by John Cowley

Created on: December 01, 2008

It appears to be part of our human condition that we all experience low energy levels from time to time. We tend to explain away such times from our own particular perspective which in turn depend on our beliefs about the role of diet, vitamin supplements, sleep deprivation, hormone activity, biorhythms, etcetera, etcetera. There is always a reason it seems and most of the time there is a logical connection between all of the aforementioned factors and our experiences of low energy levels. Apart from situations were illness is the predominant factor, there are other times when we feel lethargic for no apparent physical reason.

Does this mean that our symptoms are psychosomatic?

Can we just "snap out of it" by exerting mind over matter?

We may even tell ourselves that we will be fine, "once we get going".

A brief summary of where our energy comes from may be in order before we explore some of the more esoteric explanations for low energy levels. Energy is derived mainly from carbohydrates such as sugar and starch. There are different types of sugar and different forms of starch, but the main energy food derived from all these sources is glucose plus a little fructose or fruit sugar. Glucose is broken down into carbon dioxide and water, releasing energy in the process. Most of the time we have an excess of glucose available and it can be stored in the liver or in muscles as animal starch or glycogen. If we appear to run short we can always suck glucose sweets to provide an instant energy boost. The protein in meats can also be used to provide energy but its primary use is for body building. Fats have a high energy yield but they are hard to break down and easily become deposited in unwanted areas. From whatever source the breakdown of energy foods is a complicated process involving the right balance of enzymes, degree of acidity/alkalinity and temperature. Many diseases affect this balance and interrupt the flow of energy.

The above explanation tends to treat the human body as a machine with an engine that needs filling up with fuel on a regular basis. This analogy is useful but limited in its scope in explaining why we experience low energy levels even when there is plenty of fuel in our tank. Glycogen is not an instant source of energy and frequently depends upon higher levels of physical activity, not common given a sedentary life-style, before it releases its stored energy. Certain hormones like adrenalin can dramatically affect the amounts of energy released

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