Symptoms

Tired all the time? What actually helps, and when a drip makes sense

GP-led and medically reviewed by our clinical team
Updated October 2026 · 7 min read

Feeling tired most of the time is one of the most common reasons people see a doctor, and one of the most common reasons people look up IV drips. Before booking anything, it helps to know what usually causes tiredness, because the right fix depends on the cause.

The short answer

If you have been tired for more than a few weeks, start with a blood test, not a drip. A vitamin drip will not fix low iron, low B12, an underactive thyroid or poor sleep, and it can delay finding the real cause.

Common causes

Most tiredness has a simple explanation. The most common ones are:

Not enough sleep, or poor-quality sleep
Stress, anxiety or low mood
Low iron, with or without anaemia, especially with heavy periods, after pregnancy or on a plant-based diet
Low vitamin D, which is common in the UK between October and March
Low vitamin B12 or folate
An underactive thyroid
Raised blood sugar or diabetes
Recovering from a virus
Side effects of some medicines

When to see your GP first

Some symptoms alongside tiredness need a proper medical assessment. Speak to your GP, or call NHS 111, if you have:

Unexplained weight loss
Night sweats or fevers
Breathlessness or chest pain
Blood in your stool, or very heavy periods
Tiredness that has lasted more than four weeks and is getting worse

Please don’t book a drip instead. A drip is not the right first step for any of these.

Which blood tests are worth doing

A sensible set of blood tests for tiredness usually includes:

Full blood count
Ferritin, which shows your iron stores
Vitamin B12 and folate
Vitamin D
Thyroid function
HbA1c, which shows your average blood sugar

Where to get them: ask your GP, or book them privately through Blood Tests Direct, including at home.

Where a drip fits

If your tests show low iron, your GP can talk you through the right treatment for the cause.

If your B12 is low, the usual treatment is a course of B12 injections, prescribed by a doctor.

If your tests are normal, a vitamin drip will not treat tiredness. Some people still choose a hydration or multivitamin drip during a busy week. That is a personal choice, but the evidence for benefits in healthy people is limited, and we will always tell you that honestly.

If you decide a drip is right for you

Hydration£99 in clinic · £199 at home Multivitamin£125 in clinic · £225 at home Myers-style£150 in clinic · £250 at home

Still not sure?

Message us and we will help you decide, even if the answer is a blood test or your GP rather than a drip.

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This guide is general information, not a diagnosis. If you are worried about a symptom, speak to your GP or call NHS 111. In an emergency, call 999.