The Vital Role of Carbohydrates for POTS Hydration

Many people with POTS have a symptom of low blood pressure. To combat this problem, the usual recommendation is drink more fluids and ingest sodium from 3-5 grams a day, while eating a balanced diet, etc.  Sometimes, IV saline hydration is necessary and can quickly bring hydration back into balance for severely dehydrated patients.  What’s often missing in this whole ‘hydration equation’ is the importance of getting proper amounts of complex carbs during the day, which can play a huge role in how well the body actually hydrates.

Carbohydrates and electrolytes (such as sodium, potassium, etc) in water slow down plain water’s tendency to just pass right through quickly.  Sugary drinks make the water in them pretty much non-absorbable, especially when they’re 8% or above as is the case with many fruit juices. The point is to absorb the water, into the cells, right?  So what you want to do is make sure that, along with your balanced diet, you’re getting complex carbs during the day from things like oats, whole grain breads, sweet potatoes, pasta, etc).  Having a little honey here and there is good, too, as it's about 50% glucose and 50% fructose which metabolize at different rates and help keep blood sugar and hydration levels balanced.

 

And get your sodium along the way, too. This will also help the water absorb instead of making you pee every 15 minutes, which is actually de-hydrating.   The good carbohydrates also help replenish glycogen in the muscle tissues, which pulls water into those tissues, keeping you better hydrated and giving you more energy as a natural bonus.  Remember to get adequate quality protein, good fats and some saturated fats as well as all of these together with carbohydrates help to keep the body pH and hormones where should be, so you can feel your best.

As always, connect with your POTS professional to discuss your individual dietary needs. If you think you have POTS symptoms but don’t have a POTS doctor yet, your best bet is to check out one of the top dysautonomia and POTS treatment centers nationwide—Dysautonomia-MVP Center, LLC in Birmingham, AL.  Our world-class doctors, Dr. Paula Moore and Dr. Susan Phillips are widely known for providing some of the most effective autonomic disorder treatments available, while using many natural protocols and dietary guidelines for a more complete treatment. Call and make an appointment today at 205-286-3200 and start getting the relief you deserve.

 

 

Dysautonomia-MVP Center, LLC

Accurate Diagnosis & Treatment for Better Results

2470 Rocky Ridge Road Vestavia Hills, Alabama 35243

http://www.mvpctr.com

(205) 286-3200

 

 

 

Helpful Dietary Recommendations for POTS

There are definitely dietary measures that have been shown to help POTS patients reduce symptoms. The following is a list of the most commonly  recommended areas to monitor.  Be sure, however, to remember that any treatments for POTS, whether dietary, medicine or otherwise, need to be tuned to each person. This is because many POTS patients react differently to the same treatments and should be evaluated by their doctor before making any changes to your treatment plan or diet:

Eat Smaller Meals--after eating a large meal, much of our blood is redirected to the gut and away from extremities, the head, etc, for digestion process, which can cause problems for a lot of POTS patients.  So it’s usually recommended to eat several smaller meals throughout the day instead of two or three larger meals.

Increase Fluid and Salt Intake--it is often recommended to increase both fluid and salt intake in order to increase blood volume. This has proven to help with blood pooling, hypovolemia, or hypotension. Other than hyperadrenergic POTS, consuming approximately two liters and three to five grams of salt per day is typically recommended by most POTS physicians. One gram of table salt contains about 400 milligrams of sodium. That means that five grams of salt contains approximately 2000 mg or 2g of actual sodium. This can help when reading nutrition labels on food that list sodium amounts.

Minimize Simple Carbs, Get Complex Carbs and Lean Protein--patients who notice a worsening of symptoms after eating may want to try consuming fewer simple carbohydrates (like refined sugars and flours) and get more complex carbs like sweet potatoes, oatmeal, whole wheat breads, etc. Also focus on consuming healthy protein with each meal (such as skinned chicken breasts, salmon, skim milk or low fat yogurt) and make sure any meats are 100% antibiotic and hormone free, as these can disrupt many pathways and systems in the body.

Consider Reactions To Gluten---patients who have ‘stomach issues’ or gastrointestinal problems may want to check with their doctor about gluten and possibly get tested for Celiac Disease.  Don't go gluten free until you have spoken with your doctor about a possible Celiac blood test. Some of the blood tests for Celiac Disease require the person to have been eating gluten for several weeks prior to the test.  Many people have some reaction to gluten so if you have those problems, it might be worth looking into as an unhappy gut can also worsen POTS symptoms.

Get Organic Dairy, Watch for Any Intolerance and Consider Lactase Supplements --in reaction to ingesting dairy, some people’s GI and stomach react to the lactose becausae they don’t have the enzyme lactase. Others have an actual allergy to milk protein and this causes a histamine or other allergic pathway reaction. Either way, these reactions can exacerbate POTS symptoms so if you’re reactive to dairy, consider taking lactose drops before eating diary and get the advice of your POTS doctor before dropping dairy completely. Dairy has many valuable nutrients and electrolytes that can help calm POTS symptoms if you can manage to eat them.

Evaluate Caffeine -- caffeine is helpful to some POTS patients and make symptoms worse in others. For this reason, figure out through small doses whether you feel better or worse with caffeine and act accordingly—but don’t overdose on it.

Don't Drink Alcohol - alcohol is dehydrating and can lead to increased hypotension by dilating veins, which are already two common problems for POTS patients.

And above all, if you have POTS and don’t have a POTS specialist you’re working with, find one and always get their opinion as most family practitioners aren’t trained in all the details that affect POTS patients. A great place to start is Dysautonomia-MVP Center LLC in Birmingham, AL.  The doctors there are highly regarded in the treatment of dysautonomia, POTS and other autonomic disorders. No matter where  you are, if you need answers, call them today at 1-205-286-3200. You’ll be glad you did.

 

Dysautonomia-MVP Center, LLC

Accurate Diagnosis & Treatment for Better Results

2470 Rocky Ridge Road Vestavia Hills, Alabama 35243

http://www.mvpctr.com

(205) 286-3200