EXHAUSTED and achy, Rachelle Griffin began to wonder if this was what mid-life had in store for her.
The 41-year-old married mum-of-one from Shrewsby, Wales, spent eight months unable to shift her symptoms.
“I was cancelling plans every weekend and had given up the gym,” she tells Sun Health.
“I was too tired to socialise, too tired to exercise.
“I was just getting through each day and looking forward to going to sleep at night.”
Waking up knackered, with achy joints and debilitating brain fog, Rachelle thought she might have seasonal affective disorder (SAD), depression that comes in winter.
But come last spring, when the sun started shining, she still felt worn out. Sound familiar?
It’s finally light after 5pm and the warmth of the sun is tantalising.
We’ve survived another winter and should be shedding the fatigue from all those dark nights and cold mornings.
It can take a while to feel back to your bouncy self, especially if you’re prone to SAD, but sometimes lack of energy is not ‘normal’.
Rachelle couldn’t seem to shake constant colds and sore throats either.
The stuntwoman, who has appeared in blockbusters like The Batman (2022), Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny (2023) but is currently enjoying new motherhood,
“I started to wonder if this was just what being in your early forties felt like, which is a horrible thing to accept at 40,” she says.
Sick of feeling bone-weary and run-down, Rachelle took the YorkTest Essential Health Check (£79, yorktest.com), an at-home finger-prick blood test that checks key health markers, including essential vitamins, on her sister’s advice.
She was shocked by the results.
“My iron levels were very low, and my vitamin D too,” she says.
“I had no idea my body was so depleted. I just thought I was tired.”
She ordered BetterYou Iron oral spray and BetterYou D3 oral spray (Boots) and started eating more iron-rich plant foods, as she doesn’t eat meat or dairy.
“Within two weeks, I felt like a different person,” she says.
“The fog lifted, I had real energy again, and within a month, I was back at the gym.
“I started running and felt so good I even took up horse riding again after work, something I hadn’t done in years.
“I was just so pleased it wasn’t my age kicking in!”
If you want to follow Rachelle’s lead, it might be time to give your supplement cupboard a spring clean.
Vicky Pennington, nutritionist at Boots, says: “Supplements are not a quick fix, so patience and regularity really matter.”
Always speak to your GP if you are worried you have a vitamin deficiency.
Meanwhile, you can bin those out-of-date multivits and instead, look to boost energy with these heroes…
LOOKING GOOD
THE winter might have left your skin dull, dry and dehydrated.
And while beauty buffs recommend collagen powders for a boost to complexion, a new scientific review reckons it WON’T remove your wrinkles.
But all is not lost – it can make skin feel plumper by boosting elasticity, hydration and moisture levels, the research, analysed by Anglia Ruskin University, shows.
It’s also fundamental for building muscle and repairing cells.
Vicky says: “[Collagen] makes up around 75 per cent of our skin, 90 per cent of our ligaments and 35 per cent of our bones, so it’s a key player in the make-up of our bodies.
“Exposure to UV radiation, smoking and pollution, can diminish collagen levels in the skin.”
Natural collagen also diminishes with age, hence why the older we get, the saggier skin can get too.
“From around your mid-20s, it may be worth considering adding collagen into your beauty regime,” says Vicky.
“It is also worth remembering that vitamin C supports normal collagen formation and plays an important role in the healthy function of skin.”
Try Absolute Collagen Marine Collagen Liquid Supplement Raspberry Flavour, (£30 for 10 sachets, Boots).
GET CREATIVE
IF you’ve set your sights on a toned bikini bod come summer, creatine might be the secret to your abs success.
It’s a favourite with bodybuilders – but anyone can benefit.
“More women, including those over 60, are now discovering it may have real benefits for supporting muscle strength as we age,” says Vicky.
“Evidence suggests a daily 3g dose of creatine can enhance the effect of resistance training on muscle strength, particularly in adults over 55.
“When consistently taken, creatine can play a role in managing the energy available to our cells and tissues, helping support muscle performance and recovery.”
It’s naturally found in our muscles, but she notes: “While our bodies naturally produce creatine, it may not be enough to meet our total needs.”
So alongside eating creatine-rich meat and fish, like pork beef and herring, a supplement – usually a powder – might be worth trying.
SUNNY D
SPRING is peeking through, but it’s not like we’ve got Caribbean levels of sunshine.
You may have spent winter in a vitamin D deficit, causing fatigue and low mood.
We produce vitamin D naturally when the sun hits our skin, but that can be a struggle during autumn and winter, when the sun’s rays aren’t so strong and we spend more time indoors.
Vicky says: “[Vitamin D] plays an important role in contributing to the normal function of the immune system and helps regulate the amount of calcium and phosphate in the body, which is needed to help maintain healthy bones, teeth and muscle function.”
The NHS recommends taking a 10mg supplement daily from October through to March, and beyond if you’re an at-risk individual.
This includes people who are not outside often, for example if they are frail or in a care home, and people with dark skin.
For women in perimenopause and menopause, a supplement can be extra handy to help ward off osteoporosis, which, says Vicky: “Weakens bones, making them fragile and more likely to break.”
Try BetterYou D3 3000iu Oral Spray (£8.32, Boots).
MAGICAL MAGNESIUM
MAGNESIUM is the new melatonin – a sleep supplement that’s taken the US by storm but is only available on prescription in the UK.
It can be a lifesaver if you’ve had a late night, have small kids disrupting your sleep, or even if you’re just feeling a bit worn out.
A jack-of-all-trades, magnesium plays a role in over 300 processes in the body, including helping the body convert food into energy and supporting the nervous system.
“Magnesium can help reduce tiredness and fatigue, while at the same time supporting steady energy levels, making it easier to get through your day feeling your best,” says Pennington.
“It can also help regulate muscle contractions by acting as a natural calcium blocker, helping muscles relax.”
Hence why lots of wellness types swear by soaking in magnesium bath salts before going to bed.
The nutrient is found in spinach, nuts and wholemeal bread.
When looking at supplements, Vicky says: “There are four main types: glycinate (or bisglycinate), citrate, chloride, and oxide.”
Each is absorbed differently by the body and has different benefits, so always read the label.
For example, glycinate is best for improving sleep, while citrate is good for constipation.
“Age can impact absorption rate,” adds Pennington, so if you’re a little older, a supplement can really come in handy.
Try Boots Magnesium 375mg 60 Tablets (£6.50 for one-month supply).
PUMP IRON
IRON is the little carrier of oxygen around your body, so vital to feel energised.
Steak and Guinness are probably the most well-known sources.
Other good natural sources include red kidney beans, edamame beans, dried fruit, nuts and fortified breakfast cereals.
“An important mineral, iron can contribute to cognitive function, energy levels and support the immune system,” says Vicky.
“[It is] important in making red blood cells, which carry oxygen around the body.”
A lack of iron can lead to iron deficiency anaemia, the symptoms of which are tiredness, heart palpitations and pale skin.
“During reproductive years, women need more iron than men,” says Vicky.
Heavy periods can put women at risk of anaemia, and this is when supplements come in handy.
But depending on your diet, a supplement can help boost levels, too.
A nifty tip is to take iron tablets with orange juice to improve absorption rates.
MEGA OMEGAS
AFTER hibernation mode this winter, your brain might need a mental ‘spring clean’ too.
Think of Omega-3 like the oil to your rusty noggin.
“Omega-3 fatty acids are a group of essential fats your body needs for good health but can’t produce on its own, meaning you must get them from your food or supplements,” says Vicky.
“They’re a type of polyunsaturated fat, often called healthy fats because they support vital body functions – particularly heart, brain and eye health – and it even supports the skin’s moisture barrier.”
They’re also vital during major hormonal changes, like pregnancy, perimenopause or menopause.
“Oily fish like salmon, mackerel, anchovies, sardines and herring are excellent sources of Omega-3 and you should aim to eat approximately one portion a week to get sufficient amounts,” says Vicky.
Don’t love fish, or skip eating animal products entirely?
“Then Omega-3 supplements are a good alternative to help ensure you are getting enough.”
HYDRATION HERO
EVERYONE is going wild for electrolytes, once exclusively taken after a bout of food poisoning recovery or by athletes.
Searches for ‘electrolytes’ on boots.com have risen a whopping 755 per cent in the past year, and it’s no wonder.
“Electrolytes such as sodium, calcium and magnesium support several bodily functions,” says Vicky.
According to the NHS, we need sodium to keep nerves and muscles in tip-top condition, plus our blood pressure from going haywire.
Calcium is crucial for healthy teeth and bones, and even helps your heart tick along properly, while it’s magnesium’s job to transform dinner into energy to keep us going.
Basically, they’re pretty vital.
“Electrolytes are essential at all ages, but specific supplementation could be especially helpful during or after periods of prolonged exercise and when working out in hot conditions when you sweat a lot,” says Vicky.
Grab them as tablets, gels or sachets that you mix into water for a tasty drink.
