Chronic fatigue has become increasingly common in modern life as people juggle heavier workloads and less downtime. While exhaustion is often blamed on stress or lack of sleep, researchers say poor nutrition may also play an important role.
A research team led by Professor Hiroaki Kanouchi from Osaka Metropolitan University's Graduate School of Human Life and Ecology investigated whether deficiencies in certain vitamins could be connected to fatigue and motivation levels. The scientists focused on folate (B9) and vitamin B12, two nutrients that help regulate homocysteine (Hcy), a substance in the blood that tends to rise when these vitamins are lacking.
Blood Marker Linked to Fatigue and Motivation
The study included around 600 healthy Japanese adults. Researchers measured blood levels of homocysteine, folate, and vitamin B12, then evaluated participants' fatigue and motivation using the Chalder Fatigue Scale questionnaire and a Visual Analog Scale.
The team found that participants with higher homocysteine levels generally had lower levels of folate and vitamin B12, regardless of sex.
