Improving energy levels
Discussion
Mid 60s. I've had a couple of major health issues including a knee replacement which is still painful after six months.
Has anyone got any suggestions to improve energy levels. Everything seems like a big challenge and I really have to push myself to do stuff like a walk or gardening.
I eat healthy. Salads and non processed food, but I would love to have more get up and go.
Has anyone got any suggestions to improve energy levels. Everything seems like a big challenge and I really have to push myself to do stuff like a walk or gardening.
I eat healthy. Salads and non processed food, but I would love to have more get up and go.
Slow.Patrol said:
Mid 60s. I've had a couple of major health issues including a knee replacement which is still painful after six months.
Has anyone got any suggestions to improve energy levels. Everything seems like a big challenge and I really have to push myself to do stuff like a walk or gardening.
I eat healthy. Salads and non processed food, but I would love to have more get up and go.
Do you take supplements? Vitamin B complex, for instance. One a day. It helps. Also, it'll make your pee after taking one a lovely vibrant yellow, which is interesting. But mostly I'd recommend iron supplements, specifically ferrous sulphate. Get them from the chemist, over the counter. Again, one a day. Has anyone got any suggestions to improve energy levels. Everything seems like a big challenge and I really have to push myself to do stuff like a walk or gardening.
I eat healthy. Salads and non processed food, but I would love to have more get up and go.
Give it a week on these, see if there's any improvement.
As well as the below, are you getting enough sleep? Go to bed before you feel tired or it can hit you over the next few days, irrespective of your age (but probably more so if you're over 50).
simon_harris said:
mindset and actually just get up and do stuff. You will have to push yourself at first but it will get easier.
Definitely. It's under-rated but if you have a get up and go mindset, it's far easier to get up and go! Mental health issues such as depression and anxiety can really kill motivation and energy levels, for instance.Lo-Fi said:
Do you take supplements? Vitamin B complex, for instance. One a day. It helps. Also, it'll make your pee after taking one a lovely vibrant yellow, which is interesting. But mostly I'd recommend iron supplements, specifically ferrous sulphate. Get them from the chemist, over the counter. Again, one a day.
Give it a week on these, see if there's any improvement.
I don't take any, but I will get some and try. I must admit that i don't eat a lot of red meat, so the supplements might help.Give it a week on these, see if there's any improvement.
Thanks.
Inbox said:
Surely a visit to the GP for a blood test would be the first thing to do rather than taking supplements and hoping.
It might be an idea. Although I am 99% sure the response will be "it's your age" 
I am awaiting the results of a scan (not cancer related), so I will make an appointment after that.
Inbox said:
Surely a visit to the GP for a blood test would be the first thing to do rather than taking supplements and hoping.
Just being more active can boost your energy levels.
This. I mentioned to my doctor I was feeling run down after getting Covid, or something similar, at the end of last year. Turned out my iron was quite low, so I had a course of B12 injections and then prescribed a couple of different iron tablets and advised to take a vitamin C tablet daily too. I am having blood tests every 6 weeks now to check my iron levels and they seem stable. I have noticed a slight improvement in energy levels, but still can get tired easily. My doctor tactfully says it's partly due to "too many birthdays" Just being more active can boost your energy levels.
Doctors are 'OK', but they are largely crap and even the ones who are not are about fixing ailments, not improving life. Even worse, any blood test will just assess you against normal, except normal isn't 'normal', it's just 'average', and it's a huge range - every other country I know about has ranges of at least a quarter as big. And as the UK population are becoming Homer Simpson, that's what your bloody tests will rank you against, but with a massive range.
What you need is private blood work, then private assessment of them for YOU, not the average obese UK resident.
We get yearly bloodwork, on the back of that, we get bespoke supplement requirements, then we use quality supplements - not synthetic/Holland & Barratt/Tesco options. It's not cheap, but if it is going to add to your enjoyment of life (and extend the active part of your life) it is well worth it.
Lack of energy could be all sort. Testosterone, iron, blood sugar/glucose, Thyroid, wider endocrine system, caloric intake, digestion....too much to guess. Get a proper blood work and you'll see.
Since we've had them done, our health, fitness, everything has improved dramatically.
BUT...... Before you do all of that, read Peter Attia's book, Outlive. It will open your eyes to what you can do for yourself.
What you need is private blood work, then private assessment of them for YOU, not the average obese UK resident.
We get yearly bloodwork, on the back of that, we get bespoke supplement requirements, then we use quality supplements - not synthetic/Holland & Barratt/Tesco options. It's not cheap, but if it is going to add to your enjoyment of life (and extend the active part of your life) it is well worth it.
Lack of energy could be all sort. Testosterone, iron, blood sugar/glucose, Thyroid, wider endocrine system, caloric intake, digestion....too much to guess. Get a proper blood work and you'll see.
Since we've had them done, our health, fitness, everything has improved dramatically.
BUT...... Before you do all of that, read Peter Attia's book, Outlive. It will open your eyes to what you can do for yourself.
Wardy78 said:
Doctors are 'OK', but they are largely crap and even the ones who are not are about fixing ailments, not improving life. Even worse, any blood test will just assess you against normal, except normal isn't 'normal', it's just 'average', and it's a huge range - every other country I know about has ranges of at least a quarter as big. And as the UK population are becoming Homer Simpson, that's what your bloody tests will rank you against, but with a massive range.
What you need is private blood work, then private assessment of them for YOU, not the average obese UK resident.
We get yearly bloodwork, on the back of that, we get bespoke supplement requirements, then we use quality supplements - not synthetic/Holland & Barratt/Tesco options. It's not cheap, but if it is going to add to your enjoyment of life (and extend the active part of your life) it is well worth it.
Lack of energy could be all sort. Testosterone, iron, blood sugar/glucose, Thyroid, wider endocrine system, caloric intake, digestion....too much to guess. Get a proper blood work and you'll see.
Since we've had them done, our health, fitness, everything has improved dramatically.
BUT...... Before you do all of that, read Peter Attia's book, Outlive. It will open your eyes to what you can do for yourself.
Where do you buy your supplements if you don't mind sharing?What you need is private blood work, then private assessment of them for YOU, not the average obese UK resident.
We get yearly bloodwork, on the back of that, we get bespoke supplement requirements, then we use quality supplements - not synthetic/Holland & Barratt/Tesco options. It's not cheap, but if it is going to add to your enjoyment of life (and extend the active part of your life) it is well worth it.
Lack of energy could be all sort. Testosterone, iron, blood sugar/glucose, Thyroid, wider endocrine system, caloric intake, digestion....too much to guess. Get a proper blood work and you'll see.
Since we've had them done, our health, fitness, everything has improved dramatically.
BUT...... Before you do all of that, read Peter Attia's book, Outlive. It will open your eyes to what you can do for yourself.
jayymannon said:
Wardy78 said:
Doctors are 'OK', but they are largely crap and even the ones who are not are about fixing ailments, not improving life. Even worse, any blood test will just assess you against normal, except normal isn't 'normal', it's just 'average', and it's a huge range - every other country I know about has ranges of at least a quarter as big. And as the UK population are becoming Homer Simpson, that's what your bloody tests will rank you against, but with a massive range.
What you need is private blood work, then private assessment of them for YOU, not the average obese UK resident.
We get yearly bloodwork, on the back of that, we get bespoke supplement requirements, then we use quality supplements - not synthetic/Holland & Barratt/Tesco options. It's not cheap, but if it is going to add to your enjoyment of life (and extend the active part of your life) it is well worth it.
Lack of energy could be all sort. Testosterone, iron, blood sugar/glucose, Thyroid, wider endocrine system, caloric intake, digestion....too much to guess. Get a proper blood work and you'll see.
Since we've had them done, our health, fitness, everything has improved dramatically.
BUT...... Before you do all of that, read Peter Attia's book, Outlive. It will open your eyes to what you can do for yourself.
Where do you buy your supplements if you don't mind sharing?What you need is private blood work, then private assessment of them for YOU, not the average obese UK resident.
We get yearly bloodwork, on the back of that, we get bespoke supplement requirements, then we use quality supplements - not synthetic/Holland & Barratt/Tesco options. It's not cheap, but if it is going to add to your enjoyment of life (and extend the active part of your life) it is well worth it.
Lack of energy could be all sort. Testosterone, iron, blood sugar/glucose, Thyroid, wider endocrine system, caloric intake, digestion....too much to guess. Get a proper blood work and you'll see.
Since we've had them done, our health, fitness, everything has improved dramatically.
BUT...... Before you do all of that, read Peter Attia's book, Outlive. It will open your eyes to what you can do for yourself.
healf.com and planetorganic.com are both good general retailers. Others sometime direct from the brand.
The brands are mostly Wild Nutrition, Pure Encapsulations, Cytoplan, Bare Biology, Form Nutrition, BodyHealth/PerfectAmino, BioHealth, Ancient & Brave.
I've also used Athletic Greens/AG1 for years but have just swapped to try the new IM8.
They are all pricey, but they are quality food sourced supplements rather than the synthetic s
te you get from high street chains & supermarkets.
Slow.Patrol said:
Lo-Fi said:
Did you try anything in the end, Slow?
I've got an appointment with the GP next month. I'm going to push for a blood test. Although I think a lot of it is due to the heat as I definitely feel better when it is not so hot. Wardy78 said:
Echoing what I said above, I would personally ditch the GP blood tests. They are worse than useless if kept in the NHS ecosystem, unless you get a copy of them and get someone far far better to analyse the specific levels & markers etc.
Oddly enough I did get a copy of some detailed blood tests when I put in a request for copies of my records a few years ago. All my ESR levels were highlighted in red as being higher than normal. I now get them on the NHS app. Slow.Patrol said:
Wardy78 said:
Echoing what I said above, I would personally ditch the GP blood tests. They are worse than useless if kept in the NHS ecosystem, unless you get a copy of them and get someone far far better to analyse the specific levels & markers etc.
Oddly enough I did get a copy of some detailed blood tests when I put in a request for copies of my records a few years ago. All my ESR levels were highlighted in red as being higher than normal. I now get them on the NHS app. ESR is an indicator of 'something' - infection/autoimmune/etc, but for a man of your age (I'm guessing), it should be under 20, but are only usually significant cause for concern at at least double or even treble that. (100+ is where is gets serious).
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