Diet Can Make Spring Fatigue Worse

At the beginning of spring, gentle winds bring warmth, and many people experience lethargy, lack of energy, and sluggishness—commonly known as "spring fatigue." Eating more carrots, cabbage, citrus fruits, and other vitamin-rich foods, along with sufficient protein intake, helps boost energy levels. However, some foods can actually worsen fatigue—here are three types to eat less of:
1. Foods rich in tryptophan. Tryptophan is an essential amino acid that promotes the secretion of serotonin in brain nerve cells. Serotonin suppresses brain activity, so consuming diets high in tryptophan can easily cause tiredness and sleepiness. The food highest in tryptophan is millet, which leads all grains in tryptophan content. Milk, shiitake mushrooms, sunflower seeds, sea crabs, black sesame seeds, soybeans, pumpkin seeds, meat jerky, oil tofu, and eggs are also rich in tryptophan.
2. Seafood. These foods, like monosodium glutamate, contain sodium glutamate. During digestion, they break down into glutamic acid. In brain tissue, glutamic acid can be converted into δ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) under the catalysis of vitamin B6-dependent glutamate decarboxylase. GABA is an inhibitory neurotransmitter. If produced in insufficient amounts, it may cause central nervous system overexcitation—such as mania or convulsions—but excessive intake of sodium glutamate causes drowsiness.
3. Low-calorie foods. The brain requires adequate energy to function normally, relying solely on glucose combustion for fuel. If one consistently eats low-calorie foods (e.g., certain diet products), the body cannot obtain glucose directly from food nor generate it via gluconeogenesis. As a result, the brain lacks energy, disrupting normal neural activity and causing fatigue and drowsiness.
Additionally, overeating can also induce fatigue. After large meals, the digestive system increases blood supply to process food, diverting significant blood flow to the gastrointestinal tract. Peripheral tissues and the brain receive less blood, especially the brain, which cannot store energy. When deprived of oxygen and nutrients, brain metabolism falters, impairing cognitive function and causing drowsiness.