However, one cause you might not have considered is anemia, a condition where the body doesn’t have enough healthy red blood cells.
About 15% of women and 10% of men regularly feel very tired or exhausted in the U.S., according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Hectic schedules, poor diet, workplace stress – these can all be reasons why you may be feeling fatigued.
“Anemia is important to consider and rule out as a contributing factor to your fatigue,” says Dr. William Seng Tan, a family medicine physician at Advocate South Suburban Hospital in Hazel Crest, Ill. “You can find out your hemoglobin (part of your red blood cells) level through a simple blood draw.”
According to Dr. Tan, there are many different types of anemia. “Mild anemia is common in females with heavy periods. The solution for this is usually oral iron supplementation and addressing what’s causing the heavy bleeding during menses.
Other anemias are caused by slow blood loss that you might not notice – for example, in the gastrointestinal tract. If you are taking non-steroidal anti-inflammatories such as ibuprofen or naproxen regularly on an empty stomach for arthritis or chronic pain, they can cause ulcers in the stomach or small intestine, leading to bleeding that you may or may not notice in your bowel movements.
Some anemias are caused by dietary restrictions. “Vegans or vegetarians, specifically, are at higher risk if they don’t get enough iron, B12 or folate in their diet,” Dr. Tan adds.
He suggests talking with your health care provider about contributing factors to your fatigue. If one of these is anemia, you can be easily tested and treated.
