Sugar... | ADHD Information

I've beem getting through life with sugar, need concentration, sugar, needing energy/motivation, sugar, feeling depressed, sugar. And It works so well, i go from a very dark place to a very jolly place.

But I thought that sugar was probably not doing it much good, that it could be caursing my fatigue and the lows wen I havn't had any. I also thought it was probably why i was getting hyper.

Now I have been off my sugar fixes for a few weeks, things were fine, it didn't stop me getting hyper. But now I'm not doing so well, I have lot all concentration, my thoughts are out of control, i really need some rest from them and I'm feeling really depressed, my minds current topic is  a little depressing.

I'm very tempted to go binge on some but I thought I'd see what others experience is with sugar, if anyone else finds it helpful?
I have severe blood sugar issues (hypoglycemia) and my dad, uncle, sister, and ancestors all had diabetes (to include amputated limbs).

"Normal" people can learn a lot from a hypoglycemic person and their diet. Hypoglycemics, like me, tend to visibly show very quickly the effect that a certain food will have on a body. I don't even need to use a blood sugar monitor; I can feel the effects immediately.

I will oversimplify a bit to make my point. A normal blood sugar range is somewhere between 70 and 150 (I think--I would need to look this up to be accurate). My blood sugar is somewhere around 50 many times. This can lead to comas and seizures. A wildly fluctuating blood sugar level can lead to diabetes, because it can wear the pancreas out  (stop producing insulin). Low blood sugar also manifests as bi-polar/ADHD type symptoms: impulsive, grouchy, depressed, can't think straight, can't concentrate, can't hold still, get sleep. I also tend to get ravenously hungry and crave more sugar. It's a crazy cycle.

I must eat all day long, but the goal is to eat foods that sustain a stable blood sugar level. Basically, I need to eat foods that give me the most bang (calorie for calorie). The best foods are high-complex carbohydrates and quality proteins. The high complex carbohyrates (foods closest to their whole, natural state--not fried or ground down <processed> such as lentils, whole oatmeal, brown rice, cooked barley) provide me with sustained, stable energy. The protein seems to calm me down and make me feel stable. Fruits and vegetables are important for enzymes and vitamins, etc., but aren't what seem to make the difference in my fluctuating blood sugar levels. Apples, for instance, are one of the best 'get-by' fruits because they have some complex-carbohydrate (roughage) that will hold me until I can get some better food. I try to keep them and a few almonds in the car.

So...eating sugar as you described has this reaction in a body with my kind of chemistry. It will drive me up and make me temporarily (5-10 minutes) hyper or energized, and then I will sink to a low, low...because my insulin overreacts. It gobbles up the simple sugar and leaves me with too much insulin. My body needs something heartier for the insulin to work on (or process); it gobbles up the sugar too fast and leaves me in a too-low blood sugar state (hypoglycemic).  Whereas a diabetic is hyperglycemic because their body has too much blood sugar and not enough insulin to process it.

The answer is never sugar when in a low state (or products with corn syrup)...it becomes a viscious cycle (too much insulin, so add a simple sugar, the insulin quickly gobbles it up and leaves you in a state of no blood sugar (which makes you crave some sugar), etc.  Wait, I shouldn't say it's "never the answer" - actually it is...if I am that low, I need a quick boost of something like an apple or banana (or even something with refined sugar) and then I have about 5-10 minutes to get something hearty inside before I start to leave the world. When I start to go, you can tell: I get confused, slurred words, blurred speech, shakey, sweaty, and faint.

I have a hard time being perfect about this because quality food simply take more time and effort to prepare opposed to just driving up to Wendy's and ordering french fries and a burger. But, the more I make the effort, the less I crave sugar. If your blood sugar level is stable; you will crave sugar and processed foods less.

Also, recovering from a low blood sugar state is painful and time consuming. It can knock me out for a couple of hours (have to take a nap). This is also dangerous because if I take a nap because I think I'm tired, but it's really just a feeling that I want to sleep because, in fact, I have too much insulin, I could wind up in a coma.

Have you ever been tested for diabetes or hypoglycemia? It's quite important if you think these symptoms sound familiar to have yourself tested. It's simply chemistry and the knowledge can save you.

Hope this helps.

bb





bluebird3838577.5092361111Hi Ang9,

I get well enough hyper without sugar so sugar does tent to make me go abit OTT, lol. I thinking about it, I don't think I do lack in energy, seeing i can't sit still, i think I'm linking not being able to focus with not having energy which isn't  nessasarily true. I'm allso am thinking that when I'm feeling at bit down and strangly that happens about once  a month sugar gets be hyper therefor cheers me up.

I'm still trying to figure things out, I havn't been dioagnosed with anything, add or adhd, I went to the doctors once, but I was quite nervous and didn't really explain things properly so she sent me to a counseller for low self-esteme, which didn't really help, put me off from going again.

Came across this site while surfing google, was so supprised to find that others were struggling with simular things.

sugas does nothing for me.  i have energy from hell so i've never needed sugar.  thank god i don't have a sweet tooth cause it would probably drive me batty.  are you add or adhd?