Sugar & Neuropathy

(Annemieke van der Veen) #1

I am healthy, I don’t have diabetes or insuline resistance. I started eating keto about 3 years ago to finally loose stubborn weight (spoiler: I lost it). I have been eating keto/low-carb since then, in addition to Intermittend Fasting (18:6 - 20:4 mainly), just because I feel best this way. So far some background.

I do have neuropathy in my fingertips and in the soles of my feet. This neuropathy are the remains of chemotherapy years ago.

I notice that in the rare cases that I do eat sugar (real white sugar, in cookies and cakes etc.), my neuropathy feels much much worse, mainly in my feet, when I am in my bed at night.

Is there a connection? Is there science behind this?

(squirrel-kissing paper tamer) #2

Hi Annemieke. I also have chemo induced neuropathy (mostly in my feet, sometimes in my hands) and keto has been a life saver. I work on my feet all day and used to hobble my way out of bed and out of the car after a long day.

I just posted last week that I ate pizza at work one day and my soles were on fire that night before bed. I called it Wheat Feet, because for me it happens more when I have bread vs sugar. (Like, if I ate a handful of smarties, it doesn’t happen. Cake, it happens.)

I remember reading something once about glucose surrounding the nerves in the feet causing the problem, but it was probably in relation to diabetic neuropathy and I can’t remember where. But it might be a place to start an internet deep dive. Congrats on losing the weight!

(Jill F.) #3

I do not have neuropathy, but I have chronic arthritis from a car accident I was in as a teenager. I definitely notice on days I eat more carbs like chicken nuggets, or dive into a bag of pistachios I feel the pain the next day 10 fold. I still keep my carbs under 50 to 70 a day in maintenance mode, but on any day I go over 30 I feel it! It is a good motivator to stay on keto for me for sure!

(Annemieke van der Veen) #4

Feet on fire! That is a very good description indeed. And also a very good reason to stay away from sugars/carbs. That nasty feeling is so, so much better on keto/low-carb. Glad I found it :heart:

#5

My mind goes to two things that impact me personally with my nerve issues…food allergies (like the Wheat Feet lol) and stimulants (for me too much caffeine, maybe the sugar’s stimulant effect plays a role?). Do you ever notice an uptick in neuropathy from caffeine too?

(Annemieke van der Veen) #6

No never. I have been drinking black coffee all my life, without any issues (apart from a headache when I DON’T have coffee :grimacing:)