An increasing number of people in our society are experiencing a decline in their overall health and constant fatigue for which they cannot find any explanation. This persistent fatigue will adversely affect their quality of life, productivity at work, and overall health and well-being. Many serious conditions, including cancer and Alzheimer’s, cause fatigue. Fatigue is one of the most common symptoms of many serious diseases; however, the medical community has not established any standard operating procedures (SOPs) for diagnosing and treating fatigue. The mechanisms of fatigue and its causes are not fully understood. Dietary polysaccharides have garnered significant attention as they possess potent pharmacological activity, low toxicity, and specific anti-fatigue properties. Dietary polysaccharides are typically used as supplements, but their pharmacological activity can be enhanced by food processing and passage through the gastrointestinal tract. The purpose of this review is to examine the efficacy of dietary polysaccharides in reducing fatigue generated from exercise and explain how dietary polysaccharides work through their molecular mechanisms. This review aims to summarize the current advances in understanding the biological aspects related to fatigue generated during exercise and opens avenues for further research in food science and nutrition. Such new understanding may assist in developing new strategies for therapeutics and functional foods for both fatigue and other health-related problems.
Mourgan et al. (2026) studied this question.
Synapse has enriched 5 closely related papers on similar clinical questions. Consider them for comparative context: