“Helps against fatigue“-a fairly brave advertising saying for a vitamin preparation when you consider how many reasons can have fatigue. Nevertheless, this affects the nerve of the times: According to Statista, 30 percent of Germans feel tired and sleepy two to three times a week. 18 percent even every day.
So that these people are not made empty promises, food must be checked. In Germany, the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) ensures that such advertising briefs can really only be printed on nutritional supplements if the effects in studies have been scientifically confirmed. Here you read which vitamins this applies.
Vitamins against fatigue: what helps?
EFSA has published a list of approved health -related statements for certain foods and products, so -called “Health Claims”. It is adapted to new knowledge. These “Health Claims” are scientifically confirmed, the statements may also be used for advertising purposes. For the following vitamins, the statement “contributes to reducing fatigue and fatigue” is permitted:
- Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin)
- Vitamin B3 (Niac)
- Vitamin B5 (pantothenic acid)
- Vitamin B9 (folic acid)
- Vitamin B12 (Cobalamine)
- Vitamin C (Ascorbic acid)
Which vitamins lead to the symptoms in the event of a deficiency: fatigue and exhaustion?
According to the MSD Manual and the Federal Ministry of Health, a lack of the following vitamins can lead to fatigue:
- Vitamin B1 (Thiamin)
- Vitamin B3 (Nicotinic acid, niacin)
- Vitamin B9 (Folic acid/folate)
- Vitamin B12 (Cobalamin)
- Vitamin C (Ascorbic acid)
B-vitamins are involved in a number of metabolic processes in the body and ensure a balanced immune system. Accordingly, it cannot be ruled out that a deficiency of other vitamins can contribute to a certain amount. Nevertheless, the tiredness of the above-mentioned vitamins explicitly applies as a deficiency symptom.
The basic vitamin is good in Germany-except for folic acid. Here the Federal Institute for Risk Research (BfR) speaks of insufficient care in 80 to 90 percent of the population. With a varied diet, a general vitamin deficiency is unlikely, but there are certain risk groups that should check their vitamin supply to the doctor with permanent tiredness.
Does it make sense to buy vitamins from DM, Rossmann or the pharmacy in the event of fatigue?
Fatigue can have several reasons, especially: lack of sleep. If the fatigue continues over a longer period of time and does not improve through movement, the walk to the drugstore should not be the first choice, but a doctor is consulted. A suitable therapy can only be selected in consultation with a doctor, because whether a vitamin deficiency is present can be checked well based on the blood values.
If there is vitamin deficiencies from the blood count, preparations can be taken specifically for individual needs instead of buying a dietary supplement. These can contain unnecessary ingredients and therefore be too high for the patient.
Overdosing is difficult for all vitamins mentioned above because they are all water -soluble. Vitamin preparations against fatigue can also contain vitamin D, which can normally be stored well from the body, which is why, according to the BFR, an overdose can occur.
