If you feel tired all the time, even after a full night of sleep, your body is trying to tell you something. Fatigue is not just a minor inconvenience. It is often a sign that something deeper is going on.
In a typical medical visit, fatigue is usually explained as stress, aging, or depression. Sometimes a lab test is ordered, and if everything looks normal, you may be told to get more rest or exercise. But what if you are already doing that and still feel exhausted?
Fatigue is not the problem. It is the symptom.
The real question is why your body is struggling to produce or sustain energy. There are several common root causes of chronic fatigue:
- Low thyroid function
- Hashimoto’s disease
- Blood sugar imbalances
- Gut dysfunction
- Poor nutrient absorption
- Chronic inflammation
- Hormonal imbalances
Many of these problems do not show up on basic lab tests.
For example, thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) may be in range, but Free T3, Reverse T3, or thyroid antibodies may be off. You might have low iron or B12 levels that are still considered “normal” by standard labs. Or you may have an inflamed gut that is preventing proper absorption of key nutrients. This is why fatigue should never be brushed off. It is one of the most important signs the body gives when something is out of balance.
Functional medicine takes a deeper approach.
Instead of masking fatigue with stimulants or guessing, it looks for the real cause. This includes running a full thyroid panel, checking nutrient levels, evaluating digestive function, assessing inflammation, and understanding how different systems in the body are working together, or not.
Once the root issues are identified, a clear care plan can be created.
That plan may involve nutritional support, stress management, digestive healing, or targeted supplements that support the body’s ability to produce energy. If you feel like your energy is always running on empty, it is not in your head. There is always a reason. When the right testing is done and the full picture is seen, the body can begin to heal and energy often comes back naturally.
If you are experiencing symptoms such as fatigue, it is important to get the right testing. A full thyroid panel should include Free T3, Free T4, Reverse T3, and thyroid antibodies. These markers help identify both thyroid function and the autoimmune activity behind Hashimoto’s. Working with a functional wellness practitioner that looks for the root cause is a great choice for many thyroid patients.