Dr. Irina Skorogodaeva, an endocrinologist and geneticist, stated that the amount of energy a person feels during the day is determined by hormones, the body's ability to produce them cellularly, and individual characteristics.
According to her, hormones do influence a person's activity level, but it's important to distinguish between motivation and the physical feeling of energy. Androgens and dopamine, whose levels decline with age, are largely responsible for the desire to work. Furthermore, there are individual characteristics that naturally make some people more energetic than others.
She says: "Dopamine largely determines an individual's personality, motivation for purposeful activity, and emotional state towards events. Androgens, including testosterone, also affect activity levels and sexual desire, and their levels vary from person to person. But with age, the level of these hormones decreases, leading to a decrease in activity, and this is a natural process. As a result, some people have stronger motivation and drive to move than others."
She points out that feelings of low energy are often not related to hormones, but rather to a disruption in energy production at the cellular level. This refers to the synthesis of adenosine triphosphate (ATP), which depends on oxygen supply, nutrition, and the availability of essential micronutrients. Deficiencies in iron, B vitamins, and other nutrients can lead to persistent fatigue.
She says: “When there is a deficiency of iron in the body, oxygen transport is disrupted, without which it is impossible to form adenosine triphosphate molecules - the main source of energy in the body. The same applies to B vitamins, trace elements, and thyroid hormones. That is, when there is a deficiency of these elements, metabolism slows down, blood flow is affected, and the person feels weak and tired. In such cases, the problem is not so much hormonal as it is physiological.”
She adds: “Hormonal levels don’t change suddenly, but rather follow the rhythms of the biological clock. For example, cortisol peaks in the morning, while many hormones, including growth hormone, are secreted at night. So if a person doesn’t get enough sleep or their daily routine is disrupted, these processes are disrupted, affecting their health and energy levels. Diseases, nutritional deficiencies, and a diet that doesn’t always provide the body with the necessary nutrients also affect this condition.”
The doctor advises consulting a physician if you experience persistent fatigue, rather than relying on general recommendations. These conditions are often linked to deficiencies or disorders, such as iron deficiency or thyroid dysfunction, which require diagnosis. In most cases, these causes can be treated, but they cannot be identified without a medical examination.
