Is Sugar Sensitivity Making You Sick and Tired?
78Sugar Sensitivity
Is there anything sadder than missing out on life because you feel too sick and tired to do anything? I suppose there may be, but it's sad all the same, especially if you have memories of a different time when you were an active participant in your own life, before the fatigue set in.
Tiredness is a common symptom of several maladies and if you are experiencing problems, you really should speak to your doctor about it. If you have already been checked and no cause of your symptoms were found or treatments are not working, you may want to investigate whether or not you have a sugar sensitivity. Be aware though, that many physicians are yet to familiarize themselves with this biochemical demon.
What Sugar Sensitivity Is
Quite simply, sugar sensitivity is a biochemical addiction to sugar or carbs. When your system has a reaction to either of those elements, it triggers a vicious cycle of strong cravings and the associated carb or sugar addiction symptoms.
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Symptoms of Sugar Sensitivity
If you find yourself tired all the time and have two or more of the following symptoms, you may be suffering from sugar sensitivity.
- Insatiable craving for sweets, i.e. candy, pop, sweet juices
- Insatiable craving for refined white flour foods, i.e. pasta, bread, cereal
- Depression
- Mind fog, i.e. poor memory and concentration
- Irritability, strongly reactive or lessened ability to cope with stress
- Stomach Distress, i.e. bloating, cramps, diarrhea
- Weight gain or difficulty losing weight
- Head, joint or muscle pain
- Severe PMS or peri/menopausal symptoms
Are You Sick and Tired?
Healing the Addiction Through Diet
If you are suffering from sugar sensitivity, then you may experience the beginning of relief in as little as two weeks, if you adjust your diet.
Helpful Tips to Combat Sugar Sensitivity
Avoid starting your day with fruit juice, especially apple. Drinking juice first thing in the morning is a good way to trigger fatigue and intestinal distress in someone who suffers from sugar sensitivity. Certain cells (epithelial) in the intestine are unable to digest that much sugar fructose all at once. The results from trying can include tiredness, bloating, flatulence and sugar cravings. These discomforts can last up to four hours.
Eat protein that is rich in tryptophan. Tryptophan raises your serotonin levels and slows the rate by which sugar enters your bloodstream. Reduce your eating compulsion and sugar spikes by eating 1 oz. to 4 oz. of beef, chicken, eggs, almonds, lentils or cottage cheese at every meal.
Snack on carbs between 2 p.m. and 4 p.m. Speaking of Tryptophan, eating carb-only snacks during the time that serotonin levels dip (2-4 p.m.) will supply more of it for your brain to convert to and raise levels of your serotonin. Try a baked potatoe, berries or popcorn. It's a good idea to have another carb snack before bed. You'll sleep better because your blood sugar levels will be stable.
Boost your endorphins. No drugs or special foods involved, just some good, natural walking, meditation, music, intimacy or any other practice that makes you feel good.
Consider taking vitamin supplements. Vitamins C and B, as well as zinc may be particularly beneficial while breaking your addiction to sugar.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Did You Know? ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
That 70% of women have some degree of sugar sensitivity. Which percentile are you in?
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It Gets Easier
The thought of dealing with your sugar sensitivity may initially feel like too much work (because you're so tired) or perhaps it sparks a bit of panic at the thought of losing your sweets. Take heart! Go at your own pace. Try introducing protein and complex carbs into your breakfast for the first couple of weeks or even couple of months and go from there. Once you're ready, start adding them to a second meal each day. You get the idea.
You will likely experience relief from your sick and tired symptoms within two weeks or so. You'll notice that your cravings will diminish and your energy and mood will start to improve.
One of the nice things about dealing with sugar sensitivity through diet is that you can try it, even if you're not sure if a sugar addiction is what is making you feel so sick and tired all the time. It can't hurt you and you can even experiment without your doctor.
Now that I've said that, here's my disclaimer. "As always, you should check with a doctor before undertaking any new diet or exercise program".
Is Sugar Sensitivity Making You Sick and Tired?
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Sweet Comments Please
Haha, I will never deny you your coffee, MM. Morning coffee is sacred ambrosia!
I guess an addiction is an addiction, regardless of what it's based on. Interesting about alcohol, I hadn't even considered that.
Thanks so much for the kind words and thumbs up!!
Thank you very much for this hub! It has really made me think. Just the thought of not eating sweet deserts (even with artificial sweeteners) to me seems impossible. I try to combine protein with whole grain carbs, which usually helps but it is hard to do all the time. There are days when I experience those symptoms, especially if I just eat a piece of fruit or have juice and don't combine it with protein.
It sounds like the program is not low-carb (which I'm totally against) and actually recommends baked potatoes. Really interesting!
I am headed off to order the book and am looking forward to reading it and hopefully trying out the program to see if it helps reduce my symptoms. Thanks for a great recommendation!
You're very welcome, GG. I really hope that this and the book help you. It seems like such a shame for people to feel so crappy when a diet adjustment could give them a better quality of life.
And I believe you're right about the carbs. As I understand it, they should be complex.
Please let us know how it works for you.
I'm going to try it! This is the first of your hubs I've read, and I'm definitely looking forward to reading more. (-:
I always heard sugar was a empty calorie, but I read where the liver converts the unused portions into fat which ends up somewhere on your body?
Regards
Thanks, Katie! I hope that you'll find something I've written helpful.
Hi, RB. That is a very interesting question, for which I have no answer. I'm going to see what I can find out about that, thanks for asking!
Okay, from what I understand, fructose goes to the liver. If it converts to glucose, you're good and it will go to work for your muscles and brain. Otherwise, it remains in the liver and turns to fat or cholesterol. Apparently, the odds are that it will stay in the liver, especially in inactive people or those who do not eat regularly.
Hope that helps.
Thanks for the reminder Shirley. We all have a different body chemistry because of our ethnically diverse backrounds. For example some people swear "Acai" juice cured their disease and are fans for life. Others say it made them ill. There's no one-size-fits-all cure for everyone, that's why diets don't work for most people. But, we in the west are sugar addicts.
I remember reading a book by the actress Gloria Swanson years ago called "Sugar Blues" in which she talked about her problem and the widespread problem of addiction to sugar.
They've come out with all kinds of substitutes, Stevia, flavored Agave, various commercial substitutes that may or may not be good for us either. I try to use honey or applesause as a substitute when making goodies sometimes.
As they say "Moderation In All Things."
Wow this is incredibly helpful. I think sugar is what drives me but it also has so many negative effects as well. Vitamins might just be what I need.
Hi, Patnet. I agree with you, I don't believe that there is a 'one size fits all' remedy for anything. Different things work for different people. That's one of the reasons why I felt safe in publishing this - it can't hurt you and it's an option to try if you suffer from these symptoms.
I didn't realize that Gloria Swanson suffered from depression because of a sugar addiction. That's interesting. I'll bet that there are actually a lot of people who have a sugar sensitivity and have no idea why they're feeling so crappy. How sad.
I'm not sure about the artificial sweetners but I'm sure that honey or applesauce won't hurt you unless you have an allergy to it. I think what the pros are saying in regards to this topic is that if it is fructose, then it's best to stay away from it if you are sugar sensitive. Is honey a fructose or glucose? I'm afraid that I don't know.
Moderation in all things seems to me to be a perfect motto. That would be a balanced approached, though I can't claim to have that one down in all areas.
Thanks so much for coming by, Patnet! I appreciate your comment so much.
Triplet Mom, I'm laughing because my first thought when I read your comment was, "If I had triplets, I'd need sugar, too!" Vitamins are always a good idea. I think moms with active little ones need some extra TLC, anyway.
The prob with sugar is the crash when it wears off.
I've always wondered....when multiples are toddlers and all head in different directions, how do you round them up before any of them get 10 miles away?
Thanks for coming by, TM! It's wonderful to see you again!
Great hub about how sugar sensitivity can be a subtle way of being emotionally out of sorts. It is definitely an under-understood phenomenon. Thanks for bringing it to light.
Yes, Shaman. I actually didn't know much about it myself until I did this hub. Seems a shame for people to suffer needlessly if a simple solution such as eliminating fructose from the diet can offer relief. On the other hand, thank goodness there is a simple solution. :)
Thanks so much for your comment.
Sugar is bad for health. It not only leads to obesity but as well as other disease like diabetes. Keep them low and you will possess a healthy and fit body.
Excellent advice, Joel! Thank-you very much.
I'm allergic to sugar....seems it makes me break out in FAT! LOL I've heard that somewhere and thought it was cute and appropriate here. I have recently purchased a book along similiar lines that I hope to write a review for soon. Great hub, Shirley!
That's funny, KCC! I haven't heard that before, it's perfect.
Happy reading. I'll have to watch for your review, that'll be interesting.
Thanks for stopping by, I appreciate it!
I love sugar, and I hate sugar....that's the way it goes, so I mainly try to avoid much of it. Yes, moderation, for sure. Thanks for good info!
Its amazing how youcome up with such articles. Up for this..
Sound advice here, it took me some time to control both my crab and sugar intake; it has become second anture to do so, partially because on occasion, rare one, I indulge a bit, with a bit of chocolate or side order of pasta, depedning upon my urge.
Well written and informative article. I knew about this to some extent but learned more from your hub. P.S. Enjoyed reading your profile - made me laugh in places.
Oh, Frogyfish, a love/hate relationship with sugar, that's tough but I understand it completely. If only someone would invent healthy sugar! Thanks for your comment.
JP, thank-you so much! I get ideas from reading, mostly.
Hi, Bob! Bet you meant carb rather than crab but maybe not. I see no harm in the occasional indulgence. I think that when people feel like they're denying themselves, they want what they shouldn't have even more. Chocolate and pasta - mmmmm! Together or separately. ;) Thanks for coming by, Bob.
DS, thank-you very much! Glad you enjoyed my profile. I find it difficult to write about myself, I'm never quite sure what to say. Thanks too, for dropping by and commenting.
thanx for the hub this will really help me!
Hi Shirley, this is wonderful information. Sugar sensitivity makes one sick and tired? I am thinking of a guy friend who has this symptoms...I will forward him your hub! :-) Thumbs up!
Oh by the way, I've also heard about cutting sweets for kids who are hyperactive. This helps a lot!
Mwaky, glad to be of help! Thanks for reading.
Oh Michelle, I hope this can help your friend! It's sad that people suffer needlessly, especially when there's a simple solution.
That makes sense about cutting back on the sweet treats for kids. Bet you can tell when they've had too many. :)
Thanks for the thumbs up and sharing this with a friend in need.
bookmarked! thanks for this excellent hub -- just what I needed.
I got the book today!!! (fast shipping!)
I am very excited and am off to read it!
Really? I feel I have some symptoms such
Sugar is hard on the body. I used to do quite a bit of soda and I was always tired. Since I cut out all soda and now drink water or green tea I feel much better every day.
Great hub, is there any way of being able to tell the difference between being sugar sensitive and diabetic. Of course a doctor could tell me, but was wondering if theres a way of telling yourself.
Love the tips though, i have tried the vitamins and avoiding my loved fruit juices in the morning, have also taken a liking to coffee with sugar. I have noticed a little more energy in myself.
Thanks, Teresa! What a compliment! Glad my hub was just what you needed. I aim to please, when I can. Thanks for the bookmarking and for commenting, I really appreciate it.
Oh GG, I'm happy that you got the book so fast. I hope that you'll come back and let us know how it is.
Lovemyself, if you have these symptoms, you may want to change your diet a little so you can feel better. Thanks for reading and commenting.
Hi, Dan. I never drink pop just because I find it sickly sweet, it makes me thirsty for water. It would make sense that it makes people tired, between the high sugar content and the caffeine (if cola) your blood sugar levels drop like a rock after a while. Good for you, switching to water and green tea. I'm wondering if you went through any withdrawals when you went off the pop. Hopefully not. Thanks so much for coming by.
Hi, Wadey. How to tell the difference between diabetes and sugar sensitivity? First off, I'm not really a doctor, I just play one on HubPages. :) I think you have additional symptoms with diabetes, i.e. slow healing, urinating a lot, etc. If you even suspect that you have diabetes, please do get it checked out with someone who is a real doctor.
Glad you're enjoying a little more energy! Is it the sugar or the caffeine doing it for you, do you think? Both maybe? I don't think that I could ever give up my morning coffee for anything, although I just take milk in mine. Thanks for visiting my hub and leaving a comment!
Oh you asked if your a heavy pop drinker do you go through withdrawals,..I sure did,..bad ones too. I drink at least a 2 lt. Mt dew daily, I tried to replace some of it with water,..after awhile I came close to passing out, felt sick, so I grabbed my Mt.Dew drank some and I was fine again. had my sugar checked not long ago,..Mine is great,..Go figure,..LOL
Infantry Mom, my sister went through withdrawal from Coke. It was tough to kick. If withdrawal makes you almost pass out and it makes you feel sick, how the heck can you get off of it unscathed? Do you have to wean off? Glad that your blood sugar is okay!
I liked this hub. I must be a sugar addict. Around 2:00 -3:00 in the afternoon, I began craving something sweet. I also become extremely sleepy during this time. This happens again late in the evening. Does anyone else have this combined craving (sugar and sleep)?
I'm glad that you liked it, Ana. Geez, that sure sounds like a sugar sensitivity. You could experiement with your diet as mentioned, it wouldn't cause you any harm in the slightest. You'd know for sure, then.
Me, I get tired after I eat almost anything. I don't get cravings very often or even have a comfort food but when they do strike, it's usually something sweet and creamy that I want - at first. I tend to need salt with the sweet, have no idea why. So, if I have a sweet snack, I also need a salty one like chips or something to eat with it. Bizarre, I know.
I hope others will respond to your question too, Ana.
I would say I was bothered by it except I avoid sugar most of the time. I can't stand sugar. It makes me sick to my stomach.
Oh no, RGraf. Gee, you are REALLY sensitive to sugar! It's a shame that it makes you sick.
On the plus side, you must be healthy and energetic. :)
I hate sugar yet I love it. I know that I must be a sugar addict..I didn't know there was actually such a thing though. Whenever I eat sugar my heart races and I feel anxious and almost in a panic over nothing. My stomach automatically blows up like a balloon and I don't sleep that night. Before I knew sugar was causing my sleeplessness I thought I was a full-blown insomniac.
Thankyou for posting this. There is not a lot out there about this kind of stuff and when I tell people they think it's 'all in your head'.
Heather, your comment alone makes me glad that I did this hub. I'm not a doctor but your symptoms seem to match those in the list above. As you can see by the comments, you're not alone regardless of what people have been telling you.
You haven't said but I assume that you asked your doctor about it, as well. S/he may not have considered sugar sensitivity. What I learned why doing this article is that many doctors aren't up on it, though I'm not sure why that is.
This is strictly a guess on my part, but I think that there are a lot of people who are sensitive to sugar and don't know it.
Have you considered sharing what you go through with others via writing about it?
Best of luck, Heather. If you decide to try changing your diet, or even if you don't, I hope you'll come back and let us know how you're doing.
Thank-you for sharing. I'm sure that others will read your comment and take some comfort in the fact that it's not all in their head, too. :)
Thanks for the article. Definetly something I'm going to look into. Just another reason to watch my sugar intake!
You're welcome, Sam. Assuming that you are a male Sam, you have some luck on your side with this as it is most often (though not always) females that suffer with sugar sensitivity.
Thank-you for dropping by!
Thanks for this Hub!! Very informative and helpful. Why are the things you love the most usually so bad for you??LOL!!!
Peace n' Blessings!
K
Hi, Kim! Thank-you, so much. Yeah, it seems to be the stuff that you like the most that is the worst for you, why is that??
Thanks for your comment.
Love & Light!
Thank you so much! I am 13 years old, and recently been getting sick to my stomach and have been very tired. After searching online I found this, and realized that this is EXACTLY what I have!
Thank you for posting some do's and don'ts, because I haven't really had any idea what to do. Lately, I've been trying to only have a sweet/dessert once a day, and it is SUPER hard, but each day is getting easier and easier. :-)
Thanks again!
Christina, I'm so happy that this hub has proven helpful for you! You're way too young to be feeling so ill and tired. You should be having the time of your life right now.
I swear - sugar seems to be as addictive as any other bad habit, doesn't it?
Good luck with breaking your sugar addiction, Christina. I'm rooting for you.
*Edit - Christina, it just occurred to me that vomiting is not one of the symptoms of sugar sensitivity. That may be symptomatic of something else, or maybe you've just gone way overboard on the sweets. If that continues, please at least talk to your mom/dad and/or doctor about it, okay.
I am diabetic and not eating surgar is hard but its possible but how do I stay away from chocolate and cokes its pretty hard. I don ok so far, but its hard. Thanks for the tips I hope to stay away from sugar as much as possible.
Hi, Uniman. Gee, chocolate and Coke - 2 hard ones. I don't drink pop and only eat chocolate when I have a hankering for it, so this is only a suggestion - can you substitute with something else that will satisfy the urge? I read that there is a diabetic (sugar-free) chocolate now. Not sure how it tastes but it might be worth checking out.
Good luck with it, Uniman!
I'm pretty sure that it was an overload on sweets. But that has been the only time, so that's good. :-) Lately I've been doing pretty good with the sugar addiction, and have been saving my sweets for dessert at night, where I only have a little bit of ice-cream.
I think I might be getting over it though, as I'm taking it day by day and doing it better. Thanks again! :-)
You're welcome, Christina! I'm so glad to hear that you're doing better and feeling better, thanks for letting us know.
It sounds like you've made a lot of progress in getting off the sugar. My fingers are crossed for you!
great informative hub. I am also sensitive to sugar and have been using xylitol or stevia, which I find is a good replacement for me. I also suffer from candida and it can be very hard to stay off the sugar.
Good job.
Thanks for the tip about Xylitol and Stevia, Eleanor. I've been hearing that it is a real challenge to break off a sugar addiction and wish you so much luck, especially in light of the fact that you're dealing with Candida, as well.
I know it can be done and you'll feel so much better once you are able to get it under control. Meantime, don't feel bad because a lot of people have (and are) struggling with breaking their love affair with sugar. I know there is sugar-free chocolate and cola, if that helps. :)
Thank-you for your comment Eleanor, and the compliment.
Can you please tell me if it is common to feel very tired the first two weeks that you eliminate sugar? I realize that the sugar itself can make a person feel fatigue, but I've been watching my sugar intake for just about two weeks and don't seem to feel any relief from tiredness yet.
Hi, Jennifer. Congrats on eliminating the sugar! To answer your question, yes, fatigue can be a symptom of sugar withdrawal.
The trick is to keep your blood sugar level.
I found this article about it at eHow that may help. It talks about the detox side effect.
http://www.ehow.com/about_5300807_sugar-detox-side
Best of luck, Jennifer. Can't wait to hear how you feel once you get through all of this!
Hi Shirley-
Thanks so much for the article link about detox side effects - totally made sense to me. While reading the article I noticed a link that read "Sugar Detox Symptoms" so I clicked on it and there was a video clip of Charlotte Skiles, a nutrition consultant, and she described my symptoms exactly! So I'm going to stick it out and hope to feel better soon! Thanks again!
Hi, Jennifer. I'm glad that the info made sense to you. I think what you're experiencing is normal for what you are doing. I'm especially happy that it gave the encourage to continue.
I don't even know you and I'm proud of you! Soon, you're going to feel like a new woman - YAY!
Thanks so much for posting your comment. Anyone who happens by the hub but is too shy to ask about a detox symptom will be relieved to know that it's not unusual.
Please let us know how you make out with it all. I think you're well on your way!
Mighty Mom says:
4 months ago
Which percentile am I in, you ask? Ha ha! I'm off the charts. The phenomenon you describe is very, very real and is not unlike addiction to alcohol (which is basically distilled sugar!). One reason they serve candy at AA meetings!
Great tips for getting off the sick and tired treadmill. Love the vitamins idea and different foods for different times of day. This hub is a gem. I'll rate is thumbs up -- just please don't tell me next I've gotta give up my coffee:-)! MM