Question: I have a hard time getting up in the morning because I’m so tired, even after I sleep eight hours or more. Is this because I am overweight and don’t exercise? Is there anything I can take — a vitamin or supplement — that will give me a boost of energy to get me through my day?

Dr. Hibberd's answer:

Early morning fatigue is seen with sleep deprivation and also is very common in victims of sleep apnea. Sleep disturbances are relatively simple to investigate and can have unexpectedly severe consequences for those with untreated underlying disease such as sleep apnea, diabetes, hypothyroidism, or critical vascular disease.

My best advice is to never use supplements until you know the cause of your fatigue, as identified by your medical doctor. Treating the cause normally produces safer and better results than trying to chase away individual symptoms, and is immensely less frustrating for you.

Upping the octane of gas for your car rarely produces much improved benefit to performance. The same is true of supplements. Replacement of vitamin or nutrient deficiency is an entirely different area, and will yield more positive results than random supplementation.