By Deborah Bamisaye
You slept.
You woke up.
You got on with your day.
Yet somehow, your energy seems to have disappeared before the day even began. – You are tired – Not the “I had a busy day” kind of tiredness. The kind that makes you wonder, “What exactly is happening to me?” And then there are those people who seem to catch every bug making the rounds. One person sneezes and moves on. An anonymous person catches it, recovers, and before long, something else comes knocking. This same ‘anon” picks it up so easily like some children pick up their knowledge of ABC…Haba! Why now? Mr. Anonymous is making it seem like, ‘Na only him waka come?’ In such a case as this, what is the body trying to say? Before we blame it on his age, stress, lack of sleep or reach for the nearest bottle of supplements, there is another possibility worth exploring: ‘Could his body be running low on some of the vitamins it needs to keep its systems working properly?’
Of course, not every case of fatigue is caused by a vitamin deficiency but sometimes, a nutritional deficiency can be one piece of a much bigger puzzle and there are some vitamins worth putting under the spotlight in this series. Let’s begin with ‘Vitamin D.’
1. When Your Body Keeps Saying, “I’m Tired.”
Imagine your body as a city that never closes. Millions of tiny workers are constantly producing energy, repairing tissues, communicating with one another and keeping the whole operation running.
Deep inside many of your cells are mitochondria. Again – ‘mitochondria,’ I hope you didn’t bite your tongue while trying to pronounce that though. (Are you laughing? Well…) Beautiful! I believe you are a genius, able to pronounce any word. So, let’s go!
Mitochondria are structures often described as the cell’s powerhouses. One of their major jobs is helping your cells produce Adenosine Triphosphate (ATP), a molecule that stores and transfers energy for cellular work. And vitamin D has a role that reaches beyond the bones.
Its active form works through vitamin D receptors found in many tissues and influences a variety of biological processes. Research has also explored the relationship between vitamin D signaling and mitochondrial function. So, what happens when vitamin D levels are too low? Not to worry, the question will be answered here and now.
For some people, deficiency can be associated with muscle weakness, muscle pain and other symptoms.
But here’s the important part: Tiredness alone does not prove that you are vitamin D deficient and I hope that sticks. You see: – Anaemia can cause fatigue – Poor sleep can cause fatigue – Stress can drain you – Certain infections, thyroid problems, inadequate food intake and other health conditions can also leave you feeling as though somebody has quietly unplugged your battery.
So, if fatigue becomes persistent, the answer isn’t necessarily another cup of coffee or a random vitamin supplement. Sometimes the body needs a proper investigation.
And Then There Is Sunshine.
Your skin can make vitamin D when it is exposed to Ultraviolet B (UVB) radiation from sunlight. Beautiful, isn’t it? The sun is not just lighting up your morning, it can also help your body make an important nutrient. But there is a catch. How much vitamin D your skin produces depends on several factors, including the time of the day, season, cloud cover, skin pigmentation, age and the amount of skin exposed. And deliberately staying in the sun for long periods without protection is not a vitamin D treatment plan. UV radiation can damage the skin. So, the lesson isn’t: “Go and bake yourself in the sun.” It is: “Understand how your body gets vitamin D and making sensible choices.”
Vitamin D can also come from foods such as fatty fish, egg yolks, liver and other fortified foods. For people who are deficient or at increased risk of deficiency, supplementation should be appropriate under professional guidance. Because with vitamin D, more is not automatically better.
So, Where Did Your Energy Go?
Maybe it isn’t one thing. Maybe your body is not running on one simple fuel gauge that flashes EMPTY when you feel tired. The human body is far more complicated than that. Energy, immunity, sleep, hormones, nutrition, physical activity and overall health are constantly interacting.
Vitamin D is important but may not fix the whole puzzle. Distinction matters. I say this because – the moment we hear “vitamin deficiency,” it can be tempting to run to the pharmacy, grab a handful of supplements and declare the problem solved. Hmmm! You should know your body deserves better detective work than that.
If you are persistently exhausted, repeatedly unwell or experiencing symptoms that concern you, don’t simply assume you know the cause. Pay attention. Eat well. Get appropriate medical advice when necessary. And if a deficiency is suspected, find out before trying to correct it blindly because sometimes, the body is not asking for another energy drink. It may be asking a much more important question: “What am I missing?” Finding that answer is where the real energy story begins.
Most times, the problem is not that your body has suddenly become incapable of doing its job. It could sometimes mean that, the nutritional ingredients supporting those jobs simply deserve a closer look. Wow! Thank God we came this far together. Did you pick a thing or two? I bet you did!
No doubt, this ‘deficit’ story has more than one chapter. I’ll see you on the next one. Bye!
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