Sugar, Caffeine and Alcohol – Their Part in Panic Attacks
Many studies have looked into the link between panic attacks and diet. Everyone knows that we can influence our physical and mental health by following a healthy diet. It’s a logical assumption to make that panic and anxiety disorders can be influenced also.
Our physical and mental health rely on a complex interplay of biochemicals which, if the body is left to its own devices and is nourished with natural products, works like a charm. When we interfere with the natural rhythms because it just doesn’t suit us to sleep early, nap at lunchtime or prepare nutritious meals, then the body’s natural processes don’t interact as they should.
There are three main culprits which increase anxiety and indirectly lead to panic attacks. They are sugar, caffeine and alcohol. All three influence the levels of adrenaline and lactic acid in the blood. High levels of lactic acid in the body can cause the body to release too much adrenaline which leads to heightened feelings of anxiety and can cause panic attacks.
In one study, two groups of people were injected with lactic acid – in the ‘normal’ group, there was no effect. In the group which was made up of panic attack sufferers, the injection triggered an attack. This illustrates the fact that some people are more sensitive to certain biochemicals and need to watch their diets and lifestyles more than others. It’s like the way some people can eat a lot without putting on weight whereas others seem to gain by just looking at a cream cake the wrong way.
The adverse effects of stimulants like caffeine and alcohol have already been given a lot of attention. For some reason, those people vulnerable to panic attacks and anxiety disorders are more sensitive to these substances and are more likely to experience attacks when they consume them.
One of the first things that panic attack sufferers are told is to gradually give up drinking caffeinated drinks like coffee, tea and sodas but be aware that there is also caffeine in some cold medicines and pain relievers. Alcohol causes the level of sugar in the blood to fluctuate. As lactic acid is generated when sugar is burned for energy, the level of this chemical builds up. Both the fluctuating levels of sugar and the increased level of lactic acid result in anxiety and irritability.
In the same way, a diet high in refined sugar can lead to increased anxiety levels and panic attack triggers. When sugar is consumed, the body releases insulin to decrease the level of glucose in the blood. When there is a lot of sugar ingested, the body overproduces insulin and the result is a state of low blood sugar or hypoglycemia; this then causes an adrenaline surge as the body tries to readjust to optimal levels. Again, as the body is flooded with adrenaline, it goes into panic mode.
Given that modern lifestyles promote the consumption of sugar, alcohol and caffeine, it’s easy to see how we allow ourselves to become unhealthy, both physically and mentally. These are not the only things wrong in our modern lifestyles that affect anxiety levels, but if you suffer from panic attacks then it’s worth cutting out these things for a start. At the very worst, you can only get healthier because of it.
