Nutrition

  • We believe that our nutrition and diet can have a significant impact on symptoms, especially when navigating POTS with other co-occurring conditions such as MCAS and IBS, importance of proper nutrition, and the incidence of vitamin deficiencies (Blitshteyn, 2017; Coleby, 2022).

  • Given the role of inflammatory processes, and added significance when navigating various illnesses (especially those with suspected autoimmune components), it is really important for us to assess and monitor what we are consuming.

  • Research has continued to point towards the benefits of gluten-free diets for individuals in our community, even for those not diagnosed with celiac disease (Zha et al., 2022).

  • Some have also discussed the benefits of low-histamine diets for individuals with MCAS, but this is best decided when working with a dietitian or nutritionist familiar with your conditions, history, and symptoms.

  • We will say that we understand maintaining proper nutrition can be very difficult for some in our community with significant GI symptoms and other co-occurring conditions such as MALS and/or gastroparesis. We do want to speak to this as well, and recognize that maintaining adequate nutrition may involve supplementing or primarily using enteral (nutrition delivered via a tube into a part of your digestive tract such as your stomach or small intestine) or parenteral (nutrition delivered via a tube that bypasses your gastrointestinal tract and goes into straight into your bloodstream) sources of nutrition. This is an area that we plan to spend more time discussing in greater detail within our Meal Preparation/Nutrition section in time.

  • Individuals in our community may be significantly limited by what they can tolerate and should do what is recommended and best tolerated. For some helpful food preparation tips, recipes, and other information specific to this subject, see our Meal Preparation/Nutrition section that we are continuing to expand upon.

Sources:

Blitshteyn, S. (2017). Vitamin B1 deficiency in patients with postural tachycardia syndrome (POTS). Neurological Research, 39(8), 685–688. https://doi.org/10.1080/01616412.2017.1331895

Coleby, C. (2022, October). Non-Pharmacologic Treatment Overview. POTS & Beyond. Salt Lake City; Utah.

Zha, K., Brook, J., McLaughlin, A., & Blitshteyn, S. (2022). Gluten-free diet in postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS). Chronic Illness, 174239532210769. https://doi.org/10.1177/17423953221076984