Could an Underlying Infection Be Causing Your Fatigue?

Hidden, low-grade infections can quietly siphon energy. These include viral reactivations (such as EBV, the virus that causes mononucleosis), smoldering sinus or dental infections, postviral states, tick-borne illnesses, or gut or urinary infections that don’t clearly announce themselves. Any of them can lead to a persistently “on” immune system that keeps you feeling foggy and underpowered.

“Chronic infections can keep your body in a chronic state of low-level alarm,” writes integrative-medicine physician Aviva Romm, MD, in The Adrenal Thyroid Revolution. She notes that chronic stress can also reduce your body’s ability to keep viruses contained.

“We carry a lot of viruses with us, whether we’ve had chicken pox, mono, or other things,” says Plotnikoff. Normally, the body sequesters these viruses, but they may reemerge in times of stress — such as when a latent herpes virus awakens to trigger a cold sore as the body is fighting off a cold.

How to address:

In general, managing stress can help the immune system do its job. A quality diet also helps. “Focus on nutrient density,” functional nutritionist Jesse Haas, CNS, LN advises. “High-fiber foods, adequate protein, anti-inflammatory herbs and spices, and lots of colorful foods to support the microbiome.”

If you suspect a potential infection may be at the root of your fatigue, see a healthcare provider. They can help you dig deeper with targeted testing and treatment.