In addition to being associated with fatigue, anxiety and depression are also linked with insomnia, loss of appetite, and difficulty with concentration. Virtually every HIV-infected person goes through periods of feeling upset, worried, anxious, or depressed. Psychological causes of fatigue in HIV-infected individuals are treatable but are often overlooked. No one knows for sure if drinking alcohol, smoking cigarettes, or doing recreational drugs speeds up HIV disease progression. Infections Many of the infections associated with HIV disease can be associated with fatigue.
Fatigue can be the first sign of an opportunistic infection.
The adrenal glands, located on top of the kidneys, are responsible for producing many essential hormones that regulate how the body functions. Adrenal insufficiency can result in fatigue, chronic weight loss, decreased blood pressure, dizziness, and, ultimately, death. Like many hormones, testosterone, which is primarily produced in the testes, helps regulate men's moods, sexual function, nutrient metabolism, and energy levels. Anemia Red blood cells are made in the bone marrow and carry oxygen from the lungs to the rest of the body using an iron-containing protein called hemoglobin. Red blood cell production requires a natural hormone called erythropoietin, which is produced in the kidneys and stimulates the bone marrow to produce an adequate number of red blood cells.