Restless Legs Syndrome (RLS) Discussion Board

Thank you for your response!

sarahpatto wrote: ↑

Fri Aug 12, 2022 1:28 am

I am interested in figuring out whether certain foods trigger RLS. Seems like a Sisyphean task since I have RLF every night and can't imagine where to start eliminating foods. I will check out the FAcebook group mentioned but if anyone has any advice about how to embark on this please let me know.

You may have to eliminate a lot of stuff to see effects. For example, a low oxalate diet will eliminate most plant-based food. A paleo style diet eliminates all "modern" ingredients like artificial flavors, preservatives and emulsifiers. You'll find websites for most diets that list ingredients that are allowed (unlimited), partially allowed (up to certain amounts) and forbidden.

This means pretty much that you'll have to prepare almost all your food yourself from fresh ingredients, because most externally cooked or industrial food contains ingredients that you wouldn't expect (and may exacarbate RLS symptoms). But then, I have lived like this for a few years now and consider it a good thing, because no one really knows what these industrial ingredients do to us long term. But it certainly took a while to get used to.

@ Catcrazy23, sarahpatto, Restless Nana - - did you figure out how to try a new diet, how are you managing?
I have wanted to try a low-oxalate diet for years, ever since Jim first posted, but it would involve giving up a lot of my current diet (plants & nuts). My current diet is more or less paleo, and was responsible for a big reduction in my WED/RLS meds, so I'm reluctant to let it go. Maybe I am almost ready now, though. I'd love to hear how others are doing.

You people doing low oxalate diets have my respect! And I'm so happy it helps you.

I looked at the Facebook group and some other websites and it seems I gravitate toward high-oxalate foods. Chocolate, black tea (lots of iced tea), turmeric and other spices in my hot tea (ooling which isn't so bad except for the spices), almonds and almond flour, and large quantities of supplemental vit C.

I feel like I've reached a good place with a gluten-free low-carb diet, which helps manage my narcolepsy. I take a couple grams of vitamin C because of mercury toxicity from having a mouth full of amalgam fillings. I read that vit C converts to oxylate at about 50%. So right there is 1000 mg of oxylate per day.

Do you think the dietary oxylates bind iron and contribute to low ferritin? Apparently they bind to calcium and magnesium.

Hopefully someone will figure this all out eventually, but the we are all so different in how our bodies respond.

Hi Everybody.
Sally Norton has a new book coming out on oxalates. I have read some of her information and have found it very useful. I have not read this particular book but wanted to put it out there in case you are looking for more guidance.
Happy Holidays!
https://sallyknorton.com/toxic_superfoods/

SquirmingSusan wrote: ↑

Thu Nov 24, 2022 3:46 am

Do you think the dietary oxylates bind iron and contribute to low ferritin? Apparently they bind to calcium and magnesium.

It's worse, actually. It binds to iron and prevents iron release where it is needed, but the transferrin is high because oxalate replaces a carbonate group in the transferrin. So, there would be "normal" transferrin that can release iron, and "oxalate" transferrin that does not release iron. Which is a problem because transferrin is supposed to manage iron transport. So your iron lab values could be fine but the oxalate prevents the utilization of the iron.

See viewtopic.php?p=106505#p106505 and the linked paper https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/a ... 3604003523.