If you’re feeling tired and low in energy it could well be that you’re low in B Vitamins. Here are the five best vitamins for lack of energy and tiredness

Vitamin B1 (thiamin)

Your body’s cells use the carbohydrates in your diet as their main fuel. However, you need a steady supply of Vitamin B1 to convert those carbs into energy. So an athlete eating a high-carbohydrate diet will need higher amounts of Vitamin B1 in their diet to access this energy.

  • Best food sources Sunflower seeds, haricot beans, baked beans, black beans, barley, pinto beans, lentils and oats
  • Best supplement form Thiamin hydrochloride (HCl) or thiamin mononitrate

Vitamin B2 (riboflavin)

Those most of our cells prefer to access energy from carbohydrates, they can use fats and protein too.  Vitamin B2 helps the body to convert not just carbohydrates but fats and protein into energy, and this vitamin is particularly important for energy production in the heart and muscles.

  • Best food source Organ meats (liver, kidney and heart), soybeans, spinach, beet greens, tempeh, natural yogurt, eggs, asparagus, almonds
  • Best supplement form Riboflavin

Vitamin B3 (niacin)

This vitamin is needed in over 200 enzyme reactions in the body and is another vitamin that’s essential for turning carbohydrates, fats and protein into energy. It is also used to build fat structures such as cell membranes and hormones. If your diet is low in B3 you could be feeling tired due to your body not being able to convert food into energy properly and due to low hormone production such as thyroid hormone.

  • Best food sources Tuna, chicken, turkey, salmon, lamb, beef, sardines, peanuts, shrimps, brown rice
  • Best supplement form Niacinamide (does not cause skin flushing)

Vitamin B5 (pantothenic acid)

Essential for the breakdown of carbohydrates, protein and fats into energy. Like B3, Vitamin B5 is also involved in the production of fat structures such as hormones. Vitamin B5 is particularly important if your energy levels have dropped due to intense stress. This is because this vitamin is involved in the production of energy and stress-busting hormones.

  • Best food sources Shiitake and button mushrooms, avocado, sweet potato, lentils, dried peas, chicken, turkey, natural yogurt, broccoli
  • Best supplement form Calcium pantothenate

Vitamin B6 (pyridoxine)

This vitamin is needed for the development of the building blocks of protein and DNA. It is crucial vitamin for normal energy-yielding metabolism, as it is involved in the breakdown of glycogen stores (found in the muscle and liver) into energy. Athletes or anyone exercising regularly will need to make sure they get plenty of Vitamin B6 to be able to access stored energy when they need it.

  • Best food sources Spinach, banana, sunflower seeds, potato, sweet potato, salmon, chicken, beef, turkey, tuna
  • Best supplement form Pyridoxine hydrochloride (HCl) or pyridoxal 5 phosphate
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