the first few weeks of treatment. By inhibiting the normal function of brain neurotransmitters like serotonin and norepinephrine, antidepressants also obstruct natural hormone levels, which in turn can lead to chronic fatigue.
8) Antibiotics. There are many reasons why taking antibiotic drugs is a bad idea, particularly because they destroy good intestinal bacteria and also trigger the emergence of antibiotic-resistant “superbugs” (http://www.naturalnews.com/superbugs.html). But another common, yet unsuspected, side-effect of taking antibiotics is that they often cause extreme fatigue and tiredness. Taking natural antibiotic alternatives like colloidal silver, oil of oregano, and garlic is much safer and more effective than taking antibiotic drugs, and these options will not cause chronic fatigue.
9) Diuretics. Many people who have trouble urinating or who have high blood pressure take diuretic drugs to help boost the elimination of water from their bodies. But diuretics also tend to draw out necessary electrolytes like sodium, potassium and chloride from the body as well, which can lead to severe mineral deficiencies. And it is these deficiencies that can bring about chronic fatigue, as the body struggles to produce enough energy due to a lack of proper nutrients.