Can Sugar Cause Heart Palpitations?

[Hala]

I'm prescribed high-energy supplement drinks (I have complex malabsorption issues and pancreatic failure) which are really sugary.
Anywho, after I have these drinks I quite often feel dizzy/sick and get mild heart palpitations/tachycardia. Even when I sip them really slowly.This happens with sugary food as well.

They're definitely gluten-free so it's not a coeliac reaction.
Is it common for sugar to have this effect on the body? :/

[shadowicewolf]

Too much sugar in your system can. I normally just get the jitters.

[Ksee]

Interesting. If you notice a relationship between these drinks and heart palpitations I think it's not a question of if but why? You have already noted a link between the two, now look at the ingredients and try to identify what is associated with your symptoms.

Caffeine? Food dyes? Additives and preservatives? Or just so much sugar you can't tolerate the acidity? 

At the least, and with your history, you should call your doctor. If you are having heart palpitations in new, different or increased ways, it's a reason to let the doctor know.

[tarnalberry]

Yes. Google hyperglycemia and hypoglycemia.

[flowerqueen]

I'm not sure but fizzy drinks can deplete potassium levels and low potassium can cause palpitations.

[shadowicewolf]

Have you been tested for diabetes?

[Hala]

Thanks for the advice everyone.

I've never been tested for diabetes but I've had a lot of blood tests recently so surely they would have picked up diabetes or hypo/hyperglycaemia?

Then again, I am ALWAYS thirsty even though I'm definitely not dehydrated because I pee all the time and it's always clear in colour.

The doctors here are rubbish and it's IMPOSSIBLE to get appointments though :/.

[Hala]

And there's absolutely no history of diabetes on either side of my family.

[tarnalberry]

No, unless you get a copy of yr tests and check, there is no reason to assume that they've checked for all of these things. And hypoglycemia is hard to test for on a single test (particularly reactive hypoglycemia, which could match some of those msymtptoms).

[eers03]

I would stop taking the energy drink immediately until discussing the symptoms you mentioned above with your healthcare provider.  If he doesn't seem concerned, I would consider a second opinion on that one.  Energy drinks are not evaluated for safety in relevant clinical trials.  They have no contraindication labeling or drug to drug interaction labeling.  5 Hour has been linked to 13 deaths in the US.  Monster I believe is 11.  There are better ways to get sugar without all of the caffeine that comes with these drinks.

 

Heart irregularities are not something to be unsure of when you are consuming energy drinks.

[Hala]

No, unless you get a copy of yr tests and check, there is no reason to assume that they've checked for all of these things. And hypoglycemia is hard to test for on a single test (particularly reactive hypoglycemia, which could match some of those msymtptoms).

Okay, thanks for the info, I didn't realise you could be hypoglycaemic without diabetes. I tried to book a blood test but my surgery's fully-booked for now so I ordered a home glucose urinalysis test to do first. Probably not accurate but I thought I'd check before trying to book an appointment again.

 

I would stop taking the energy drink immediately until discussing the symptoms you mentioned above with your healthcare provider.  If he doesn't seem concerned, I would consider a second opinion on that one.  Energy drinks are not evaluated for safety in relevant clinical trials.  They have no contraindication labeling or drug to drug interaction labeling.  5 Hour has been linked to 13 deaths in the US.  Monster I believe is 11.  There are better ways to get sugar without all of the caffeine that comes with these drinks.

 

Heart irregularities are not something to be unsure of when you are consuming energy drinks.

 

Hi, sorry I should have made myself clearer. These are medically-prescribed nutritional supplements tailored for disease-induced malnutrition/maldigestion. They can't be bought commercially. By high-energy I meant calorie, they do not have any caffeine and are not fizzy. They contain electrolytes, minerals etc but. to be honest, they seem like dressed-up sugar to me, ha.

I've talked with my dietitian over how crap I've been feeling and how the supplements seem to make things worse but she didn't really comment and I ended up apologising for complaining at her (which I always seem to end up doing!).

[tarnalberry]

You can't really do a single blood testto check for reactive hypoglycemia. Look it up - its an issue with not just the level of your blood sugar being too low (or high), but rather the characterization of how it changes over time in response to ingesting carbs. In some people, it's also partly the rate of change (how fast or slow the change happens) instead of the magnitude (how big or little). You can check on it with a blood sugar monitor (the finger prick kind), but you need to take many reading (like every 20-30 minutes for two or three hours) after eating a somewhat carb-heavy meal, while tracking your symptoms. And then you need to properly interpret it.

[Deaminated Marcus]

Hello Hala,

Do doctors give copies of the test results in the UK?

I once read in my Celiac book and online that there is an association
with pancreatic damage and Celiac.

.........................................................................................................

"There has been some suggestion wheat plays a role in juvenile diabetes as antibodies to the non-glutinous seed storage glb-1 (a globulin) are implicated in crossreactive autoantigenic antibodies that destroy islet cells in the pancreas.[37]"

Open Original Shared Link

.........................................................................................................

In view of your pancreatic issues can you ask your doctor to send you
to a specialist and don't be shy to ask. It's for you not for her.

If the supplement is high in sugar and you are peeing a lot
that sounds like diabetis so do get tested.
(fasting glucose and A1c, fasting insulin)


With your problems with your pancreas I worry if that sugary supplement is hurting your pancreas.

Can you get more calories from fatty foods like adding olive oil and avocadoes, coconut cream, and cheeze?

For your heart palpitations maybe you could ask for an ECG.  It only takes minutes to do.

[burdee]

I'm prescribed high-energy supplement drinks (I have complex malabsorption issues and pancreatic failure) which are really sugary.

Anywho, after I have these drinks I quite often feel dizzy/sick and get mild heart palpitations/tachycardia. Even when I sip them really slowly.This happens with sugary food as well.

They're definitely gluten-free so it's not a coeliac reaction.

Is it common for sugar to have this effect on the body? :/

 

I don't think that effect is common. HOWEVER, I experienced heart palipitations and mild tachycardia after eating sugar for many years. Then I took an ELISA  (enzyme linked immunosorbent assay) blood test for food allergies.  I had a very high IgG mediated reaction to cane sugar. So i started avoiding cane sugar. i could still eat honey, beet sugar, agave, etc., almost any natural sweetner except cane sugar. The palpitations and tachycardia disappeared ... until I accidentally consumed some cane sugar (e.g. Tylenol or products which changed their ingredients by adding cane sugar).  So you might actually have an allergy (IgG or IgA mediated) to cane sugar.  Try avoiding all sources of cane sugar and see whether your symptoms disappear.  You'll have to carefully read labels. Cane sugar is widely used in processed foods.

[Hala]

You can't really do a single blood testto check for reactive hypoglycemia. Look it up - its an issue with not just the level of your blood sugar being too low (or high), but rather the characterization of how it changes over time in response to ingesting carbs. In some people, it's also partly the rate of change (how fast or slow the change happens) instead of the magnitude (how big or little). You can check on it with a blood sugar monitor (the finger prick kind), but you need to take many reading (like every 20-30 minutes for two or three hours) after eating a somewhat carb-heavy meal, while tracking your symptoms. And then you need to properly interpret it.

Thank you. I looked up hypoglycemia but a lot of the symptoms seem really severe, I've only been experiencing a few of the milder ones. The monitors look pretty expensive but I'll shop around and see if I can get one cheap.

 

Hello Hala,

Do doctors give copies of the test results in the UK?

I once read in my Celiac book and online that there is an association

with pancreatic damage and Celiac.

.........................................................................................................

"There has been some suggestion wheat plays a role in juvenile diabetes as antibodies to the non-glutinous seed storage glb-1 (a globulin) are implicated in crossreactive autoantigenic antibodies that destroy islet cells in the pancreas.[37]"

Open Original Shared Link

.........................................................................................................

In view of your pancreatic issues can you ask your doctor to send you

to a specialist and don't be shy to ask. It's for you not for her.

If the supplement is high in sugar and you are peeing a lot

that sounds like diabetis so do get tested.

(fasting glucose and A1c, fasting insulin)

With your problems with your pancreas I worry if that sugary supplement is hurting your pancreas.

Can you get more calories from fatty foods like adding olive oil and avocadoes, coconut cream, and cheeze?

For your heart palpitations maybe you could ask for an ECG.  It only takes minutes to do.

Hi Marcus . Unfortunately my body is really awful at digesting fats. I have pancreatic enzymes to take with food but the drinks are specifically fat-free so that I absorb more of them. I hope they're not damaging my pancreas, it's already crap enough . I haven't had the drinks much at all lately, I told the dietitian this and she seemed okay with this.

I don't think I'd be able to get hold of most of the test results because they were done in hospital, rather than at my GP surgery, so they'll be lost in some folder somewhere (that's what seems to happen to all my notes!). I feel like I've bothered the doctors so much and had so many tests done I'm worried I'm annoying them or that they will stop taking me seriously . It doesn't help being aspergic either, because I just can't explain myself properly!

 

I don't think that effect is common. HOWEVER, I experienced heart palipitations and mild tachycardia after eating sugar for many years. Then I took an ELISA  (enzyme linked immunosorbent assay) blood test for food allergies.  I had a very high IgG mediated reaction to cane sugar. So i started avoiding cane sugar. i could still eat honey, beet sugar, agave, etc., almost any natural sweetner except cane sugar. The palpitations and tachycardia disappeared ... until I accidentally consumed some cane sugar (e.g. Tylenol or products which changed their ingredients by adding cane sugar).  So you might actually have an allergy (IgG or IgA mediated) to cane sugar.  Try avoiding all sources of cane sugar and see whether your symptoms disappear.  You'll have to carefully read labels. Cane sugar is widely used in processed foods.

Oh dear! I'm glad you found out your allergy so you could start feeling better . Doctors don't offer ELISA tests where I am, did you order yours online? Do the products specifically state cane sugar or is it just listed as glucose? Thanks for the info

[Hala]

Does hypoglycaemia cause night sweats? Most nights I wake up at least once drenched in a cold sweat. I don't think I'm getting too hot because I don't feel hot and I very rarely get too hot (wore jumpers in Africa during the summer). Anyway, it's pretty annoying and gross