Carbohydrates and Muscle fatigue/inflammation

[godlovesatrier]

Hi there,

I managed to get into a bad crash about 4 weeks ago which I am still pulling myself out of. I noticed 2 weeks after the crash that I suddenly started to feel terrible eating gluten free carbohydrates, such as gluten free pasta, brown rice, gluten free bread, any carbohydrates essentially. It might be a co-incidence but has anyone noticed this sudden metabolic shift where the body becomes more intolerant to carbs? Bare in mind I went from absolutely needing carbs 3x a day as a normal person would to barely needing them at all and eating primarily protein based meals instead to alleviate muscle fatigue, stiffness in the joints and a worsening of general ME symptoms. I feel a lot more normal eating protein whereas normally (pre crash) this would actually make me feel worse.

Has anyone else experienced this? I have done a paleo diet once before, but I prefer an exclusion diet.

I don't eat any processed food, sugar based confectionary or food types, including no alcohol and no caffeine.

Thanks.

 

[rel8ted]

I have Celiac and also do not tolerate carbs well at all. I cannot tolerate any grains. Berries and greens seem to be ok, but if I were to eat a rice based bread for instance, it would zap all of my energy and most like cause digestive issues. I despise replacement foods for this reason.

 

[sb4]

Yeah my symptoms are always worse with any type of carbs. It seems to be a fairly common experience with MECFS.

 

[godlovesatrier]

It's so strange I basically had no problem with carbs for about I don't know exactly but it must have been 12 months and now it's back. I can feel my body shifting to accommodate them again but it's a slow process. I wonder what metabolic process causes such a strange shift to occur.

Thanks for the replies!

 

[Wishful]

Our bodies, with ME, do seem to shift quite a bit in many ways. I don't think I even had a problem with carbs, but for a year or more, I couldn't tolerate animal fats (probably palmitic acid) unless I took supplemental carnitine. That problem went away. I don't know why the problem arose, or why it went away: such changes just seem to be part of ME. Just be aware that such changes do occur, and change your diet accordingly...and retest the problem food occasionally to see if your intolerance has changed.

 

[ebethc]

I eat low carb as much as I can...high-ish fat, moderate protein and low carb (<30g carbs per day) is ideal for me... However, I will eat high carb 1x per week, like <75-100g of carbs per day

it's an expensive diet, and I can't always afford it

 

[godlovesatrier]

@ebethc It is very expensive. But I do think well I still work so I am lucky, but I do think the rewards outweight the costs sometimes. In a ideal world I wouldn't be spending so much money on stuff a healthy person doesn't need but my body isn't healthy Even so your analogy is the one I use for dieting too. Recently anyway it's made a huge difference.

 

[BeADocToGoTo1]

Please keep in mind that gluten free does not mean lower carbs. Especially when substituting ‘gluten free’ marketed products like pasta, breads etc. you are sometimes eating even more carbs and sugars, and other unhealthy oils and fillers. You might also be lowering the nutrients that are available in wheatgerm.

 

[godlovesatrier]

Yeah I know the carb content is the same, I just believe that taking out the gluten, for me anyway, is really important. If I eat carbs with gluten in I get extremely sleepy very quickly. If I take it out, I am fine more or less. Also the wheat causes neurological exacerbation of symptoms, dizziness, brain fog, difficulty concentrating.

Eggs also make me nauseas and give me headaches and fruit causes an allergic reaction of hives and itchiness all throughout my mouth tongue throat and lips. So I don't eat fruit either.

 

[BeADocToGoTo1]

Our bodies, with ME, do seem to shift quite a bit in many ways. I don't think I even had a problem with carbs, but for a year or more, I couldn't tolerate animal fats (probably palmitic acid) unless I took supplemental carnitine. That problem went away. I don't know why the problem arose, or why it went away: such changes just seem to be part of ME. Just be aware that such changes do occur, and change your diet accordingly...and retest the problem food occasionally to see if your intolerance has changed.

Carnitine is key in fatty acid metabolism, so perhaps that is why it helped. I guess if going lower carb and higher fat in diet, a little extra carnitine can help get energy from the fatty acids better.

 

[Haley]

Yep, anything moderate or high carb makes me crash. Rice and legumes are the worst offenders and put me in bed for a day or two. I find eggs are ok if I limit them to a few a week, but make me nauseous if I eat too many.

 

[ebethc]

@ebethc the rewards outweight the costs sometimes. In a ideal world I wouldn't be spending so much money on stuff a healthy person doesn't need but my body isn't healthy

no, I mean I literally can't afford it....

 

[godlovesatrier]

I get you @ebethc - I've been there in years gone by. I knew you meant it was not possible Financially.

 

[Wishful]

Carnitine is key in fatty acid metabolism, so perhaps that is why it helped.

Yes, I assumed that it was carnitine's role in transporting fatty acids across the mitochondrial membrane. However, I'm pretty sure that it wasn't the boost in converting fats to energy. As far as I could tell, extra palmitic acid in the cell cytosol, but not passing into the mitochondria (due to inadequate carnitine) was somehow causing the symptoms. I don't know what effects elevated palmitic acid has in cellular processes, which might result in the increase in symptoms.

 

[BeADocToGoTo1]

Do you keep a food and drink diary? Do you measure your ketone levels in the blood? If you are used to low carb, your body can get a shock with blood sugar spikes and subsequent insulin spikes.

 

[Archie]

Bifidobacteria ( a group of many different bifidobacterias ) has the ability to digest fiber & carbs .

https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/why-bifidobacteria-are-good#section2

But it might be also other groups missing , like lactobacilli etc ...

Good way to increase bifido is take take Bimuno prebiotic , Galactooligosaccharides . I try to take 3 prebiotics daily : Bimuno , green banana flour and ground flaxseed . Some days also dark chocolate which is also a prebiotic


What comes to low carb/high fat diets and the effects on gut microbiome , i think the jury is still out, but at this point i think Jeff Leach from Human Food Project has some very good points . Our gut bugs need to be feeded, if the bifidos for example dont get their food then other not-so-friendly bugs in there might take over and cause inflammation, reduced digestion etc...

http://humanfoodproject.com/sorry-low-carbers-your-microbiome-is-just-not-that-into-you/

http://humanfoodproject.com/can-a-high-fat-paleo-diet-cause-obesity-and-diabetes/


So if one cant tolerate carbs, it might be becouse gut dont have enough some good bugs , or at least be part of many reasons together . My favorite is GOS ,it`s the safest also and will start increase bifido .

https://www.cambridge.org/core/jour...ahuan-desert/FFAA744AB1F22B66429E3E2F8F79A41B

 

[Archie]

May i add, that Cacao is indeed good for the good bugs ,even study confirms it

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/03/140318154725.htm

And what about Cacao and CFS ?

http://www.livinglemonnutrition.com/tag/theobromine/

https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/84141.php