Make sure to read Part 1 and Part II of this series first if you haven’t already.
Almost everyone I’ve worked with has at least a few days of experiencing sugar cravings and uneven energy when they first switch to a Paleo diet. This is especially true if they’re transitioning from a “Standard American” or other higher carbohydrate diet such as low-fat/vegetarian/vegan. For some people, though, these symptoms can persist beyond the initial few days. They continue to experience some combination of:
- Intense sugar cravings (that are often unrelieved by eating carbohydrates)
- Energy dips or crashes — especially after meals, or in the late afternoon
- Lightheaded, dizzy, jittery or shaky
- Anxious or agitated
- Brain fog and difficulty concentrating
- Extreme hunger (i.e. feel like you’re going to die of you don’t eat)
- Spaced out
It’s not hard to understand why you might give up on Paleo if you continue to have these symptoms for more than a few days. They’re incredibly disruptive and they make it hard to function normally. Fortunately, they’re usually not difficult to address once you understand what’s causing them. In my work with patients I’ve discovered that the three primary causes of these symptoms are:
- Sluggish fat burning.
- Blood sugar imbalances.
- Micronutrient deficiencies.
Let’s look at each of these in more detail.
Energy dips and sugar cravings are the enemies of a successful Paleo transition. Learn why they happen — and how to stop them.
Sluggish fat burning
Our bodies are capable of producing energy from both fat and carbohydrates. If you’ve been eating a diet high in carbohydrates and lower in fat, and you abruptly switch over to a lower carb, higher fat diet, there’s usually a transition period where your body has to switch from primarily burning carbs for energy to primarily burning fats. During this transition period it’s not uncommon to experience intense sugar cravings and dips or even crashes in energy, because your body is not yet getting the cellular fuel it needs.
For the lucky ones, this adaptation only takes a few days. For others, it takes longer and may not happen completely without additional support. The process of turning dietary fat into usable energy requires several nutrients; carnitine and riboflavin (B2) are especially important. Carnitine is a derivative of the amino acids lysine and methionine. It plays a key role in transporting fatty acids into the mitochondria — the “power plant” of the cell — during the conversion of fat to energy. When carnitine reserves are low or enzyme availability is impaired, fatty acids won’t be efficiently shuttled into the mitochondria and energy production will drop.
Though carnitine can be synthesized from the essential amino acid L-lysine, digestive impairment, genetic polymorphisms and a diet low in animal protein or legumes (the primary sources of lysine) can lead to a functional carnitine deficiency. For example, low stomach acid could potentially lead to deficiencies in L-lysine even if you’re eating adequate protein in your diet.
Riboflavin is another key nutrient in the process of converting fat to energy. Once inside the mitochondria, fatty acids can’t be “burned” for fuel without riboflavin coenzymes. Riboflavin is found in many foods, including asparagus, bananas, green beans, persimmons, okra, chard, dairy products, meat, eggs and fish. While deficiency due to inadequate dietary intake is rare, other conditions such as intestinal inflammation or dysbiosis can reduce the body’s ability to absorb riboflavin and lead to sub-optimal levels. Other signs of riboflavin deficiency include cracked and red lips, inflammation of the lining of mouth and tongue, mouth ulcers and cracks at the corners of the mouth, though these aren’t necessarily present in all cases.
Blood sugar imbalances
The spectrum of blood sugar imbalances includes hyperglycemia (high blood sugar), hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) and reactive hypoglycemia (a combination of both high and low blood sugar). Each of these conditions is associated with fatigue, irregular energy and sugar cravings, along with numerous other symptoms. Glucose is used in all cells for energy production, so any difficulty in delivering glucose into the cells will quite literally affect every system of the body. This is especially true for the brain, which has a higher need for glucose than other body tissues. (Ketones can substitute for glucose as brain fuel if they are being produced in adequate amounts.)
The regulation of blood sugar is a complex and controversial topic. I’ve written about it extensively elsewhere, but in a nutshell the process of developing a blood sugar imbalance happens like this:
Modern diet and lifestyle + genetic predisposition > inflammation and oxidative damage > leptin resistance > insulin resistance and impaired glucose tolerance
Blood sugar problems can also be caused by low cortisol (a.k.a. “adrenal fatigue”) or disruptions of the cortisol/melatonin circadian rhythm, micronutrient deficiencies (which I’ll cover next), poor thyroid function and stress.
Micronutrient deficiencies
In addition to carnitine and riboflavin, which are two of the most important nutrients for fat burning, there are several micronutrients essential to energy production and blood sugar regulation. These include chromium, magnesium, biotin, choline and CoQ10.
Chromium
Chromium is an essential mineral that enhances the role of insulin and helps transport glucose into cells. Deficiency due to dietary intake is rare, but diets high in simple and refined sugars deplete body chromium stores, and even mild deficiencies of chromium can interfere with blood sugar regulation and cause fatigue, anxiety and sugar cravings. (1) Infection, intense exercise, pregnancy and lactation, and chronic stress can also reduce chromium levels, especially if they were already low to begin with. (2) This may explain why an estimated 20-25% of Americans are deficient in chromium, despite adequate dietary intake.
Magnesium
Magnesium in another mineral that plays a crucial role in blood sugar regulation. It is used by the body’s enzymes to process glucose efficiently, and it has been shown to decrease inflammation, which is one of the primary drivers of insulin resistance. A 2010 study showed that people who took in the highest amounts of magnesium were half as likely to develop diabetes 20 years later than people who took in lower amounts. (3)
Studies show that most Americans are deficient in magnesium. The median intake across all racial groups is far below the RDA, which is 420 mg/d for men and 320-400 mg/d for women. Although half of Americans take a multivitamin daily, most don’t contain enough magnesium to prevent deficiency.
Magnesium is also difficult to obtain from food. Nuts, seeds and dark chocolate are among the highest sources, but they’re also high in phytate, which inhibits the absorption of magnesium. Another issue is that magnesium levels in food have dropped as modern soils have become increasingly depleted. This means is that if you’re not supplementing with magnesium, you’re probably not getting enough. (Even if you are supplementing, you still might be deficient if you’re not taking a chelated form like magnesium glycinate. I can’t tell you how many patients I’ve seen that are magnesium deficient in spite of supplementing for years with magnesium oxide or citrate.)
Biotin
Biotin is a water-soluble vitamin often referred to as vitamin B7 or vitamin H. It’s a coenzyme involved in energy production, and it helps with the metabolism of fats and carbohydrates into glucose. Specifically, biotin is a co-factor for fatty acid synthesis and may increase utilization of glucose for fat synthesis. Studies have shown that biotin levels are inversely correlated with blood sugar levels; in other words, those with higher biotin stores tend to have lower blood sugar, and vice versa. In one human study, biotin levels were significantly lower in 43 patients with type 2 diabetes than controls, and one month of biotin supplementation decreased fasting blood sugar levels by 45%. (4)
Biotin is found in meat, fish, egg yolks, milk, poultry and some legumes and grains. It’s also produced by gut bacteria in amounts approximately 2-5x higher than what is generally obtained from the diet. As is the case with chromium an riboflavin, deficiency of biotin due to inadequate dietary intake is not common. However, anything with a negative effect on the gut flora (such as antibiotics, birth control pills, gut infections, inflammation, SIBO, stress, etc.) could potentially decrease biotin production and lead to deficiency.
CoQ10
CoQ10 is a fat-soluble antioxidant “vitamin-like” substance that is present in the mitochondria of all cells. It plays a major role in generating cellular energy in the form of ATP. 95% of the body’s usable energy is produced in this way, so even a mild deficiency of CoQ10 can have a significant impact on energy and cellular function.
CoQ10 deficiency can be caused by low dietary intake (CoQ10 is highest in red meat and liver and some fish), oxidative damage and insufficient levels of B vitamins, vitamin C and selenium.
How to prevent energy dips and cravings
Improve your fat burning capacity
The Metametrix Organic Acids Basic profile has some good markers (adipate, suberate and ethylmalonate) for detecting impaired fatty acid oxidation. If any of these are elevated, it’s likely that carnitine and/or riboflavin levels are not sufficient. That said, in most cases this test is not necessary. One benchmark I use for deciding if I should order a test or not is whether the results will affect how I treat. If the treatment would be the same regardless of the test result, it’s cheaper and easier to simply go ahead with the treatment. If I suspect someone has problems metabolizing fat, I usually skip this test and go straight to the following interventions:
- Improve your absorption of amino acids. Your body uses lysine and methionine to produce carnitine, which is essential for metabolizing fat. Replace stomach acid and enzymes if they’re low, and address any other digestive issues that may be present.
- Boost your fat-burning nutrients. Consider supplementing with L-carnitine, riboflavin and magnesium to enhance fatty acid metabolism. In most cases this need only be done for a short period, ranging from 3-9 months depending on the person.
Regulate your blood sugar and restore micronutrients required for energy production
This is, of course, a huge topic that I can’t possibly cover in adequate detail in this short post. However, I can give you some basic pointers I’ve found to be helpful with most of my patients.
- If you have high blood sugar: you’ll probably benefit from a lower-carbohydrate approach, perhaps limiting carb consumption to less than 75 grams per day. There’s no hard and fast rule here; some do better with more, and others do better with less. The best way to figure out where you are on the spectrum is to experiment. In addition to reducing carbohydrate intake, additional steps such as intermittent fasting and eliminating snacks may be helpful.
- If you have low blood sugar: you may benefit from eating more frequently (every 2-3 hours), eating a high protein breakfast within 30 minutes of waking up, eating a snack with protein and fat just before bed, and possibly even eating a small snack if you wake up in the middle of the night.
Managing your stress is crucial with blood sugar abnormalities, because as I mentioned above, adrenal and brain dysfunction are often involved.
Several micronutrients can be helpful in restoring insulin sensitivity and glucose tolerance and improving energy production, including biotin, vanadium, alpha lipoic acid, chromium, magnesium and manganese. Some of these can be obtained through the diet. Biotin can be increased by eating prebiotic foods (such as onions, leeks, jerusalem artichokes that increase the production of intestinal bacteria; however, people with digestive issues are often intolerant of these foods in the FODMAP family, so be careful. Nuts and seeds are good sources of magnesium, but only if they’re soaked and dehydrated or roasted at low temperature to inactivate the phytate they contain before consuming them.
Along the same lines, since blood sugar issues are often at least in part caused by inflammation and oxidative damage, nutrients like green tea extract (ECGC), CoQ10 and glutathione precursors such as alpha lipoic acid, glycine, NAC can also be helpful. CoQ10 can be obtained from red meat and liver, and glutathione levels can be increased by eating raw fruits and vegetables (again, be careful if you have digestive issues) or by consuming raw dairy products.
Because many of these nutrients are somewhat difficult to obtain even in the context of a healthy diet, I often recommend supplementing with a blend of them until your blood sugar normalizes and your fat and carbohydrate burning become optimally efficient.
Putting it all together
Energy dips and sugar cravings are probably the most common reason that people fall off the wagon with Paleo. Digestive problems are no fun, but most people are willing to put up with them for a while during the transition. But if you can’t think straight, you feel shaky and jittery all the time, you have insomnia and you are so tired at 3pm that you can hardly keep your eyes open, it’s going to be pretty hard to stick with a Paleo diet — no matter how much you believe in it or want it to work.
As a clinician that specializes in working with people experiencing these kinds of issues, the most important thing for me is to help them get through that difficult transition period. Solving these problems with dietary changes alone is always the goal, but in my experience people often need additional support. This is where targeted, therapeutic supplementation comes in. The supplements can be like a raft that gets you from one side of the river (“struggling with Paleo”) to the other side of the river (“thriving with Paleo”). Once you’re on the other side, you don’t need the raft anymore.
In the last article I expressed my frustration with many of the existing digestive supplements out there. My solution was to create one myself. Well, I did the same thing for energy dips and sugar cravings. There are a lot of products out there that address parts of the problem, but I couldn’t find a product that provided the full spectrum of nutrients required for both fat and carbohydrate metabolism, blood sugar regulation, improved insulin sensitivity and glucose tolerance, and optimal mitochondrial energy production. So Robb Wolf and I put our heads together to create one as part of the new line of supplements we’re launching next week. You can learn more about it here.
In the next article we’ll cover the third challenge that can get in the way of a smooth transition to Paleo: impaired detox capacity.
Now I’d like to hear from you. Did you experience energy dips and sugar cravings when you first switched to Paleo? Do you still experience them now? What did you find helpful in dealing with them?
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{ 77 comments… read them below or add one }
Hi Chris,
Thanks for this article, it’s very timely. I have a question about your supplements. I looked at the ingredients and am wondering why you are using the dulse and kelp in them when so many people have Hashimoto’s and the iodine from this could flare them up.
Thanks,
marleen
Please read this link for an answer to that question: http://paleologix.com/support/#/questions/38192-I-have-a-hypothyroid-condition-Is-it-safe-to-take-these-supplements
This is great, and we trust you – but could you explain a bit how you go about actually manufacturing your supplements? Do you track where all the ingredients cone from, etc?
Cheers!
They’re manufactured by Alcrea/Douglass Labs, which goes beyond GMP standards and is one of the most reputable manufacturers in the industry.
When I was younger, I would raid the fridge several times a night and eat whatever I could, whether it was pizza, rice, chicken, pastries, anything (except fruits or vegetables, of course). This continued for years before I went paleo. However, since going paleo in March 2012, I only crave sugar. I literally don’t want anything at the moment but a sugary pastry. I used to wash it down with milk, but somehow I lost the taste for milk months ago. Sadly, this is the only part of paleo that I’ve struggled with. Many nights I either give in to the craving 2-3 times a night and wake up sluggish and discouraged, or toss and turn, only getting 3-5 hours of sleep. I’ve tried eating a lot during the day, eating a huge carb heavy meal before bed, a huge low carb meal before bed, not eating before bed, low carb days, high carb days, Natural Calm, a zinc magnesium calcium supplement from Trader Joe’s(Mg oxide, not the most bioavailable), and it never works for more than 2 weeks. I’m pretty convinced it’s a hormonal issue, I have enough will power during the day to never even need a cheat meal. I just want to sleep, but I can’t without a pastry or sugary snack. Last night I tried Magnesium Glycinate, Zinc picolinate, and B-6 with 3 mg of melatonin and woke up 4 and a half hours later, then fell asleep. If this is relevant, I’m 25 years old, 220lb, and I work in the stock room at a 24 hour store in NYC 5 days a week from 4p-1a. I know this is a lot but I just need help. Any insight or suggestions would be greatly appreciated. (P.S. I don’t live alone, and I don’t buy these things myself, so eliminating then isn’t an option._
Hi Alexander,
Sounds like you have problems with Candida yeast in your bowel. This can lead to intense cravings for carbohydrates and sugar that don’t abate.
You would need to address getting it our of you system.
I know this was a bit ago, so you may or may not see it, but if you can manage your schedule enough to provide adequate time, there’s good reason to think that two chunks of sleep are more natural than one alone. The best thing to do when you’re awake halfway through is not-panic, do something with very low, candle-spectrum light, if necessary to keep you from stressing about it until you get sleepy again. There’s good reason to think this was when our great-grands were conceived, if you’ve got the means for that instead.
I am Day 3 of eating Paleo. I have no motivation at all. It doesn’t help that I only had 5 hours of sleep. I took my supplements this morning and they are making me feel weird. I’m just not having a good day. I did break down and eat a piece of super dark chocolate. I’m hoping my energy kicks in. Reading your articles have really helped me to understand what is happening to my body. I understand that it’s temporary and i plan to keep it up.
I do experience energy dips intermittently and was very intrigued this article. Lots of info to digest.
Question: what’s an accept temperature to roast nuts after soaking?
105 if you have a dehydrator. If not, the lowest temperature your oven will go, which is usually 150 or 170 F.
Chris do u know what causes the skin condition (Ichthyosis Vulgaris) had this all my life please help
Hi Chris. Thank you for all of your hard work and assistance in the Paleosphere. I always appreciate your thorough take. You mention reactive hypoglycemia above but in the blood sugar regulation recommendations, you discuss low and high but not this vacillating condition. I’m curious which approach you think would be better to manage the reactive situation.
Hi Hillary, with reactive hypo it can go either way. The key is to experiment and find what works best for you.
Thank you for taking the time to answer my question. I kinda figured that was the case.
Keep on, tinkering on.
Hi Chris. What would you say is the optimal range for magnesium? I recently had blood work done, and my magnesium was tested and came back in the “normal” range, albeit on the low end (though I do supplement with a supposedly very well absorbed magnesium supplement from Jigsaw Health). I don’t know that I trust the standards that my results were measured against.
Serum magnesium testing is notoriously unreliable. RBC or intracellular magnesium are better, but expensive and in the case of intracellular magnesium, only offered by one lab that I know of. Statistics show that more than half of Americans are magnesium deficiency, so if you suspect you are I’d try supplementing with a chelated form like glycinate. This is why we included it in the Paleologix line.
Thanks for your response. What do you think about supplementing magnesium transdermally with a “magnesium oil”? Such as – http://www.ancient-minerals.com/products/magnesium-oil/
Hi Beth! I use transdermal magnesium because I have digestive issues, and don’t absorb supplements very well. It seems to work pretty well, because if I ever get muscle cramps at night in my calves (a sign of possible magnesium or other electrolyte deficiency), using the transdermal magnesium helps a lot. I’ve read that magnesium is in general poorly absorbed through the gut, so getting it through the skin is better.
Also, I’ve wondered where ‘grok’ would’ve gotten his magnesium from. Since it tends to be bound to phytates in foods, paleolithic people wouldn’t have gotten a lot from their food, would they? I feel like I read somewhere that soaking in hot springs or the ocean could’ve supplied some…I’m not sure though. Anyone have any insight?
Grok might have gotten magnesium from the water.
Thanks Nick, that’s what I was thinking too. Beth, good luck with the transdermal magnesium! (and the leaky gut) Also, I love that I can just throw ‘grok’ around and people actually know what I’m talking about (:
Thanks so much for the response! I have leaky gut, so I’m right there with you with not absorbing nutrients very well. I will give the transdermal magnesium a shot!
Interesting perspective about how Grok might’ve gotten his magnesium! I never thought about it that way.
Chris,
Regarding the PaleoLogix supplements you created, we would be interested in hearing more about the other ingredients listed, what they are, their purpose, and are they safe. The bottle lists hydroxypropyl methylcellulose, cellulose, vegetable stearate, and silica.
The reason I am asking is that I know of a doctor that claims magnesium stearate can harm the intestines, and I am not sure if magnesium stearate is related to the vegetable stearate your product has.
David,
See this reply I wrote to someone else who asked about this:
First, our flow agent is primarily cellulose, not magnesium or vegetable stearate. Why does the label say “vegetable stearate”? It’s a legal issue: there may be a microscopic amount of vegetable stearate remaining on the encapsulation machines from products from other companies that may find their way into our flow agent. In reality the level of stearates present is probably undetectable.
Second, I used to think stearates were a problem, until I read the research. There are a lot of misconceptions and inaccurate statements about them floating around the internet, but when you look at the science it becomes clear that they are not an issue for the vast majority of people – especially considering the tiny amounts that supplements contain. I’d recommend reading this summary of the science and this blog article. You’d have to take 43,000 500 mg capsules or 21,500 1,000 mg capsules to exceed the safety threshold of magnesium stearate. And since our supplements don’t intentionally contain any stearate at all, the safe range of capsules would be even higher. In short, there is no known risk of consuming magnesium stearate in very small quantities in supplements and medicines – and that’s even more true with our products.
Had we used a facility that can legally claim no stearates at all, the prices of the products would have gone up significantly. We couldn’t justify that decision in light of what the evidence really says about magnesium stearate.
Ok Thanks
What do you think of this – http://suppversity.blogspot.dk/search?q=chromium (with regards to your chromium recommendation)?
Concerning the bromelain in AdaptaGest, what is the potency; expressed in GDU per gram?
Thanks
I have been on the paleo diet since this past August and have done really well with it. So many lingering issues cleared up (including life long seasonal allergies and blood sugar issues). I have noticed that in the past 2 months I have been craving sugar (it’s not the intense energy highs/lows that you describe above, just a hankering for dark chocolate) and have been giving in eating a couple of squares a day (about 15 grams of sugar). It kinda crept up on me and because I have lost so much weight and feel so good, I have been able to rationalize it, but clearly it is a message that something is out of balance. I just started on a liquid/mineral vitamin supplement and will play with the addition of some amino acids. When will your supplement line be available to the public? It would be nice to take just one supplement rather than trying to piece meal a couple together. Thanks for all the great info!
I never had any trouble with sugar cravings when I changed the way I ate. Pehaps a little but really not that much. I already ate a pretty healthy diet. All organic. But occasionally I ate brown rice or quinoa and some fruit. Minimal breads and potatoes but occasionally. I happened upon eating this way when I found myself so sleep after eating that it was like I was drugged and I could not stay awake. So I got out my blood sugar monitor ( I used to have low blood sugar) and discovered my BS was in the 300-400 range. Shocked, I started testing my BS before I ate and after I ate eating only one item at a time. I ditched anything that raised my blood sugar over 25 points. Even my fasting levels were around 150. So that ended up being all grains, rice, potatoes, quinoa and any form of sugar including fruits. I followed this for about 1 1/2 to 2 years. Then I added a few small amounts of berries back to my diet. I probably only eat maybe 20 grams of carbs per day.
It only took a few weeks for my BS levels to get down to a more normal level (around 120 fasting) However now my BS levels are excellent 70′s – 80′s and I feel great. I felt better immediately when I eliminated the above items. And I had struggled with health problems and weight problems all of my life. If wish I had known back then what I know now! I am the healthiest that I have ever been and my weight is normalizing. I’ve lost about 30 or so pounds and am still slowly losing weight. I am anxious to see what weight my body decides to settle in at as normal for me. I’ve never known what that is.
If you are struggling with sugar/carb cravings I am willing to bet that you have an overgrowth of candida and/or a leaky gut. That needs to be addressed to eliminate the carb/sugar cravings. Eat lots of health fats and bone broth. Take a good quality probiotic and herbal candida/yeast fighter formulas. It can take a long time to get the flora back in balance and heal the gut. But don’t give up!
I eat grass fed meats from a meat CSA, pretty much all vegetables except potatoes, sweet potatoes and yams. And limit the higher carb veggies. I eat plenty of healthy fats like avocado, coconut oil, orgnaic nut butters (avoid peanuts, peanut butter and pistachios due to fungal contamination) but limit cashews. Nuts and seeds. I am never hungry, have lot’s of energy and feel great. And I’m not a youngster. I will be 60 in June.
Good luck to you all and I hope this helps. Don’t give up. You will be glad that you didn’t.
I haven’t had the cravings on paleo but I’ve had an insatiable appetite. I’m 6’2″ 185lbs and can easily put down 10oz of meat and a pound of veggies before feeling satiated. If I didn’t count my calories I’d probably easily consume 3,000-4,000 per day. My daily calories have been between 1800-2400 and my weight has been pretty stable even though I’m trying to cut it down a bit. Could there be a chance that I’m still undereating? Could my low stomach acid (I’m guessing its low since I’ve consistently failed the baking soda test multiple times) also play into this insatiable appetite? I was gluten free vegetarian before I went paleo 1.5 years ago which probably didn’t help.
What about starch? You didn’t mention that. Sweet potatoes, potatoes, plantains, taro, yuca, and even white rice can be really helpful with this.
Daily. Almost every meal
I sat down once and ate nearly 2lbs of potatoes to test this satiation issue and was good to eat more
Have you tried adding Fats?
I did. Didn’t work. Grassfed butter, coconut oil, olive oil, avocado. A friend of mine had me over for dinner last year. I ate three large porkchops and cauliflower baked with grassfed butter and pieces of bacon. I also ate breakfast and lunch that day.
Might be your nature, re-awakened? I’ve personally had a gargantuan appetite my whole life, whether it was a carbaholic regime of pasta, cereal and breads during my teens ( I ate fish, chicken and some meat too and tons of veggies), or the more “Paleo-esque” diet I now eat as a result of my gut dysbiosis (Can’t imagine how I got it!): Meat, veggies, fish, some fruit, tubers. I eat between 4,000 to 6,000 calories a day. I’ve got health concerns of my own and have a lot of mysteries that need solving myself so I am certainly not placing myself up as some kind of example to strive for, but just thought I’d introduce the possibility that for some a large appetite may be perfectly healthy and normal. Just a thought.
Cheers!
a
Suggestion: check thyroid for hyperthyroidism. I had it when I was 15 (45 years ago) I remember eating a lot and one hour later I was famished. Now it is easy to fix.
I have no other symptoms of hyperthyroidism other than I have the appetite of a football team. If I don’t keep things in check I would definitely gain weight based off of my metabolism.
Did you diet down to get to 185? What’s your body fat percentage? It could simply be your too far below your “settling point” or w/e you want to call it and you body is fighting back. Leptin is low thus you get the insatiable appetite to restore body fat.
If that is the case there’s no solution really other than keep doing what your doing, perhaps incorporate heavy strength training if you haven’t already and do mini-refeeds on workout days. High carb, moderate protein and low fat. Supposed to bump up leptin levels temporarily. Also try IF, have a small eating window so you can cram all your calories in 1-2 meals. Could help you actually feel full.
Are you eating enough fat? I’ve been Paleo for a few years, and now I’m very well trained to what my body is hungry for; if I just have meat and veggies without extra butter or other fat, I will still be hungry even after eating a ton, and it just doesn’t feel right.
I’m not sure about the stomach acid thing…when I had low stomach acid, eating meat or anything ‘heavy’ would make me feel a little sick to my stomach. Definitely not hungry. Everyone’s different, though! You could always try taking some HCl with your meal and see if it makes a difference in your hunger!
Hi,
Please tell me what the baking soda test is. I’ve often wondered if I have low stomach acid. I have a lot of bloating, gas and swelling in my hands. These symptoms have been much reduced since avoiding bread, grains, and almost all beans and legumes, except soy milk in my tea and coffee, but some GI problems persist.
My naturopath has a test to determine stomach acid levels, but it involves putting a string down my throat and leaving it there for some minutes. The thought of it makes me very anxious!
I’ve used random digestive enzymes from the health food store, but I never noticed they helped.
Thanks, Sienna
Hi! Great article! I was wondering, can you fix micronutrient deficiencies by changing the foods we eat? Or must we take a vitamin supplement? Thanks!
In most cases, they can be fixed with diet. Certain nutrients, however, are difficult to obtain in adequate amounts, even in the context of a healthy diet. I’ve written about them here: http://chriskresser.com/9-steps-to-perfect-health-4-supplement-wisely.
Also, when someone is dealing with significant symptoms, it’s often faster and more effective to supplement for a temporary period with the nutrients required, until the underlying causes can be addressed and the nutrients are restored to balance. This is what I refer to as “therapeutic supplementation”.
Hi Chris
Thanks for this timely article. I have been supplementing with magnesium for a couple of years (lately combining / alternating with malate, citrate and oxide, to cover all bases, got the idea from an article from Poliquin). For me it worked very well :I had some ostepenia and it practically dissapeared (not supplementing with calcium, but I have homemade yogurt almost daily).
I will switch to the glycinate. For the record: male, 60 years old, 3 years eating primal, 6′, 185 lbs in very good shape
Hi Chris,
I supplement Mag with a lotion made from Ancient Minerals. Have you heard of them and could you comment ?
I was a sugar addict for most of my teens, twenties and thirties. It took me years to figure this problem out and paleo-principles were certainly very helpful, although some accounts of it led me down some real blind alleys. I have only in the past few months settled on what really works for me. Basically now it seems if I don’t eat any sugar, I don’t crave it. Though I do eat a tonne of berries most days, I avoid really sweet fruits.
It does take a while to get free from sugar cravings. There is a sugar addiction hypothesis which might be worth considering, ie. dopamine triggered response mechanism in blood sugar spiking. I tried Kathleen DesMaison’s potato before bed cure and it seemed pretty effective in that initial sugar-craving meltdown phase, or when the problem would rear up again at stressful times.
Before that I tried going cold turkey and eating a very low carbohydrate diet and I felt rubbish, got acne, put on weight, and generally felt highly acidic. I persisted with it for a few months thinking maybe I would adjust, then went back to eating carbs in the form of tubers and other cooked vegetables, berries, coconuts, activated nuts, occasional sprouted grains, and copious kale salads and got immediately healthier. I now eat quite a lot of carbohydryte in these forms compared to most paleo eaters, along with an egg or two every day, a lot of fish, occasional red meat, some raw fermented dairy and I am finding this is pretty much the perfect diet for me. I have plenty of energy, no brain fog, no dips in energy levels, can maintain high level physical activity and I have no sugar crazings whatsoever.
The protein breakfast thing is also really helpful for breaking the craving cycle. I don’t find I need it at the moment though and lately (its summer here in Aus) I have been eating kale, celery, avocado , mint, lime, flax oil and walnut salad for breakfast and it keeps my energy steady for hours (and tastes AMAZING!).
I found that sugar addiction really muddled my instincts about what kind of food my body needed. And so does gluten. Without these things in my diet I just seem to desire the good stuff, and it is all a LOT easier!
I do think it is worth taking dietary transitions slowly, just changing one thing to begin with and building up from there. It is about building up will-power from successes, as well as bioadaptation. That is especially important with sugar because it is so heavily related to emotional eating and erosion of will-power.
When I reduced veggies and fruits to the minimum and added sweet potatoes, my gut started to feel much better. I did this after reading a beautiful article from Chris Kresser “Got digestive problems? Take it easy on the veggies”
http://chriskresser.com/got-digestive-problems-take-it-easy-on-the-veggies
Same here, although I can’t do the sweet potatoes. The only time I have no bloating is if I eat nothing but meat and fat. Bacon and pulled pork seem to agree with me the best, which is handy because they’re delicious (: I miss veggies, so I eat them sometimes (steamed until mush), but I can’t even tolerate super-soft, low-FODMAP veggies without bloating and gas ):
I hope the pork is from pigs that don’t come from a factory farm. The poor guys!
Hello. When I first started Paleo, I had energy crashes that scared me. My doctor gave me a glucose monitor to make sure I wasn’t becoming diabetic. It actually took about 6 weeks for me to start feeling normal after eating. Since all of that has passed, I now have almost boundless energy and no more brain fog. I just received my supplement order so I look forward to feeling even better! My whole outlook has changed. I will be a devotee forever.
Yeah, eveyone is different! Hurrah for difference
So while other people’s experience and advice can be a guide, the only way to know what food suits your body best is to try and see for yourself. And be prepared for it to keep changing and to keep adjusting for what works now. I think sometimes we get muddled because it seems that really healthful things are giving us problems and it doesn’t make any sense. But often after a break from such things they can be reintroduced when gut biota balance is restored. Then when we find a good balance we can get stuck on it because it worked so well for a while.
I cannot enough recommend home-made raw-milk keffir for intestinal health….
I used to think I was pathological changing my diet every couple of months and then I realised it actually just is a changing body and life and with changing needs. Sometimes I am home a lot and have no stress, sometimes I am running around like crazy and tearing my hair out. Sometimes things sneak in and unbalance things and I have to go back to some old regime to restore balance.
So courage to all the brave souls battling against the sugar monster! Never has industrial food produced a more evil foe to our alivenes….
Chris, did you mean to say AMINO chelated? Magnesium citrate is also chelated (citric acid). Incidentally, this is the one I’ve been taking for a year now…I for one should have paid attention to the fact that the recommended type is the “amino chelated”
Or maybe I’m just confusing the terminology…anyway, in the label it reads “chelated magnesium citrate”. I’ll find another one.
I have been on a paleo diet with no eggs or nightshades (as per Personal Paleo Code) for 9 days now and am doing fine; feeling good; except I just have this unsatisfied feeling all afternoon and evening that I can’t get rid of eating meat or vegetables. I am limiting nuts to one handful a day and fruit to 2 (sometimes 3) servings a day, but I just feel like I need something more! Is this a natural phase I am going through? Will it pass?
Hi Chris,
Apart from the type of magnesium (glycinate vs citrate) is the form also important? (capsules vs tablets vs powder vs liquid)?
Hi Chris, Great article.
I’ve been Paleo for over a year. While I”ve lost 2″ from my hips and waist, I still have a layer of fat around my middle and my weight doesn’t budge…I know it’s suggested not to use a scale, but I do occasionally and think I could stand to lose 15-20# (also based on how my body looks to me). I’ve always had slow metabolism, have been hypothyroid for many years (I’m almost 60). Much of what your article says rings true for me….low stomach acid, low blood sugar, slow metabolism.
I eat pretty strict Paleo so I wonder about supplements (I’ve ordered yours and Robb’s supplement package, about to arrive) but further, I wonder if I should be eating differently. I get confused….more fat? less fat? more meat? more protein? I don’t stuff myself and generally eat 3 paleo meals w/ no snacks and almsot no sugar (cravings come and go). I could go on and on. Thanks again for all the great work you do. I live in Richmond and work in El Cerrito, so hope to meet you one day (I’m a massage therapist and teach Pilates). Best, J
Is there still an article about detoxification coming out? Since I have a MTHFR mutation and am getting SNPs tested as well.
Yes, tomorrow.
Dear Chris,
For a smoother transition to become a fat burner, does it help to use coconut oil?
As it is known for its ketosis effects
Love to hear your take on this,
Petra
The MCTs in coconut oil are processed differently than other fats, which is why it’s often easier to digest than other fats. MCTs are ketogenic, but they won’t necessarily improve the metabolism of other fats.
Hi,
What about red palm oil? Should we all be running out and buying that now? I saw it on…guess where..yes, Dr. Oz. I can’t even find it here in Vancouver, BC, but am planning a trip to Bellingham soon, so I can get some. But is it really what it’s all cracked up to be?
Hello everyone,
I agree with Nancy’s recommendations.
I started living Paleo a year ago after not having been able to recover from a work burn-out even after ‘resting’ for six months. The first three days of wheat ‘withdrawal’ were very difficult, not because I had cravings but because I was feeling dizzy and exhausted. As I was not working at that time, I was able to just stay in bed most day and rest. After those first three days the fog in my head lifted, the almost daily migraines I had suffered from over a year were gone and I knew this was the way to go. It took about two weeks to get energy levels up and if I ‘cheat’ with a small piece of cake or bread due to ‘social obligations’ I pay for it with brain fog and headaches over the next few days. I knew then what I know now: I will never go back to eating grains or processed foods. Yuck! Having been raised by a nutritionist, I had always been careful about food quality, and cooked most of my meals from scratch. However, grains and sweets had been playing an important role and were the biggest change.
While I have lost about 20 pounds of weight with Paleo and become stronger, fitter and more pain free (except muscle soreness the day after I work out with EPLF), my weight has not budged for three months. I feel quite relaxed about it because I feel and look so much better and would only want/need to loose another 15-20 pounds to be in the BMI ideal lower range. I travel a lot (every two weeks) by plane, from the Middle East to Europe and from the Middle East to Asia and I know that limits the ability to give my body enough rest while exposing it to different stressors. It is also not that easy (but also not impossible) to eat super clean while traveling and I usually just pack a snack, fast and then make it up with extra good local nourishment upon arrival. A month ago I tried to get more consciously into ketosis. Normally, according to my inputs on FitDay, I get about 80-120g of carbs a day, from veggies in all colours of the rainbow, cooked and raw. Tried to reduce my carbs to under 60g, but nothing indicated on the ketostixs. Reduced it to 40g and seriously increased fat intake and lowered protein and one morning (and only one morning) it showed ketones being excreted. I was however feeling as crushed as before Paleo and not happy about it. Weight had also not budged for more than 2 pounds in 10 days and so I ‘gave up’ and merrily had a lovely sweet potato with ghee; bliss! Life slowly came back to me.
I had measured my blood glucose before, during and after going low-carb a few times per day and it always however in the 84-120 range. 84 in the morning and 120 about an hour after I had eaten. I measured because I thought I had a blood sugar problem as I sometimes do feel dizzy or light headed, but the measurements did not seem to indicated the dizziness having anything to do with the blood sugar levels. Does that mean I do NOT have a blood sugar problem? What does that mean for weight loss tips?
My guess is I should just keep on eating, resting and exercising smart (overtraining is NOT an issue for me as I am quite hard to motivate to do more than going for walks and lifting, some yoga. I joined EPLF and it kind of works for me) and when my body is ready, it might let go of the rest the fat.
Any thoughts?
By the way, I am super excited about yours and Robb’s supplements and hope they can make their way to me soon. I find it difficult to source the recommended vitamins and supplements overseas.
Chris will we be able to purchase your supplements online and get delivery to New Zealand?
Hi Susie: please sign up here to be notified when international shipping becomes available. Thanks!
Hi Chris,
What would say to someone who has been Paleo for almost a year now and has gained significant weight…not muscle (15lbs to be exact). Where do I look now for answers. Been off the pill for a year now as well. Weight didn’t come on until about 6 mos into Paleo diet. Bad acne also, which I’ve NEVER had before. I had a SpectraCell test done…deficient in Biotin and Folate…low on carnitine. I have spent thousands on doctors and supplements (quality stuff from naturopaths recommendations)…now in debt and losing my mind over this! New naturopath says possible mold/metal toxicity…I just don’t know where to put my money. I look pregnant from the weight gain and the acne is sickening…I was thinking it’s all hormones but don’t know which test to get. Doc wants the Genova test but it’s another $700 out of pocket. Your help guiding me in the next step is appreciated. Thanks!
Hard to say in this situation whether the weight gain is related to the Paleo diet or not. Since it didn’t start until 6 months in, I’m inclined to suspect it’s a separate issue. If you have significant bloating in the lower abdominal area, and acne, I’d be suspicious of a gut issue.
Hi Chris,
I think you do a great column. I am a big believer in the Paleo way of eating (have been doing it for nearly a year). The one thing I would quibble with is something I see too often in columns such as yours. The advice to supplement for “low stomach acid”. I have seen this time and again (not just by you), and while many people may be fine with it, there are going to be a number of people harmed by doing so.
I am a case in point. I have had H Pylori bacteria in my gut for years, unable through multiple antibiotic treatments to get rid of it. It was only discovered when I was in the hospital with 3 bleeding ulcers. I was put on acid blocker therapy for years and the ulcers cleared up and I went on my merry way. Until a Naturopath told me (incorrectly) that H Pylori thrived in low stomach acid and that I should INCREASE my stomach acid to solve a range of issues (such as you noted above). I was happily going along for 6 months until I went in for my yearly GI scope only to find I had 2 new ulcers. My GI Dr told me that the info I was told was incorrect; H Pylori thrives in HIGH acid environments, thus wreaking havoc to the gut and helping to form ulcers such as the ones I needlessly have from going off my acid blocker therapy.
Since it is estimated that 50% of the world’s population is infected with H Pylori, I think at the very least, a strong word of caution is needed whenever advising people to step up their stomach acid production. As with anything in the body, there are always upsides and downsides to playing with the delicate balance of the gut.
H. pylori infection precedes, and thus likely causes, hypochlorhydria (low stomach acid).
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18381965
http://jcp.bmj.com/content/early/2012/12/24/jclinpath-2012-201243.abstract
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/1494326
This study suggests that the hypochlorhydria caused by H. pylori may not be reversible in some cases:
http://goo.gl/UDkBO
H. pylori may cause increased stomach acid production in a small subset of patients, but I don’t see this often.
http://gastrointestinalphysiology.wordpress.com/2012/12/14/does-h-pylori-infection-result-in-hyperchlorhydria-or-hypochlorhydria/
i think Chris meant the mistake is mag oxide, see no prob with mag citrate
Getting out of bed is the hardest part, as is going to bed at night. True, it has always been this way, which has led to a nasty caffeine dependence. Do you, Chris, or anyone reading has any supplement recommendation to help me to overcome this bad habit?
I am 3 days in. I have been listening to the Paleo Solution Podcasts, as I just discovered this “community” over the last month. I did a lot of reading over the holidays. Like many others I have been on the lifes mission of finding a better quality of life. Over the years I had realized that I was a grain (carb)/sugar addict. I can eat cereal and bread like my life depends on it. But I also recognized that I would crash after over eating. Up until I was pregnant last year I pretty much didn’t eat it except on the rare occasion of sandwich bread. When I got pregnant I went crazy. All I wanted was the crazy heavy strachy food. So I indulged. I gained 60lbs. I have lost all of the weight, but still have that softness. After doing some reading I recognize that I was probably eating too much processed food, such as shakes and protein bars. I was being lazy. Paleo came at the right time though. My focus is to lean out, so I have put the performance concerns on the back burner till I can figure out the right balance to get what I am aiming for. I found this article to be somewhat informative, but a bit vague for me to apply. I have no know health issues. I did have some knee joint weakness after pregnancy but have been kind to myself. One of the concerns I have is finding the balance. I am fine with my weight but I don’t want to loose muscle, just fat. I will be taking mearsurements about once a week with a tape and a tanita scale to help measure where my plan is taking me. I do find it hard to consume so much protein. Currently my goal is 1 gram per pound and no more than 100 carbs a day. I feel I am still recovering from my carb over dose during and post pregnancy, because my sleep has been affected mostly by this change. I have NEVER had problems with being able to sleep, I was “diagnosed” with hypersomnia at one point. I appreciate your view point. Yours and Robb Wolf. I like to know the ins and outs and I’m not afraid to listen to my body. This has been an interesting journey, thanks for continuing to enlighten me!
so i have just started the paleo lifestyle 45 day challenge am 41 years female did body building in highschool never gor lean but bulked and built did that for years had 2 kids major stress some major surguries in the last years am trying to get myself back on track but wit all the changes in my body i dont even know it any more im very thick very strong but am overweight and need to sheer down excess weight so doing cardio 3 4 times a week and was told by one of your followers to be doing some heavy lifting to breakinto my sliggish matablish and harmons and stress in the passed i used to able to drop pretty easy ihave only folloe paleo for a week and no change and i had 3 days of intense cardio she is going to looking thru my journal to see where things need to be tweeked at i want to reform my whole body i know it takes time but am up for some great options out there to get break this down get this sliggish matabolism up i am a very high energy person youd think ib be thin for how i run here and energy level but am not i very compact have the muscles but of course the fat over them and need to peel that off and reform dori madsen is my trainer she has amazing thing to say about you and is working close with me i just thought i pput this out there for some more you just cant get enough! thanks for your time
Hi Chris! I am curious to get your input! I am a 33 year old female who has a history of gluten intolerance (determined through food elimination) and “irritable bowel syndrome”. I am also highly sensitive to dairy products. I have been gluten free for about 10 years and completely dairy free for over 1 1/2 years. Although I love to work out and eat healthy, I have struggled to maintain a weight at which I feel comfortable. I don’t necessarily put on a lot of weight, but struggle to keep it maintained. Currently, at 5’4″, I weigh 115, which is not overweight, but is not necessarily the weight I feel best at. I typically feel better at 105-110 (Maximum). I have struggled with terrible constipation for 13 years and bloat that looks as though I am 5 months pregnant. Most recently (in the past ~4+ months) I have been struggling with low blood sugar (crashes after eating even very low carb meals) for a total of not more than 50-100 g of carbs per day from veggies and non-starchy foods. I have been experiencing extreme fatigue and lethargy as well as brain fog, etc. I followed an anti-candida diet along with taking anti-fungals, etc. under the direction of my NP for 6 weeks with very minimal change or improvement. I then stopped all supplements to do some stool testing through metametrix. After the testing, we had to wait ~4 weeks for the results. I have been following the anti-candida diet, as well as SCD diet protocol over the past 3-4 weeks. I have also incorporated additional suggestions such as eliminating eggs, nightshades, and FODMAPS in the most recent 1-2 weeks. I have just learned that I have very elevated yeast levels, a parasite and other elevated bacteria in my gut, and low pancreatic enzymes. I have adrenal fatigue and continue to struggle with low blood sugar in the morning following a low carb breakfast a few times per week, but this seems to be improving with careful changes. I feel so overwhelmed by everything that is “wrong”. I am curious to know if you have any suggestions of where I would get started for the best success!
Hey, Chris, what are your thoughts on supplementing magnesium deficiency with Mag Phos 6x? I’ve heard that this form can be well absorbed without creating the dreaded colon blow! Do you have an experience with this particular form of magnesium?
Hey Chris, I’m relatively new to eating a pale/primal diet…about a month or so and I also struggle with afternoon energy dips and night time hunger. I wake often during the night; sometimes sweating and so hungry (well my tummy feels this way) that it’s difficult to sleep. I take Alpha Lipoic Acid, Natural Calm and B vitamins but am very sensitive to L-Carnitine–it makes me jittery and my heart beat fast. Is there anything else you can recommend?
Dear Chris,
I just this weekend discovered your website and I saw this post. I have a question and I hope that you have the time to give me a response.
I started a Paleo diet for about seven weeks ago. In the beginning just Paleo breakfast and lunch, and then also Paleo diner. I felt great in the beginning (the first 5 weeks). Since a week or two I feel a bit jittery and hungry about an hour or two after eating. After half an hour or so later this gets a bit better, but I am not feeling as great as I was at first. How is this explained?
I don’t eat processed foods, don’t drink anything other than water, tea (2 cups a day) and decaf coffe (1 cup a day), and do eat lots of Paleo proteïns, vegetables and fruits, nuts and cocosmilk. For supplements I take a vitamine B mix (with every B vitamine in it).
I hope you can give me a pointer or two.
Kind regards,
Chantal
Hi Chris,
Is there an upper limit to Magnesium consumption that you would suggest staying away form. Charles Poliquin has a a great Magnesium glycinate supplement, but I am not sure of what the upper limit of Magnesium supplementation is for someone following Paleo. Is there a concern with taking too much and causing risk to kidneys etc?
Chris! Amazing and very informative article as usual! I just wanted to say thank you for all your hard work!
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