Feeling Tired? Exhaustion May Be Symptom of Undiagnosed Medical Condition

Aug. 2, 2010 — -- People lead hectic lives, and many of us get tired from time to time.

Trying to balance work, raise kids, care for loved ones and stay afloat financially can drain the best of us. But did you know that exhaustion could be due to an undiagnosed medical condition?

In the past, people were expected to simply deal with being tired, but exhaustion has been upgraded to a syndrome that's growing at an alarming rate.

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Dr. Mehmet Oz, author, television host and heart surgeon, visited "Good Morning America" today to talk about four medical conditions that could cause exhaustion.

He also discussed available treatments.

Anemia is a low concentration of red blood cells. Having fewer blood cells means the body is receiving less oxygen than it normally would.

In order to feel energized, people's bodies need to have a high level of oxygen, Oz said.

Symptoms of anemia include dizziness, especially when you stand up. Sensitivity to cold -- you may often be the only one in your office who's freezing -- and pale coloring under the tongue or on the inside of your lower eyelid are also symptoms, Oz said.

Any one of the symptoms on its own could indicate something is wrong, but taken all together, they may indicate anemia.

Women tend to get anemia more often than men do, he added.

Anemia can be confirmed with a simple blood test, and it can primarily be treated through diet and over-the-counter medications.

Anemics can add iron-rich foods – such as broccoli and red meat-- or you can cook in an iron skillet, which allows iron to leach into the food. You can also add iron supplements, vitamin B12 and folate.

The body needs magnesium to help convert food into energy. Research shows that women who are deficient in magnesium use more oxygen than those who had adequate levels, Oz said.

The recommended daily dose of magnesium is 320 milligrams, but an estimated 65 percent of women don't get that much, he noted.

He recommended that you add pumpkin seeds and spinach to your diet.