Sugar detox --> blood sugar crashes, dangerous?
rrj242
Posts: 7 Member
Hi all,
I'm really needing to do a sugar detox. Sweets are by far my biggest weight loss downfall, and unfortunately I'm off the wagon again
I'd like to just go cold turkey, but I'm wondering is that safe? When I do cut out added sugar completely, I get terrible blood sugar lows where I feel like I'm going to pass out (shaky, hot, nauseous).
I am not diabetic, although I suspect I may have some sort of insulin resistance issue.
Is it safe to cut out sugar cold turkey? Ideally, I'd like to do a Whole30 type thing where I'm also cutting carbs, dairy, etc. If it's not safe, how do I safely wean from sugar?
Thanks!
I'm really needing to do a sugar detox. Sweets are by far my biggest weight loss downfall, and unfortunately I'm off the wagon again
I'd like to just go cold turkey, but I'm wondering is that safe? When I do cut out added sugar completely, I get terrible blood sugar lows where I feel like I'm going to pass out (shaky, hot, nauseous).
I am not diabetic, although I suspect I may have some sort of insulin resistance issue.
Is it safe to cut out sugar cold turkey? Ideally, I'd like to do a Whole30 type thing where I'm also cutting carbs, dairy, etc. If it's not safe, how do I safely wean from sugar?
Thanks!
20
Replies
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Added sugar is not addictive or some required nutrient, so yes, you can cut it cold turkey. You should speak to a doctor about your issues. That should not be happening when you don't eat sugar unless you have a health problem.13
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Sugar detoxing isn't a real thing. Eating less added sugar is probably a good thing for most people.
If you are feeling some sort of physical symptoms, it's from lack of calories, or lack of caffeine. But there is zero scientific evidence that sugar is addictive and has "withdrawal" symptoms.
Whole 30 wasn't designed for weight loss. But because whole 30 eliminates so many food options, it reduces calories. Do whole 30 if you have undiagnosed allergies or digestive issues. It can people figure things out.19 -
Look up hypoglycaemia. Good news; mixed macro snack (fat, carb, protein) is the ideal recovery food if you ever get shaky. Not sugar.
Mixed macro snacks include protein bars (I suggest half a bar), Edamame beans, nuts of all kinds, and hikers mix.4 -
When there are zero scientific studies showing one thing or another, all that means is no one has funded that study. The only reason studies are funded is to make money somehow. So, it makes sense that no one would study people stopping sugar cold turkey, because who would make money from that? Vegetable farmers? Haha! I have cut the sugar out from my diet completely once before in my life. It was extremely difficult. Does that mean I was addicted? Not necessarily, but I FELT like it. I wanted sugar, sugar, sugar. It's all I thought about. Was is just psychological? Maybe. But it felt real to me, therefore it was real. So my point is, I feel your pain, I've been there! And back! Now I eat sugar everyday because I love it. I wish you luck with your endeavor. P.S. I never had shakes, hot flashes, etc coming off sugar. I was just really really grumpy.34
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jennybearlv wrote: »Added sugar is not addictive or some required nutrient, so yes, you can cut it cold turkey. You should speak to a doctor about your issues. That should not be happening when you don't eat sugar unless you have a health problem.
I can tell you with 100% certainty that added processed sugar IS addictive. Just because it isn’t for you doesn’t mean it isn’t for someone else, just like alcohol isn’t addictive for some but is for others.
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OP here - I didn't mean to imply detox symptoms. I think my symptoms are from low blood sugar spells. When I'm not on my diet, pretty much everything I eat has sugar. So suddenly stopping sugary foods (including from natural sources, if it's a Whole30 type thing), really makes my blood sugar crash. I've done Whole30 once before and the crashes stopped after the first week, but I'd have some scary moments those first 7 days.
Good to know I can nibble on a non-sugary food when I need to.6 -
jennybearlv wrote: »Added sugar is not addictive or some required nutrient, so yes, you can cut it cold turkey. You should speak to a doctor about your issues. That should not be happening when you don't eat sugar unless you have a health problem.
I can tell you with 100% certainty that added processed sugar IS addictive. Just because it isn’t for you doesn’t mean it isn’t for someone else, just like alcohol isn’t addictive for some but is for others.
Let's try and keep this to OP's question, which asks if it's safe to cut out sugar, rather than turning the thread into another "sugar is/isn't addictive" thread that will crash and burn.
OP, as others have said, if you want to cut processed sugar (I'm assuming you mean processed sugar...) from your diet, yes it is possible. Although in all reality, unless you are having issues with blood glucose / insulin levels, then there really isn't any reason to from a physiological perspective. If you find that cutting them out from your diet helps you keep to your daily Caloric allowance and that it's something that you think you'll be able to do long term, then feel free to go nuts.
*Edited for stupid spelling errors/9 -
Added sugar is the same, for your body, as sugar from any other source, so if you eat fruit, dairy, starchy carbs (which quickly turn to sugar), your body has all the sugar it could want and CANNOT detox from it.
Your body doesn't detox from sugar anyway, because it normally runs on sugar, it's normal, not a toxin.
Can you have some kind of emotional addiction-like attachment to hyperpalatable foods? Sure, maybe.
Is it hard to stop with a bad habit whether you call it addiction or not? Obviously it often is.
But no, cutting out added sugar or even going low carb (which would cut way, way down on everything that is sugar to your body) is not some kind of dangerous detox situation, and if you want to do it, do it.
I've cut out added sugar before (barely eat it currently), and it was no big thing. I've also (at a different point) done keto -- that wasn't a hard transition for me, but some get the keto flu, and in any case I'm not sure you want to go keto.
If you have blood sugar issues, talk to a doctor, yes, but it sounds maybe like you need to put together a sensible, structured eating plan with enough calories. Then if you seem to get shaky and so on you can explain to the doctor what's going on. Maybe you are someone who does better with snacks -- for the time being why not log what you would normally eat and then think about some adjustments you can make -- are you eating a satiating breakfast (if you are someone who likes breakfast?). Do you have some planned snacks if you feel hungry? Try different things -- see if eating something that's not carby works, and if you feel like you need something more maybe try a combination (fruit and greek yogurt or fruit and nuts, say).
Our minds can sometimes play a huge role in self sabotage, and sometimes it's possible to think "oh I have to do this" when it's really just a reaction to breaking a habit and would be fine if you just waited it out (focus on something else, have a cup of coffee or tea, whatever).18 -
Yes it is safe.
I have had reactive hypoglycaemia. When I eat very low carb my symptoms disappear. YMMV2 -
Yes it is safe.
I have had reactive hypoglycaemia. When I eat very low carb my symptoms disappear. YMMV
I also have reactive hypoglylcemia. When I tried out low carbs it actually exacerbated it, along with my migraines. I think it just comes down to an individual thing because I've met others who say it they do better with low carb and others who are similar to me and it actually creates a negative reaction.2 -
I'm cutting sugar because I personally cannot moderate my intake of it. I find it easier to have none than to have a small portion (tasting it triggers the craving and leads to a binge).
I know if I'm still eating a lot of fruit, carbs, starchy veggies, etc., my body will still be getting a sugar fix, which is why I'd like to do a bit of a reset on a Whole30 plan (or something similar) until I break the habit.
I don't have any diagnosed medical conditions, but my hormones are definitely out of whack (I'm female, late 20s). I suspected PCOS/insulin resistance problems, because I gained a bunch of weight very quickly and my periods suddenly became irregular. A reproductive endocrinologist ran some tests, thought I likely did have PCOS, and referred me to a nutritionist. A nutritionist ran more tests and said I did not have PCOS and was surprised the first doc would say I did based on my previous results. So I'm not currently on any medication or with any diagnosis. I need to get a second opinion on all of this, but you know, life is busy... I've lost 12% of my body weight and my periods have spaced closer, but still not back to my regular.
So trying to get my hormones back in balance is my other main motivation for cutting the sugar.
Getting back to the point - I know for a fact I get these low blood sugar spells when I make big diet changes like this. I also get them if I'm pregnant and miss a meal. Nibbling on something always solves the problem, but I don't know how great a danger there was to begin with, which is why I made the post.5 -
jennybearlv wrote: »Added sugar is not addictive or some required nutrient, so yes, you can cut it cold turkey. You should speak to a doctor about your issues. That should not be happening when you don't eat sugar unless you have a health problem.
I can tell you with 100% certainty that added processed sugar IS addictive. Just because it isn’t for you doesn’t mean it isn’t for someone else, just like alcohol isn’t addictive for some but is for others.
That's messed up. Sugar is yummy, and one cookie is never enough, but it is not physically addictive like alcohol. I hope you or a loved one never had to face an addiction to drugs or alcohol. It's a much bigger struggle than a diet.15 -
PikaJoyJoy wrote: »Yes it is safe.
I have had reactive hypoglycaemia. When I eat very low carb my symptoms disappear. YMMV
I also have reactive hypoglylcemia. When I tried out low carbs it actually exacerbated it, along with my migraines. I think it just comes down to an individual thing because I've met others who say it they do better with low carb and others who are similar to me and it actually creates a negative reaction.
For me, it took some time to get through it. A few days. After a day or two I had enough ketones for brain fuel so my brain was not creating those symptoms to eat.
If you don't add more sodium the loss of water and electrolytes will definitely cause headaches or migraines. It's possible that was part of the situation for you.
But you are right, everybody is different.
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If you crash: do you actually feel better again if you at that moment eat sugar? Asking because I had similar symptoms but in my case it was something different.0
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It's interesting that you posted this today, only this morning I was thinking about cutting out artificial sugar and how it might affect me. So thank you to everyone who has posted answers relating to this.I'm cutting sugar because I personally cannot moderate my intake of it. I find it easier to have none than to have a small portion (tasting it triggers the craving and leads to a binge).
The above quote is my issue also. For whatever reason unknown to me, the minute I have anything artificially sweet pass through my lips, I am pretty much screwed for the rest of the day. This may be complete psychological BS, but it happens. And in the past when I have tried to fight my demons on it, I get so incredibly grumpy!
So I'm considering giving up artificial sugar for a while. Only the artificial kind though, I don't seem to have the same issues when I consume natural sugar. Plus there is too much I would have to cut out of my diet if I got rid of ALL sugars... Correct me if I'm wrong, but natural sugar is also in vegetables, right? I eat lots of veggies every day!
I've done it before for a short while and found that it improved my sense of taste, so I'm going to try it again but for longer this time.
And ultimately, I hope it will help me on my weight-loss journey one way or another. Got quite a way to go and I think I know where I'm going wrong, and not just by having artificial sugar. This is probably a very small part of the issue, but it is a healthy thing to consider changing.3 -
Correction; refined sugar is not artificial. It is pure sugar. A combination of fructose and glucose. Refined sugar may be extracted from sugar beets or sugar cane most commonly.
Artificial sweeteners are NOT sugar and the body cannot metabolize them for energy.12 -
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All I'm saying is that it might not be sugar after all, but there are many things that could cause this. If eating sugar your blood sugar should come up quickly again if this is the culprit. It could also simply be hunger from undereating, you know.
My case is probably super rare, so don't count on that. I found I would often get dizzy and weak in the morning, brain absent, tunnel vision just staring ahead with a waxy complexion. And eating everything in sight, but nothing helped. Things got better during dinner, but problems came back the next morning though a bit weaker. Usually gone again after 5 days. Then I realised the difference between daytime and evening food: bread and stuff on it, yoghurt, fruit and veggies, there might be a candy and soda machine. Evening: proper dinner. The difference is: salt. I'd get most of my daily salt allowance in the evening. Eating salt during the next attack it vanished within a few minutes and didn't come back the next day. But eating more salt also fixed lots of other problems for me, like not being thirsty anymore, no more constipation, no more endless caughing about workouts, no more dry eyes, nose, etc.. it's as if my body is less dried out.1 -
I know if I'm still eating a lot of fruit, carbs, starchy veggies, etc., my body will still be getting a sugar fix, which is why I'd like to do a bit of a reset on a Whole30 plan (or something similar) until I break the habit.
Do you really find that eating fruit or plain potato with some meat and veg or greek yogurt and nuts causes you to crave sweets (as in dessert type foods)? That might affect what you do.
Whole 30 (which admittedly I think is based on a bunch of fake scientific claims) does NOT cut out fruit or starchy carbs like tubers (it used to cut potatoes but not sweet potatoes, now both are fine, and the reason for cutting potatoes was silly). It does cut out all dairy (including butter and cheese, which aren't carby at all) and whole grains and legumes (meaning peanuts, peas, beans and lentils, etc.).
I think it cuts out foods that are objectively good for most people, doesn't do anything if one's issue is carbs (unless one just doesn't eat a lot of the most nutrient dense carbs), and -- as I said -- is based on a false premise. IMO, if you think you have food sensitivities, it's not a great approach, working with a dietitian would be better. But it doesn't sound like you think you have food sensitivities, just that you have control issues with sweet foods.Getting back to the point - I know for a fact I get these low blood sugar spells when I make big diet changes like this. I also get them if I'm pregnant and miss a meal. Nibbling on something always solves the problem, but I don't know how great a danger there was to begin with, which is why I made the post.
When you make big diet changes are you cutting cals a lot?
When I cut out snacking I missed it a lot at first and so allowed myself to nibble on raw veg between meals. I stopped feeling like I needed to within a week. If you feel like you need food and might have blood sugar issue, maybe that won't do it, but I'd recommend NOT something super carby (fast carb) but a mixed macro meal, as someone else also suggested. Maybe even something low carb and higher in protein and fat -- mixed = berries (not dried) and nuts or maybe with a little full fat greek yogurt (plain). Low carb = just nuts or a boiled egg or some cheese for just a few ideas. Keep track of your reaction to different things.
If you want to cut out added sugar, do it, but some people find making something off limits tends to exacerbate their lack of control when they do eat it, so it might take some experimentation to find what works for you.1 -
I can tell you with 100% certainty that added processed sugar IS addictive. Just because it isn’t for you doesn’t mean it isn’t for someone else, just like alcohol isn’t addictive for some but is for others.
Be careful what you say about yourself - you may find it difficult to shake a label once you've embraced it.
Whether or not there is ever sufficient research to support adding a "food use disorder" to DSM (there isn't at present), those who decide to label their behavior as an "addiction" need to ask themselves what are the positives and negatives of labeling it as such? Does calling yourself an "addict" provide you with a tool that's useful in managing your behavior, or does it lead to being discouraged and telling yourself you're an "addict" and that means you have to avoid all sugar for the rest of your life? Why not just say, "I have a problem controlling myself when I'm around sugary treats", and leave it at that?
There are dangers in labeling yourself and others with scientific-sounding labels like "sugar addict". For one thing, if you say "I am X" it may be difficult finding a way to get to a point where you can say "I am no longer X". That's why many mental health professionals (particularly those who use solution focused approaches) find diagnostic labels are counterproductive. Simple example: internalizing a belief that you're ugly or stupid because you were told so as a child can lead to life-long negative repercussions that are difficult to address.
Labels can help you get insurance coverage for conditions, and they're helpful when professionals discuss a cluster of symptoms in a case, but they don't represent real entities or states out there in the world. They're handles that people invented to make discussing a cluster of symptoms more convenient. And they can be done away with: homosexuality was first declassified as a mental disorder in 1973. Labels are social constructs that can change as society changes.19 -
artbyrachelh wrote: »When there are zero scientific studies showing one thing or another, all that means is no one has funded that study. The only reason studies are funded is to make money somehow. So, it makes sense that no one would study people stopping sugar cold turkey, because who would make money from that? Vegetable farmers? Haha! I have cut the sugar out from my diet completely once before in my life. It was extremely difficult. Does that mean I was addicted? Not necessarily, but I FELT like it. I wanted sugar, sugar, sugar. It's all I thought about. Was is just psychological? Maybe. But it felt real to me, therefore it was real. So my point is, I feel your pain, I've been there! And back! Now I eat sugar everyday because I love it. I wish you luck with your endeavor. P.S. I never had shakes, hot flashes, etc coming off sugar. I was just really really grumpy.
I assure you that there are several examples of people who would stand to make a butt load of money if a study ever showed that sugar was actually physically addictive in humans. Many of them are selling books full of bogus claims to get rich off of people who want to lose weight but don't understand how it works. Jason Fung has made tons of money by preaching the evils of sugar and he doesn't even have any studies to back his claims.14 -
Carlos_421 wrote: »I assure you that there are several examples of people who would stand to make a butt load of money if a study ever showed that sugar was actually physically addictive in humans. Many of them are selling books full of bogus claims to get rich off of people who want to lose weight but don't understand how it works. Jason Fung has made tons of money by preaching the evils of sugar and he doesn't even have any studies to back his claims.
All I meant by my comment is that the medical field isn't going to fund any sort of "healthy diet and lifestyle" research because there's no prospect for pharmaceutical production at the other end of it. I guess I didn't word my first comment very clearly.
So many woos!
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artbyrachelh wrote: »Carlos_421 wrote: »I assure you that there are several examples of people who would stand to make a butt load of money if a study ever showed that sugar was actually physically addictive in humans. Many of them are selling books full of bogus claims to get rich off of people who want to lose weight but don't understand how it works. Jason Fung has made tons of money by preaching the evils of sugar and he doesn't even have any studies to back his claims.
All I meant by my comment is that the medical field isn't going to fund any sort of "healthy diet and lifestyle" research because there's no prospect for pharmaceutical production at the other end of it. I guess I didn't word my first comment very clearly.
So many woos!
Except there's a bunch of studies about all kinds of stuff being done that doesn't have any prospect for pharmaceuticals.10 -
Definitely see a doctor about your issues. Very low blood sugar can be very dangerous. Cutting added/refined sugar should not lower your glucose level far enough to be dangerous. Cutting all carbs could be (and there really isn't any need for it).1
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Also, "processed sugar" and "natural sugar" are literally the exact same chemical substance.
Glucose, fructose and sucrose.
Someone please explain how that the same chemical substance can be addictive/bad for you from one source and not from another. How is the sucrose in a beat not addictive when you eat the beat and as addictive as drugs or alcohol when extracted from the beat and added to a cookie recipe?7 -
OP, are you familiar with the hunger scale? For lots of people, that shaky/nauseated feeling is a symptom of extreme hunger. If you can learn to recognize hunger before you get to that point, and eat something before you get there, you might be able to avoid crashing. Just like others have suggested, it would be a good idea to eat a mixed-macro snack at that point, not just a carbohydrate (so, an apple and peanut butter instead of just an apple, or a few crackers with some cheese instead of just the crackers).
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Yes it is safe.
I have had reactive hypoglycaemia. When I eat very low carb my symptoms disappear. YMMV
Same with me. I had exercise-induced hypoglycemia. After doing some research and speaking with several doctors/dieticians, I started low carb high-fat eating (not a diet but a change in lifestyle) or a ketogenic diet. Prior to LCHF, I had plateaued in my weight-loss and was not able to exercise/walk like I had been (3 miles a day) due to dangerously low glucose (my lowest was 45 during a walk), which appeared out of nowhere. After a month or so of LCHF, I lost nearly 10 pounds and am once again able to exercise without hypoglycemic symptoms. My fasting glucose levels are in the mid-80s and steady. I feel great.1 -
On day 30 of Whole 30, not gonna lie - I'd cut a *kitten* for a chunk of cheese and a bourbon - both of which, I will do tomorrow. But honestly, I've never felt better. I do have issues with over eating sugar, and snacky salty foods like tortilla chips, so I've confirmed that I can live without them - and I've discovered some delicious, healthy meals in the process. I've also had no heart burn, which was a regular occurrence... and a long time ago I discovered that giving up processed foods and artificial sugar put my asthma on the back burner and the woman who had to use her inhaler nightly hasn't used it in over 9 months.1
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Eating better can certainly help with health issues. My issue with W30 is that I think if it does it's usually a coincidence, not that the specific "verboten foods" that are unique to W30 vs. just trying to eat better and focusing on whole foods are somehow bad for you. (The specific foods being dairy, grains, and legumes or "absolutely no added sugar" vs. avoiding excess added sugar.) My guess is that many people change their diets dramatically, and that some may have specific issues with lactose or gluten (or something else about some grains), and that just as often it makes it harder to snack on lots of the most available junk food between meals so you end up eating less.
I strongly think that someone else could come up with some other restrictive diet (random different common foods restricted) that requires lots of cooking and whole foods and that most of the people who find W30 helpful would find it helpful, not because lentils are really a problem food (for the vast majority of people). I also think that if someone eats basically a whole foods based and healthful diet, the likelihood that giving up the things that W30 demands you give up is not going to make a positive difference, at least not unless you have reason to think you might have an issue with dairy or grains, of course -- and even then it's rarely in reality all grains).0 -
I know this is digressing, but I have done 3 Whole 30's (last one was a Whole 20 because I was over it), and I have learned a few things. 1. I don't have any intolerance to any one food group (aside from mild lactose intolerance), so there is no point in further eliminations, 2. I don't like the psychological effects of demonizing food, it made me feel up when I was "good" and down when i was "bad", 3. Unless you decide that your new lifestyle is no added sugar forever and ever, the effects of the Whole 30 are very short lived, 4. I can overeat sweet potatoes, steak and sauteed veggies as much as I can overeat cookies and ice cream (i know, it's weird).
For me, yes I did feel good at the end, but it's because I lost weight. The hard part is after. Since you aren't counting calories the entire time, you aren't set up for when you start adding things back in. Overtime, the weight does creep back. I know it's not a weightloss program per se.
From my experience, detoxing from sugar is not a solution, unless you have medical problems and really need to. It's not going to cure you from your sugar cravings forever. Obviously, if you are going overboard, maybe it's time to reel it in. Why give up yumminess if you can fit it in and still lose weight?6
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