Energy and Vitality - Dietary Supplements

Temporary fatigue is a normal part of life. When it sets in, it’s often caused by a deficiency: a lack of iron, magnesium, or B vitamins is enough to lower your energy levels, even if you don’t realize the connection.

This selection brings together vitamins and minerals whose role in reducing fatigue and supporting energy metabolism is recognized by European regulations. They come in highly bioavailable forms, free of controversial excipients, and are manufactured in Switzerland or sourced from rigorous partners.

Our selection tips, the mechanisms behind fatigue, and important precautions are detailed below the product selection.

Fatigue and Deficiencies: What Happens in the Body

The feeling of fatigue never has a single cause. It most often results from three overlapping factors, which are worth distinguishing because they require different responses.

Insufficient nutrient intake. Producing energy from the food we eat is a chain of reactions that involves about ten cofactors: iron, magnesium, zinc, and vitamins B1, B2, B3, B5, B6, B9, B12, and vitamin C. If any one of these is chronically deficient, energy production slows down. Iron deficiency in women of childbearing age and vitamin D deficiency during the winter are among the best-documented deficiencies in Europe.

Sleep debt. No dietary supplement can replace a sufficient amount of sleep. This is the first factor to address, before anything else.

Prolonged mental strain. Chronic stress takes a different toll: you feel drained without being physically tired. This type of fatigue is best addressed through organization and rest.

Dietary supplements only address the first point. That’s already a lot, provided you remain clear-headed about what falls under the other categories.

Vitamins and minerals that help reduce fatigue

European regulations strictly govern what claims can be made about dietary supplements. Only a few nutrients are permitted to claim a role in reducing fatigue. These are the ones that form the basis of this collection.

Iron, an essential mineral for oxygen transport

Iron helps reduce fatigue, supports normal oxygen transport in the body, and contributes to the normal formation of red blood cells and hemoglobin. A deficiency typically manifests as shortness of breath during exertion, pallor, and fatigue that does not subside with rest.

Not all forms are equally gentle on the digestive system. Iron bisglycinate is a mineral chelated with glycine, one of the body’s simplest amino acids, making it significantly better tolerated than sulfate, which often causes constipation and nausea.

An important caveat: iron is the only nutrient on this page that should not be taken blindly. Excess iron accumulates and can become problematic. A blood test to measure ferritin levels before starting supplementation is the only way to ensure safe use.

Magnesium, a Mineral Essential for Energy Metabolism

Magnesium helps reduce fatigue, supports normal energy metabolism, and contributes to the normal functioning of the nervous system and normal muscle function. It is the most versatile mineral of the bunch, involved in more than 300 metabolic reactions, and one of the most commonly deficient minerals in the modern diet.

Here again, the form determines tolerability. Our Magnesium Duo combines malate and glycerophosphate—two forms known for their absorption and gentle effect on the digestive system—with vitamin B6 and taurine as cofactors. Vitamin B6 facilitates the cells’ use of magnesium and also helps reduce fatigue. It is handcrafted in our laboratory in Valais.

Vitamin C: More Than Just Immunity

It is often—and wrongly—reduced to its role during the winter months. Vitamin C helps reduce fatigue, supports normal energy metabolism, and protects cells against oxidative stress.

It also has a property of direct interest to anyone taking iron supplements: vitamin C increases iron absorption. Taking the two at the same time significantly improves the body’s absorption of this mineral.

B Vitamins: The Engine of Energy Metabolism

Targeting a specific nutrient makes sense when you know which one is lacking. When you don’t know (which is usually the case), broad coverage is better than taking a guess.

That’s the logic behind our Multivitamins: twelve vitamins, minerals, and trace elements in a single vegetarian capsule, each in its most bioavailable form. Vitamin B12, for example, is included in three forms naturally found in food (hydroxocobalamin, methylcobalamin, adenosylcobalamin), rather than in the form of cyanocobalamin, which is much less expensive but incomparable in quality.

Vitamins B1, B2, B3, B5, B6, B9, B12, and vitamin C all contribute to normal energy metabolism. Several of them (B2, B6, B9, B12, and C) help reduce fatigue and contribute to the normal functioning of the nervous system. Zinc, a component of many enzymes, helps maintain normal acid-base balance and protects cells against oxidative stress.

The Energy Boost from Stimulants: What You Need to Know

Caffeine, guarana, ginseng: supplements made from stimulating herbs promise an immediate energy boost. It’s important to understand what they actually do.

A stimulant doesn’t produce energy. Caffeine—of which guarana is simply a concentrated source—acts on the central nervous system by blocking signals of fatigue. It can improve concentration and alertness for a few hours, which explains the sudden surge of energy. But the fatigue hasn’t gone away—it’s just masked, and it returns later, sometimes even more intensely.

This is a fundamental difference. Correcting an iron or magnesium deficiency restores function; a stimulant borrows energy from future rest. The two approaches aren’t mutually exclusive, but they don’t address the same need. If your fatigue has persisted for weeks, an occasional stimulant won’t solve anything.

Physical fatigue or mental fatigue?

This distinction guides your choice. Muscle fatigue, a lack of energy, or heavy legs are better addressed with magnesium and iron. Mental fatigue—difficulty concentrating, a “brain fog,” or irritability—requires other forms of support.

Our Omega-3 EPA and DHA, extracted from wild Alaskan pollock from an MSC-certified fishery, fall into this second category. Let’s be clear about what they do and don’t do: there are no claims linking them to reducing fatigue. However, DHA contributes to maintaining normal brain function, and the combination of EPA and DHA supports normal heart function at a dose of 250 mg per day or more.

The body cannot produce these fatty acids, and the conversion rate from plant sources remains very low. If you eat little fatty fish, direct intake is the most reliable approach.

Foods Rich in Vitamins and Minerals

A healthy, balanced diet remains the foundation: a supplement fills in the gaps, but never replaces a meal. Here’s where to find the main nutrients in question.

• Iron: red meat, blood sausage, lentils, spinach, tofu. Plant-based iron is less easily absorbed—pair it with a source of vitamin C.
• Magnesium: almonds, cashews, dark chocolate, whole grains, legumes, and magnesium-rich mineral water.
• B vitamins: whole grains, eggs, legumes, nutritional yeast. Vitamin B12 comes almost exclusively from animal sources, so this is something to watch out for on a vegan diet.
• Vitamin C: bell peppers, black currants, kiwis, citrus fruits, parsley. It breaks down during cooking and storage.
• Zinc and calcium: seafood, pumpkin seeds, dairy products, green vegetables.
• Omega-3: sardines, mackerel, and salmon, two to three times a week.

Eating a varied diet covers the essentials. Proteins, complex carbohydrates, and healthy fats provide fuel; vitamins and minerals help your body use that fuel.

How do you choose an energy and vitality supplement?

Three situations, three starting points.

You know what you’re lacking: a blood test showed low ferritin levels; you know your body’s needs—target the specific nutrient directly.

You’re not sure: Start by balancing your basic nutrient intake with a comprehensive vitamin and mineral formula, then add magnesium if nervous or muscular tension is a major issue.

It’s seasonal: fatigue sets in with fall and subsides in spring. Look into vitamin D3, whose levels naturally drop in our latitudes between October and April. It contributes to normal muscle function, the maintenance of normal bones, and the normal functioning of the immune system.

In terms of form, capsules, powders, and effervescent tablets are equally effective: only the chemical form of the nutrient truly determines absorption. In any case, allow three to four weeks before assessing any effects, and make consistency a priority.

Precautions and When to Seek Medical Advice

Dietary supplements are not a substitute for a varied and balanced diet or a healthy lifestyle. Do not exceed the recommended daily doses. Keep out of reach of children.

Consult a healthcare professional before taking any supplements if you are pregnant or breastfeeding, if you are taking medication, if you have a chronic condition, or before giving a supplement to a child.

Chronic fatigue that lasts longer than a few weeks, worsens, or is accompanied by weight loss, fever, unusual shortness of breath, or significant sleep disturbances warrants a medical consultation. These symptoms may indicate a cause unrelated to micronutrition—such as anemia, a thyroid disorder, sleep apnea, or depression—which no supplement can resolve.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which dietary supplement should I take for fatigue?

It depends on the cause of the deficiency. Iron if you have a deficiency confirmed by a blood test; magnesium if you’re experiencing associated nervous or muscular tension; or a multivitamin formula if you’re unsure which nutrient is lacking. Iron should not be taken without first having your ferritin levels tested.

How long before you’ll notice a difference?

Allow three to four weeks of regular use. Correcting an iron deficiency takes longer: it often takes several months to replenish the body’s stores.

Can you take multiple supplements at the same time?

Yes, provided you ensure that no single nutrient is taken in amounts exceeding the recommended doses. Certain combinations are beneficial: vitamin C increases iron absorption, and vitamin B6 improves magnesium utilization.

Should you take them as a short course or continuously?

Vitamins and minerals that meet daily needs should be taken on an ongoing basis. Herbal supplements are better suited for three- to six-week courses followed by a break.

Isn’t a balanced diet enough?

Ideally, yes. In practice, however, it can be difficult to meet certain nutritional needs: vitamin D in the winter, iron for women with regular menstrual cycles, and omega-3s (EPA and DHA) without regular consumption of fatty fish.

Sources

• Regulation (EU) No. 432/2012 establishing a list of permitted health claims made on foods — EUR-Lex
• French Agency for Food, Environmental and Occupational Health & Safety (ANSES), nutritional references for the population — anses.fr
• Federal Office for Food Safety and Veterinary Affairs (BLV), Swiss nutritional recommendations — blv.admin.ch

Last updated: August 2026.