Question:
I'm curious if there's been any research on the effect of sugar
related to incidences of Asthma and/or allergies? Or has anyone
personally noticed a connection? Growing up, I was a mild asthmatic, and had serious allergies. I would
have allergy shots once a week, and sudafed and any other
antihystamene was a regular drug in my life. The asthma was less
frequent - usually a mild attack once or twice a week, but there were
three incidences where I was taken to the emergency room.
When I turned 21, I was diagnosed with hypoglycemia (insulin
intolerance, or sugar sensitive, more accurately), and I started a
strict low-sugar diet, very similar to the current Sugarbusters! rage.
One of the side effects of this diet was that my allergies and asthma
virtually disappeared. Only 5 or 6 days a year do I have allergies,
and asthma only once or twice a year.
On the occasions when I let my diet slip - when I have some oreos or
ice cream, say, I've noticed that is when my allergies return, and
when I have asthma. I mentioned this to my parents, and they recalled
that two of the three times they had to take me to the emergency room
for asthma was the day after halloween.
I haven't kept current with any of the asthma research in the past six
years since I've changed my diet, so I'm unaware if this is old news
or if it's ever been looked into - either way, I'm curious if other
people have seen this?
Answer:
I have a bit of hypoglycemia too, but I haven't noticed any connection
between white sugar and my asthma.
However, late last fall I changed my diet to be one that is mostly made
up of low glycemic foods and no grains or milk, and found my energy
levels stabilizing during the day, which was great. But to my suprise I
found my asthma decreased also, not virtually eliminated as in your
case.
When you say you are sugar sensitive, is there a specific sugar, like
cane sugar, beet sugar, corn syrup, malted barely, fructose, etc., or is
it to all forms of sugar?
Did you notice if it might not only be the sugar but the kinds of foods
(milk, wheat, chocolate) that contained the sugar?
The Sugarbusters! book that I mentioned is based on low-glycemic foods
as well, though I haven't eliminated all grains or milk - just refined
grains (bleached, enriched, etc.). The connection for me seems to be mostly with refined foods: cane
sugars, corn syrups, beer (malted barley), beet sugars, and white
flours. Fructose and lactose don't seem to have any effect, though
I've never had those in any sort of concentration or refinement - just
in fruit and milk.
To a milder extent, corn and potatoes, also, so there is probably a
connection to the glycemic quality of the foods. I didn't notice this
so much until I started Sugarbusters! and became aware of the glycemic
index.
I'm fairly certain that it wasn't a combination of sugar with certain
types of foods, if only because I continue to eat chocolate, breads,
ice cream, and other foods, just without added sugar or refinement. When my son went to the allergist back in December of 95 and tested positive
for a ton of allergies one of the first things he told me to do was to cut all
sugar out of his diet. He also has asthma, chronic sinus infections and
allergic rhinitis. The doctor said that sugar can have an affect on all of
these. I didn't notice much difference cutting the sugar out but I still continue to
do so for the most part. I let him cheat on special occasions such as birthday
parties. The reason I do so is because he is so sick all the time I want to do
every little thing I can to keep him as well as possible. He has other
problems besides the ones listed above and with one of the other conditions he
has sugar is said to be a bad thing for it.
I was diagnosed as possibly hypoglycemic about 3 months ago. I admit I don't
follow the diet exactly (I don't have a structured enough schedule to even
come close), but my allergies and asthma have actually been worse since
starting the diet. There's probably no connection though, since the pollens
have been pretty bad this summer. I'm at about the same peak flow I was last
summer, but instead of taking 2 puffs of Vanceril twice a day to maintain it,
I'm taking 2 puffs of Flovent 220 and 2 puffs of Serevent twice a day. Some
of the literature I've read about hypoglycemia in the last few months have
mentioned "shortness of breath" as a symptom, though. The one plus to the
diet I've found is that in the last 12 weeks I've lost over 15 pounds, which
certainly ought to help the asthma when the pollens go back down :) Sugar does not cause asthma. There is no food you can eat that doesn't
convert to sugar - this is necessary for you to be alive. You cannot be
allergic to sugar because this is the basis of life. Period.
I can't think of anything more cruel than to tell a parent not to give her
child sugar re the allergies. Its enough to get the parent to dust proof
the bedroom! No allergist ever tests for allergy to sugar because it is
the fundamental stuff of life.
Certain persons will have abnormal glucose tolerance results, but that is
not allergy.
