Glucose loading cures everything?
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Hi everyone!
I've read through the thread and appreciate everyone's shares and thoughts. It's been helpful as I started navigating this myself.
I started exploring glucose loading a couple of weeks ago. Last week I also started checking my blood glucose, to see what is going on. I purchased a two week continuous monitor this morning, so when that arrives I'll get even more data. Is anyone else tracking BG levels?
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@gentlepotato I am not tracking glucose levels, but I will be very curious to see what yours are. I've seen anecdotal reports (I think it was on RPF) that people's BG levels are dropping back down to normal relatively quickly after doses, and that some people have brought their average BG levels down using this protocol, but I think it would be very interesting to see it in actual CGM data.
Per Stephens, the idea is that this should significantly improve your ability to handle glucose and insulin sensitivity, but that is kind of an unverified claim at this point.
CGM data will be interesting. -
@jjk_learning My issue may be different than other people's. I have ME/CFS, and without going into to great of detail, an issues in ME/CFS is that one of the pathways for breaking down glucose isn't working. Hypoglycemia is common. The glucose loading theory makes perfect sense for me, and I may be one of those people who need a very large dose.
My levels are hardly spiking and I'm back to fasting levels (or even reactive hypoglycemia) two hours after a meal and/or glucose.
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@gentlepotato That is very interesting. Is it the case that your levels hardly spike back on regular carbs too? Or is it only on this glucose protocol that the levels quickly go back to fasting levels or reactive hypo?
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Testing isn’t bad per say
But being unable to interpret what is happening accurately is the problemAs I stated above:
Glucose metabolism is a vital process for cellular respiration.
In mitochondrial respiration, glucose is converted into adenosine triphosphate,
the cell's energy currency, through a process that takes place in the mitochondria's membranesIf that cell is in a stressed state
Say
ME, CFS, malnourishment etc
While healing
The results you see may startle youIm not recommending that you don’t test or that you push through
I healed fully (through food sugars- not supplemental sugars)
But
You must understand your physiology and use other markers as wellYes
My sugar handling was awry
But
So many other signs and symptoms were vanishingI am fully healed now
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@Peatful Your perspective makes sense. And I agree that it may be hard to interpret. But I think it would be good to have the data anyway just to try to put puzzle pieces together.
What condition(s) did you fully heal and what was your approach (I know you say food sugars but I'm curious on the details)? Have you shared your story anywhere?
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@jjk_learning said in Glucose loading cures everything?:
@Peatful Your perspective makes sense. And I agree that it may be hard to interpret. But I think it would be good to have the data anyway just to try to put puzzle pieces together.
What condition(s) did you fully heal and what was your approach (I know you say food sugars but I'm curious on the details)? Have you shared your story anywhere?
Ive shared it too much probably!
With that
It’s all on the old RPFSame user name
But my username there is hidden because I’ve been banned but my posts are still upI healed from over 50 symptoms
Bad ones like hallucinations, infertility, daily migraines, etcMy food sugars were primarily white sugar
Coke, icings, cheesecake, puddings, etcMind you
I needed overall nutrition
I was malnourished and in an extreme stressed state
But sugar I fully embraced
Easy to digest and very healing for meAgain
On the old rpf you can see me recommend people to add these healing foods in judiciously -
Congratulations on your healing! And do you have a specific thread that captures your journey well? I found lots of posts from you on RPF (including one in a "Successful Peaters" thread), but haven't found the full story. I can pick up from context and what you've already shared that it your approach is very "Peaty"
(Searching for you also led me to a thread about Matt Stone which I found very interesting... I didn't know what he was up to these days)
Would it be fair for me to guess, with your experience, that you would be more favorable towards white table sugar than dextrose? What's your view on this whole glucose-loading idea?
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@jjk_learning said in Glucose loading cures everything?:
Congratulations on your healing! And do you have a specific thread that captures your journey well? I found lots of posts from you on RPF (including one in a "Successful Peaters" thread), but haven't found the full story. I can pick up from context and what you've already shared that it your approach is very "Peaty"
(Searching for you also led me to a thread about Matt Stone which I found very interesting... I didn't know what he was up to these days)
Would it be fair for me to guess, with your experience, that you would be more favorable towards white table sugar than dextrose? What's your view on this whole glucose-loading idea?
Hey, this is voice recognition
I had to leave work to meet an HVAC guy at the houseIt is 88° in our house and we had to send our kids elsewhere last night to spend the night as my husband and I toughed it out
So this guy is my priority, but I will not forget to go back to the forum and try to link relevant content here
Do I agree with glucose loading?
Absolutely
Ray talked about this from a liver and thyroid point of view vs brain healthIn the clip I have of him previously
he recommends a pound of sugar over three days
White sugar iircDo I agree with a supplemental dextrose loading?
I don’t disagree but I would never go that routeLet food be thy medicine and medicine be there food….
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I'm almost 3 weeks in on the glucose therapy. My body talks to me. It always has, and usually not in a nice way. I've been retracing every chronic symptom I've ever experienced, some I haven't had for decades. My energy level has improved so for someone with CFS which I've had for decades, this is a good sign I think. The science says I will be well following retracing. Time will tell!
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@S-Holmes While I am sure it is not always fun retracing chronic symptoms, I am glad you are feeling optimistic. And it is great to hear about your energy level. Good on you for listening to your body, and I hope the symptoms mean it is headed on a journey toward healing. As you say, time will tell. Thanks for the update, and continued good luck!
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https://raypeatforum.com/community/threads/is-it-hypothyroidism.38663/
See if you can find the complete version by piecing together some of these posts
Im now back at work
Best to you
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@S-Holmes said in Glucose loading cures everything?:
My energy level has improved so for someone with CFS which I've had for decades, this is a good sign I think.
That’s awesome to hear! May I ask how much you’re taking and how you are dosing it? I’m exploring some different things myself. After a wee crash I started upping the dose, but now I’m exploring scaling back, as I had more stable energy when I took less.
When I felt my symptoms increase, which for me comes with my blood sugar dropping faster, I first tried the same dose (3 tbsp), but more often. Yesterday I started doing a tbsp every hour instead, which will land me back around the original dose altogether. So far it feels nice, I slept better - and woke up refreshed again! Are you waking up refreshed, @S-Holmes?
I think some people have mentioned it in this thread already, but what else are you taking, specifically to support the glucose loading? I take a normal dose of B1 in the morning, and salt and cream of tartar for potassium during the day, which all seems to be helpful.
I also take magnesium, and use oyster powder and liver capsules, because I have a hard time getting both of those things fresh. Most of this I was already taking. Curious to hear what others are taking, and how much!
@jjk_learning said in Glucose loading cures everything?:
@gentlepotato That is very interesting. Is it the case that your levels hardly spike back on regular carbs too? Or is it only on this glucose protocol that the levels quickly go back to fasting levels or reactive hypo?
I never tested at home before I started the glucose, so I can’t say for sure. But I did a four hour glucose tolerance test in 2020, because I was certain something was off. They tested before I took the glucose, and then every hour. A similar thing happened; relatively normal levels (to low) for two hours and then it fell at some point before the third test was taken, which is what I thought it would show.
Because everything was inside the normal range my (then) GP concluded it was not an issue. Now that I know more about the metabolic system I understand the test results better, and the information was helpful when I started eating pro metabolic.
So I’m really not worried about the BG results, they show what I already knew. I am very curious what other people are finding though, if they are testing! When I found RP in 2021 I decided to avoid low blood sugar at all cost, and so I’ve used a lot of white sugar. Together with all the other markers I am using, monitoring BG levels is a tool I think can be helpful. It already has been; it was part of what made me think I should take glucose more often, but not as much. My plan when I get the continuous one is to explore the most beneficial sugar and carb intake atm, and explore what form(s) or what combinations works best for me right now. My glucose took some time in the mail, so the first week I just used more sucrose, and my sense is glucose overall works better for this purpose, for me, because it’s a monosaccharide. (Which makes sense if you read any research about neurological issues after TBI’s, but also other “glucose limiting events”, like viruses and vaccine injury, as there is an issue in the pathway that breaks down carbs.)
I just want to add here that as much as I appreciate Peat’s principles, I don’t think he understood chronic fatigue syndome (which is called ME in some countries, therefor often called ME/CFS in research etc). From what I understand he thought people were just hypothyroid, but the research is showing a much deeper dysregulation - and it makes sense to me that the usual hypothyroid interventions won’t necessarily be enough to reach homeostasis.
I have thought about eating pro metabolic as a very helpful and necessary “support wheel” for my body. Everywhere I have been able to I have supported, and so I have much fewer issues now. But it hasn’t solved the underlying metabolic issue, because I haven’t found a way to support the specific underlying issue. I think glucose loading can be that support wheel, and that this may heal the underlying problem.
If anyone is interested: ME/CFS research has been underfunded for years, however the mechanism is slowly being uncovered, and just this last week some research came out that talks about hypopituarism, low cortisol levels and hyperinsulinemia, after virus or vaccine; which sounds a lot like a virus/pathogen or vaccine being a glucose limiting event to me. In fact I suspect ME/CFS is a very extreme glucose limitation, and that having PEM (crashing) is in itself a glucose limiting event.
I’ve read Stephen’s book and so far I don’t have a sense he understands the underlying mechanism of glucose limiting events; however I’m not sure anyone truly does yet, and only very few people understand parts of it, or are researching it. But I still think he’s onto something using glucose instead of sucrose. All in all, my sense is that Ray Peat’s approach, research on neurological disorders, and Stephen’s approach seems to fit nicely together! I think following RP’s principles can heal lots of stuff in a body even with glucose limitations, and possibly may set you up for a smoother ride using glucose.
But the most important thing to me is how my body is reacting, and listening even more deeply to what my body says. For some other forms of sugar will be enough or even better, and for some of us glucose might be the missing piece. Since 2021 sugar has been a big part of my diet, and together with nutrient dense food, sugar has already helped heal my sleep, cycle, skin, pulse, BBT, mood, I maintain a nice weight (I was very underweight, so needed to gain, but after a while I wanted to loose a bit again), and according to my osteopath (a visceral one, who works on organs) my liver has healed since 20/21. My thyroid levels where sub optimal, primarily T3, and now they are all in range.
And yet my fatigue did not get better. I have lots of symptoms of hypopituitarism (mentioned in the research above). The first week, where I just had sucrose, I had more energy but it felt like my body was working very hard to break it down (though less hard than with polysaccharids, which is why I have used sucrose copious amounts). I think supplementing high dose of B1 alongside could have made a difference, but I honestly think switching to glucose is a better option.
With the first dose of glucose I felt a difference. It felt like two things in my brain was connecting, that hadn’t connected that way in years (maybe more than a decade). I feels like my brain is finally fuelled, and when I am resting, I am recovering. It’s a pretty absurd feeling, and it’s wild how fast it can change when I overdo activity (cognitive, as well as physical) or go without for too long - and how fast it can change back when I take an appropriate amount of glucose.
So far I’ve experienced deeper sleep and waking up refreshed (not waking up refreshed is criteria for ME/CFS). My circadian rhythm has gotten better as well, I finally feel tired at night. I’ve been measuring my pulse in the morning since ’21, and it also measures Sp%O2, which has mostly been below 95. Now it’s usually 98-99. I’ve also had more capacity, and even with more capacity I’ve experienced much less PEM (more symptoms after activity, which is the cardinal symptom of ME/CFS).
Yesterday I realized my hair is softer too, and I haven’t changed anything about my hair routine, but I’m gonna give it longer before I assume there’s a connection.
I’m excited to keep exploring, and grateful to have a community to explore alongside with. Keep sharing your explorations and revelations!
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@gentlepotato Great report! A lot of helpful info!
I seem to need less sleep, but it still takes a cup of coffee to get me going. Lately have been having an afternoon crash (retracing).and have to lie down. I just started taking 1 T of dextrose every hour. Too soon to know if it's making a difference.I take (too many) supplements. (I won't list them all here.) But with each dose of glucose I take a gram of C, 3 brewers yeast caps, and a bit of magnesium glycinate.
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@gentlepotato Thank you for sharing all this. What experience you have! I am glad you are finding such benefits from the glucose. Interestingly that previously your thyroid and liver healed, but your fatigue did not. It's very encouraging to hear that it is showing signs of improving on this glucose therapy.
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One thing that gives me pause is that this all rides on the word of Dr. Stephens (and those participating). And Stephens doesn't strike me as a bad guy, but I do wonder if he is naive in some ways. I forget which video I saw of him where he essentially says "There is no possible way glucose can be harmful to you".
While I can appreciate that perhaps he has seen some incredibly positive results, that is a very bold claim. Especially considering some reports I've seen from the relatively small number of accounts I'm following in regards to this protocol. (The most pertinent example is someone on RPF who is experiencing intense dental pain basically immediately upon beginning this protocol.)
All of that is to say: if, in my limited purview, I am seeing that report (and others of less significant harm/setbacks), how can Stephens say there is no way it can be harmful?
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@jjk_learning said in Glucose loading cures everything?:
One thing that gives me pause is that this all rides on the word of Dr. Stephens (and those participating). And Stephens doesn't strike me as a bad guy, but I do wonder if he is naive in some ways. I forget which video I saw of him where he essentially says "There is no possible way glucose can be harmful to you".
While I can appreciate that perhaps he has seen some incredibly positive results, that is a very bold claim. Especially considering some reports I've seen from the relatively small number of accounts I'm following in regards to this protocol. (The most pertinent example is someone on RPF who is experiencing intense dental pain basically immediately upon beginning this protocol.)
All of that is to say: if, in my limited purview, I am seeing that report (and others of less significant harm/setbacks), how can Stephens say there is no way it can be harmful?
I just essentially said the same thing on RFP, but what if our intense symptoms are simply due to a transient retracing of old symptoms? I'm just asking out loud, as I cannot say one way or the other. It definitely helps look at it with a glass half full approach (which I struggle with), but it also can be naive, as you point out. I have a phone call with Dr. Stephens today, and I am going to get his take. I too agree that it sounds awfully bold to claim that it all rides on this one simple sugar.
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@GlucoseOrBust Good luck on your phone call. And yes, I can see Stephens thinking very highly of this one simple sugar. Maybe rightfully so! But to say it cannot do harm... especially considering what we've just seen DanDare go through... that's where it doesn't add up (to me).
Again, best of luck; let us know how it goes.
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@GlucoseOrBust How did you get an appointment with him? I've been trying for 2 weeks. We exchanged a couple of short emails and now it's crickets. Following his offer of a consultation, I've sent 3 messages requesting first available date and time and have received no response.
