Updated on 2025-04-29

Summary: Which vitamins for optimal energy?

In this column, Lynn Goneau, naturopath at La Boite à Grains, explains that the fatigue felt at the end of an election campaign or on a daily basis can often be linked to dietary deficiencies, particularly in complex carbohydrates and essential vitamins. She recommends a diet rich in complete carbohydrates (such as quinoa, sweet potatoes and lentils) for sustained energy, while avoiding simple sugars and energy drinks.

Among key vitamins, she stresses the importance of vitamin C, vitamin D (especially in winter), and the B complex, especially B12, essential for red blood cell production. For those with special needs (vegetarians, the elderly), she recommends a B12 supplement such as the Canadian Natural Factors sublingual tablet.

Key vitamins for energy :

1. Vitamin C :

• Role: general energy support

• Sources: kiwis, oranges, strawberries, parsley, red peppers, broccoli

2. Vitamin D :

• Essential, especially in winter

• Mainly supplements

3. Vitamin B complex :

• Central to physical and mental performance

• Sources: cereals, fruits, vegetables, dairy products, legumes, meats

Focus on B12 :

• Promotes red blood cell production

• Prevents fatigue, muscle weakness and anemia

• Sources: foods of animal origin (eggs, meat, fish)

• Risk groups: vegans, the elderly, people with intolerances → supplement recommended

Recommended supplement :

• Sublingual B12 from Natural Factors

  • Convenient format for dissolving under the tongue

  • High-quality Canadian brand

About the author

Lynn Goneau, Certified Naturopath

Specialized in :

• Digestive health
• Hormonal health
• Stress and fatigue
• Memory and concentration
• Weight management

Frédéric Bisson, radio host at 104.7 FM

Radio host at 104.7 FM on the Cogeco network. Frédéric Bisson has hosted L'Outaouais Maintenant from 3 to 5 p.m. every weekday since February 27, 2023.

Transcription

Frédéric Bisson - Host 104.7FM:

I was watching the leaders of the election campaign and I thought maybe they could use a little vitamins. We understand, it ends today, and then there are some who look tired, maybe that's your case too, with the beautiful sunshine. You'd rather be outside than working in your office. So we're going to help ourselves today, by talking about vitamins with Lynn Goneau, naturopath at La Boite à Grains. Hello Lynn Goneau.

Lynn Goneau - Naturopath of La Boite à Grains:

Hello Fred.

Frédéric Bisson - Host 104.7FM:

So let's talk about vitamins for what we call optimal energy. There are many choices, many ways to get them, but there's a lot of fatigue. So what do we start with?

Lynn Goneau - Naturopath of La Boite à Grains:

In fact, fatigue is most often felt when there are nutritional deficiencies. There are lots of reasons to be tired, it's surprising, but this one, the dietary deficiency, we're going to talk about because it's often neglected or it's the one we don't think about. When we talk about food, we always talk about fresh carbohydrates, because they're the body's main source of energy.
A good source of carbohydrates. We're talking about wholemeal bread, brown rice, quinoa, oats. It could be sweet potatoes, lentils. Well, there's pasta, beans, because when you eat a complete carbohydrate during your digestion, the carbohydrate will be transformed into glucose, which will provide the energy needed by each of your cells to provide energy in its pure state.

Frédéric Bisson - Radio host 104.7FM:

Yes, that's right. But carbohydrates, there are good ones, but there are sugars that are not good.

Lynn Goneau - Naturopath of La Boite à Grains:

You've got to get rid of the ones where you can get your energy from the outside, from the famous drinks, energy drinks, caffeine, that's not from the inside. They come from outside.

Frédéric Bisson - Radio host 104.7FM:

That's what we try to avoid, cutting out coffee. You also have vitamins that play a key role in giving you energy.

Lynn Goneau - Naturopath of La Boite à Grains:

The first one, in fact, we all know. It's vitamin C. It's renowned for giving you energy. You'll find it in kiwis, oranges, strawberries, parsley, red peppers and broccoli. That's the first one you should always make sure you have.

Frédéric Bisson - Host 104.7FM:

But I hear a lot about how important vitamin D is. And in fact, the whole group of B vitamins.

Lynn Goneau - Naturopath of La Boite à Grains:

That's exactly it, vitamin D we take in supplements at that time, in winter, because it's very important, and then the B-complex vitamins, because they have a main function that's directly linked to physical and mental performance in vitamins. They all have a really important role in energy production.

Frédéric Bisson - Radio host 104.7FM:

It's not just vitamins we have in bottles, in fact, they're mostly in food.

Lynn Goneau - Naturopath of La Boite à Grains:

We want to find them in our food. They're certainly found in cereals, fruits, vegetables, dairy products and legumes. And, of course, meat.

Frédéric Bisson - Radio host 104.7FM:

Let's say we want to take a supplement. Which one do we take?

Lynn Goneau - Naturopath of La Boite à Grains:

I suggest taking a B-complex supplement, and then in the supplement, there's a little bit of each B vitamin. That's good, except that sometimes you have to get one from outside or if so now, if we're talking about B12, B12, it's going to allow the production of red blood cells which prevents us from having fatigue or muscle weakness or even anemia. It is found in animal products such as eggs, dairy products, meat and fish. So people who are intolerant to eggs or dairy products, or who have difficulty digesting meat, such as the elderly or vegans or vegetarians, need a B12 supplement.

Frédéric Bisson - Radio host 104.7FM:

Do you have a particular supplement to recommend?

Lynn Goneau - Naturopath of La Boite à Grains:

Yes, B122 from Natural Factors. I like Natural Factors because it's a Canadian company that really has high-quality supplements. They have B12 in sublingual tablet form. So that means you can just put the little tablet under your tongue.