The surprising reason you’re tired
This article was published in the NZ Herald, 18 January 2016.
As a mother to three children under 12, I expect to feel totally exhausted at the end of the day. What I didn’t realise, though, was that a lack of an essential vitamin could be to blame for my paltry physical stamina.
A while ago, during a series of blood tests for some imaginary ailment (no doubt tiredness-related), my levels of vitamin D – essential for the absorption of calcium – were found to be very low.
The doctor didn’t seem to think this was significant but, as my mother, aged 78, has osteoporosis, I thought perhaps I should take a supplement. The condition, where bones become brittle, has been linked to a lack of vitamin D, although there are strong genetic factors as well.
