• Meet Dr. Weil
  • Origins
  • Healthy Aging
  • Marketplace
  • Podcasts
  • Accessibility
  • Subscribe
Dr. Weil Logo Dr. Weil Logo Weil™ Andrew Weil, M.D.
  • Health & Wellness
    Health & Wellness
    Body, Mind & Spirit
    • Addiction
    • Allergy & Asthma
    • Autoimmune Disorders
    • Back Pain
    • Bone & Joint
    • Cancer
    • Colds & Flu
    • Dental & Oral
    • Diabetes
    • Disease & Disorders
    • Ears, Nose, & Throat
    • Feet
    • Gastrointestinal
    • Hair, Skin, & Nails
    • Headache
    • Heart
    • Insects & Parasites
    • Liver & Kidney
    • Mental Health
    • Pregnancy & Fertility
    • Respiratory
    • Sexual Health
    • Sleep Issues
    • Stress & Anxiety
    • Vision
    Balanced Living
    • Exercise & Fitness
    • Gardening
    • Healthy Home
    • Healthy Living
    • Meditation & Inspiration
    • Meet Dr. Weil
    • Pets & Pet Care
    • Technology
    • Wellness Therapies
    Health Centers
    • Aging Gracefully
    • Children
    • Condition Care Guide
    • Men
    • Women
  • Diet & Nutrition
    Diet & Nutrition
    Anti-Inflammatory Diet & Pyramid
    Cooking & Cookware
    Diets & Weight Loss
    Food Safety
    Nutrition
    Recipes
  • Vitamins, Supplements & Herbs
    Vitamins, Supplements & Herbs
    Herbs
    Supplements & Remedies
    Vitamins
  • Ask Dr. Weil
  • Blogs
    Blogs
    Bulletins
    Health Tips
    Spontaneous Happiness
  • Mushrooms
  • Sleep
Press "Enter" to search
Dr. Weil Logo Weil™ Andrew Weil, M.D.
  • Health & Wellness
    Health & Wellness
    Body, Mind & Spirit
    • Addiction
    • Allergy & Asthma
    • Autoimmune Disorders
    • Back Pain
    • Bone & Joint
    • Cancer
    • Colds & Flu
    • Dental & Oral
    • Diabetes
    • Disease & Disorders
    • Ears, Nose, & Throat
    • Feet
    • Gastrointestinal
    • Hair, Skin, & Nails
    • Headache
    • Heart
    • Insects & Parasites
    • Liver & Kidney
    • Mental Health
    • Pregnancy & Fertility
    • Respiratory
    • Sexual Health
    • Sleep Issues
    • Stress & Anxiety
    • Vision
    Balanced Living
    • Exercise & Fitness
    • Gardening
    • Healthy Home
    • Healthy Living
    • Meditation & Inspiration
    • Meet Dr. Weil
    • Pets & Pet Care
    • Technology
    • Wellness Therapies
    Health Centers
    • Aging Gracefully
    • Children
    • Condition Care Guide
    • Men
    • Women
  • Diet & Nutrition
    Diet & Nutrition
    Anti-Inflammatory Diet & Pyramid
    Cooking & Cookware
    Diets & Weight Loss
    Food Safety
    Nutrition
    Recipes
  • Vitamins, Supplements & Herbs
    Vitamins, Supplements & Herbs
    Herbs
    Supplements & Remedies
    Vitamins
  • Ask Dr. Weil
  • Blogs
    Blogs
    Bulletins
    Health Tips
    Spontaneous Happiness
  • Mushrooms
  • Sleep
  • Meet Dr. Weil
  • Origins
  • Healthy Aging
  • Marketplace
  • Podcasts
  • Accessibility
  1. Home
  2. Health & Wellness
  3. Health Centers
  4. Aging Gracefully

Fighting Fatigue?

A friend has been recommending something called NT Factor to combat fatigue. She insists it has helped her a lot. Do you think it is worthwhile? If not, what would you suggest?

Andrew Weil, M.D. | September 12, 2016

Frustrated young woman keeping eyes closed and massaging nose while sitting at her working place in office
2 min

NT Factor is one of a number of a dietary supplements marketed for increasing energy. Proponents claim that it bolsters cellular energy and promotes healthy function of the mitochondria, the structures within cells that convert nutrients into energy. NT Factor is reported to be a nutrient complex containing probiotics, growth factors, and phosphoglycolipids, substances that supposedly replace damaged components of the mitochondrial membrane. The idea is that by preventing damage to the mitochondria, NT Factor reduces the risk of age-related diseases and might even slow the aging process itself.

I’ve encountered a few human clinical trials of NT Factor for treatment of fatigue. One was a very small study published in the fall, 2003, issue of the Journal of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. It included only 20 participants between the ages of 61 and 77, all of whom used NT Factor for 12 weeks. The supplement didn’t do much for those with mild fatigue but was reported to cause improvement in about 35 percent of participants whose fatigue was rated as “moderate.” The researchers also noted a “significant” increase in mitochondrial function in this group of older subjects.

Another slightly larger human study with 64 participants with high-moderate and severe fatigue who were treated with NT Factor for eight weeks showed a reduction of fatigue by 33 percent. The study was published in 2003 in The Journal of the American Nutraceutical Association (JANA). And one previous to that, published in a 2001 issue of JANA, included 36 chemotherapy patients who took NT Factor for 12 weeks. The researchers reported that the supplement reduced fatigue, vomiting, nausea, and diarrhea. I’ve seen no other studies since I originally researched this topic in 2006 and significantly, the website for the product cites little recent research supporting the claims still being made for it

I’m not convinced by the scant literature on it that it’s worth taking NT Factor for fatigue.

If you suffer from ordinary fatigue, concentrate on getting adequate rest, be sure to get some exercise daily and practice the breathing exercises I recommend. In addition, you could take Eleuthero (Eleutherococcus senticosus), coenzyme Q10, the Ayurvedic herb ashwagandha or cordyceps, a Chinese medicinal mushroom indicated for fatigue and low energy.

If you have chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS), try to get 20 to 30 minutes of aerobic exercise at least five days a week. A 2016 review of 8 high quality randomized controlled studies, including data on more than 1,500 participants, concluded that CFS patients “may generally benefit and feel less fatigued following exercise therapy, and no evidence suggests that exercise therapy may worsen outcomes.”

Andrew Weil, M.D.

Source:

Lillebeth Larun et al, “Exercise therapy for chronic fatigue syndrome.” Cochrane Library, February 7, 2016, DOI: 10.1002/14651858.CD003200.pub4

Advertisement
Related Weil Products

Dr. Weil on Healthy Aging for Aging Gracefully

It’s not about the lines on the face, it’s about the wisdom behind them. Celebrate what you have achieved, learned, and earned – join the Dr. Weil on Healthy Aging online guide and discover the advantages of aging gracefully. Start your 14-day free trial now!
Get Started
Dr. Weil on Healthy Aging

Start Your 14-Day Free Trial

Free Newsletters

Stay Connected With Dr. Weil

Anti-Inflammatory Diet

Follow Dr. Weil’s Food Pyramid

Get Dr Weils Newsletter Updates

Exclusive Lifestyle, Nutrition & Health Advice

Dr. Weil's FREE health living advice delivered to you!

By clicking "Subscribe," you agree to the DrWeil.com Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy. You also agree to receive emails from DrWeil.com, and you may opt out of DrWeil.com subscriptions at any time.

Trending Now

Two Ways to Protect the Brain - Dr. Weil
Aging Gracefully

2 Ways To Protect The Brain

foods that promote healthy vision
Aging Gracefully

3 Foods That Promote Healthy Vision

3 Ways To Prepare For Lifelong Health | Andrew Weil, M.D.
Aging Gracefully

3 Ways To Prepare For Lifelong Health

4 Changes For Life Satisfaction
Aging Gracefully

4 Changes For Life Satisfaction

Dr. Weil Logo Weil™ Andrew Weil, M.D.
Dr. Weil's Signature

Exclusive Lifestyle, Nutrition & Health Advice

  • About Us
  • Press Information
  • Advertising
  • Contact Us
  • Terms of Use
  • Privacy Policy

Terms of Use | Privacy Policy

Information on this website is provided for informational purposes only and is not intended as a substitute for the advice provided by your physician or other healthcare professional. You should not use the information on this website for diagnosing or treating a health problem or disease, or prescribing any medication or other treatment. Any third party offering or advertising on this website does not constitute an endorsement by Andrew Weil, M.D. or Healthy Lifestyle Brands.

© Copyright 2024 Healthy Lifestyle Brands, LLC. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without permission is prohibited. www.drweil.com