Introduction

Do you wake up tired no matter how much you sleep? Do you rely on caffeine just to get through the day? Have you been told your labs are “normal” while you still feel completely drained?

If so, you’re not alone—and you’re not crazy. Chronic fatigue is one of the most common symptoms we see at Sheen Vein & Cosmetics, and it’s often misunderstood or dismissed in conventional medicine.

That’s because fatigue isn’t a diagnosis—it’s a symptom of something deeper. Instead of masking your exhaustion with stimulants or antidepressants, a functional medicine approach looks for the root cause and helps your body heal from the inside out.

In this blog, we’ll explore:

• What chronic fatigue really is
• Why conventional medicine often misses the mark
• The top functional medicine causes of fatigue
• How we test, treat, and restore natural energy

What Is Chronic Fatigue?

Chronic fatigue goes beyond the occasional tired day. It’s a persistent, debilitating exhaustion that doesn’t improve with rest and impacts your daily function, mood, and quality of life.

Signs of chronic fatigue include:

• Feeling tired even after 8+ hours of sleep
• Afternoon energy crashes
• Brain fog or difficulty concentrating
• Heavy limbs or unrefreshing sleep
• Increased irritability, anxiety, or depression
• Poor exercise tolerance or slow recovery

For some, this may be mild but constant. For others, it may be disabling and life-altering.

Why Conventional Medicine Often Falls Short

If you’ve gone to your doctor for fatigue, you’ve likely heard one of the following:

• “Your bloodwork looks fine.”
• “It’s probably stress.”
• “Try getting more sleep.”
• “It could be depression.”

And while these suggestions may come from good intentions, they often fail to uncover what’s really going on.

Functional medicine digs deeper—connecting your symptoms to imbalances in hormones, nutrition, gut health, inflammation, and mitochondrial function that aren’t detected with basic lab panels.

Top Functional Medicine Causes of Chronic Fatigue

1. Mitochondrial Dysfunction

Your mitochondria are the energy factories of your cells. If they aren’t functioning properly, your body can’t produce the energy (ATP) it needs to thrive.

What impairs mitochondria:

• Chronic stress
• Environmental toxins
• Nutrient deficiencies (like CoQ10, B vitamins, magnesium)
• Infections or inflammation
• Oxidative stress

This can lead to widespread fatigue, poor endurance, and “wired but tired” sensations.

2. Thyroid Dysfunction (Even With Normal TSH)

Standard thyroid testing often misses subclinical or functional hypothyroidism. Many patients are told their thyroid is “normal” based on TSH alone—yet they have classic symptoms.

A full thyroid panel should include:

• TSH
• Free T3
• Free T4
• Reverse T3
• TPO and Tg antibodies

Low Free T3 or high Reverse T3 can impair metabolism, mood, and energy—even if TSH is “in range.”

3. Adrenal Fatigue or HPA Axis Dysfunction

Your adrenal glands produce cortisol, your primary stress hormone. When you’re under chronic stress—physical or emotional—your hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis can become dysregulated.

This results in:

• Morning fatigue or difficulty waking
• Energy crashes throughout the day
• Reliance on caffeine
• Difficulty falling or staying asleep
• Feeling “wired but tired” at night

Cortisol imbalance is one of the most common root causes of modern-day fatigue.

4. Nutrient Deficiencies

Energy production relies on dozens of nutrients. The most common fatigue-related deficiencies include:

• Vitamin D – essential for mood, immunity, and mitochondrial function
• Vitamin B12 and folate – crucial for red blood cell production and methylation
• Iron/ferritin – low iron causes oxygen transport issues and exhaustion
• Magnesium – needed for ATP (energy) production
• CoQ10 – supports mitochondrial health
• Omega-3 fatty acids – reduce inflammation and support cellular function

These deficiencies can result from poor diet, malabsorption, gut issues, or high physiological demand.

5. Hidden Infections and Chronic Inflammation

Viral, bacterial, and parasitic infections can contribute to chronic fatigue and immune dysregulation. Common culprits include:

• Epstein-Barr Virus (EBV)
• Lyme disease and co-infections
• Candida overgrowth
• Gut pathogens or parasites

Even low-grade infections can cause a constant drain on your immune system, leading to fatigue and brain fog.

6. Blood Sugar Imbalance and Insulin Resistance

If your blood sugar is constantly spiking and crashing, your energy levels will follow.

Signs of blood sugar dysregulation include:

• Afternoon crashes
• Cravings for sugar or caffeine
• Irritability or shakiness between meals
• Fatigue after eating
• Weight gain around the midsection

Supporting metabolic health is essential to sustainable energy.

7. Poor Sleep Quality

You might be “sleeping” for 8 hours, but if it’s not deep, restorative sleep, your body doesn’t recover.

Root causes of poor sleep include:

• Cortisol imbalances
• Sleep apnea
• Hormone shifts (especially in perimenopause)
• EMF exposure and screen time
• Low melatonin or magnesium

Restoring healthy sleep architecture is often a game changer for fatigue.

Functional Testing for Chronic Fatigue

At Sheen Vein & Cosmetics, we don’t guess—we test. Your personalized fatigue evaluation may include:

• Full thyroid panel
• Adrenal and cortisol testing (saliva or DUTCH)
• Nutrient testing (B12, D, iron, magnesium, CoQ10)
• Inflammation markers (hs-CRP, homocysteine)
• Mitochondrial support labs
• Comprehensive stool analysis
• Food sensitivity testing
• Blood sugar and insulin markers (fasting glucose, A1C, insulin)

This helps us map your unique energy blueprint and target the real cause of your fatigue.

How We Treat Fatigue at the Root

1. Rebalance Hormones

Whether it’s thyroid, adrenal, or sex hormones, we support balance using:

• Adaptogens (ashwagandha, rhodiola)
• Bioidentical hormone support (when needed)
• Cortisol rhythm restoration
• Stress management tools

2. Optimize Nutrition and Replete Deficiencies

Personalized supplementation to restore:

• Iron and ferritin
• B-complex (especially methylated B12 and folate)
• Magnesium and potassium
• Omega-3s
• CoQ10 and PQQ
• Antioxidants to reduce mitochondrial stress

3. Heal the Gut and Support Detoxification

We address:

• Gut dysbiosis or leaky gut
• Nutrient malabsorption
• Hidden infections
• Liver support for toxin clearance

Gut healing is essential for energy, mood, and immune health.

4. Restore Sleep and Circadian Rhythm

We support deep, restorative sleep with:

• Melatonin, magnesium, or L-theanine
• Sleep hygiene education
• Circadian alignment (light exposure, meal timing)
• Stress hormone balancing

5. Address Mitochondrial Function

We use mitochondrial support strategies like:

• Red light therapy
• NAD+ precursors (like NMN or NR)
• Methylene blue (in select cases)
• Targeted mitochondrial nutrients

Final Thoughts

Chronic fatigue isn’t something you should have to live with—or push through. If you feel like you’ve “tried everything” and still don’t have answers, functional medicine may be the missing piece.

Fatigue is your body’s cry for help. And when you listen to it, test for the root cause, and apply the right healing strategy—energy can return.

Tired of being tired? Schedule a functional medicine consultation today and take the first step toward uncovering the root of your fatigue—so you can get your life and energy back.

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