I know it is rather a controversial, not to say hugely divisive, subject for such a friendly forum and is probably on a par with soap-in-the-bed in terms of usefulness but my meds are kicking in and my inhibitions are lowered. I was prompted to look at research about Marmite after hearing unverified anecdotal accounts of a positive response by an alzheimer sufferer to a marmite inclusive diet (ok I heard it from my mother who is now force-feeding the stuff to my recently diagnosed father). Anyway, it turns out that in a randomised controlled very small study marmite had a positive impact on the concentration levels of a group of adults in their twenties. As I understand it (although not only am I not a scientist but I have the ability to retain scientific information commensurate with that of marmite to satisfy someone who is looking for something very sweet and not at all salty), the Marmite, which is packed with vit B 3, 6 and 12, increases the production of gaba in the brain. The gaba sort of tamps down the buzzy effect of its alter-ego glutamate and this means the consumer of the marmite is more focused.
The relevance of this for an RLS forum is: I read somewhere that, when tested, RLS sufferers were found to have higher levels of glutamate and there is a suspicion that Glutamate receptors may have some role in the condition. Also the insomnia dimension of rls could be connected with the over-production of glutamate and/or the under-production of gaba SO maybe we should all be eating Marmite, notwithstanding that, as someone posted in a 'how-to-eat-marmite' forum, it smells like all the sadness of the world packaged in a jar - it sort of looks like that too to me.
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involuntarydancer
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Thanks for the information. It opens up a new line of investigation into why I still occasionally get mild symptoms although I'm avoiding my known food trigger. But in the words of the pop song "I'll do anything, but I won't do that". Can't stand the stuff I'm afraid.
Wow! My guilty secret has been validated! For years at night when I find myself tossing and turning every which way my legs take me I often get up and make myself a marmite sandwich! I never fancy anything else. Perhaps it's time to try a vit b complex and save my marmite for breakfast toast! Very interesting. Thanks for posting!
I teaspoon daily is required. I fell (note past tense) firmly into the loathe-it camp but have discovered spreading it v thinly on toasted brown soda bread and topped with either avocado or a boiled egg and some piccolo tomatoes. It's actually delicious. It might work similarly with ryvita.
Ooooh, definitely in the love, love, love it camp. 💜💜💜
Trouble is Marmite contains yeast which is problematic for the gut microbiome balance. As my main condition is ME that is a big problem. One of the major issues with the condition is believed to be what is called 'leaky gut' which is related to an imbalance in the gut.
In fact I have ME, Fibromyalgia, RLS and functional neurological disorder and trying to find an appropriate healthy balanced diet between those conditions is a nightmare.
I wish I could include Marmite but I have to be so careful with yeast. This link might help explain the reasons why. chriswoollamshealthwatch.co...
Wow, Margaret, that is quite a collection of conditions. Sounds like you are between a rock and a hard place diet-wise. Air and water and the occasional lettuce leaf? You live long enough you see it all - I never thought I'd find myself grateful that I could have marmite in my diet!
Dear involuntarydancer. Your wit is nothing short of extremely charming! And although I have nothing to share that compares to your expertise with the English language, I loved what you had to say for I knew nothing about Marmite until your share. Thank you very much.
further to the marmite issue Inprefer Bovril which for reasons unknown is unobtainable in US. however it has given me a bout of RLS which further confirms we are all different Retren.
I urge EVERYONE to look at the PAS Conference on YouTube. Pernicious Anaemia or B12 Deficiency will create memory problems! and a whole host of misery for RLS sufferers. In the last few months I have been suffering with extreme exhaustion, breathlessness (or The Sighs as it is aptly described), memory problems, losing a lot of my vocabulary and not being able to find the work pear for instance and having to describe it instead. PLEASE PLEASE look this video and website up pernicious-anaemia-society....pernicious-anaemia-society.org . What is interesting is that although my b12 levels are now within the guidelines it didn't actually reflect how poorly I was feeling. What was more alarming was that up until; now my RLS had been controlled by Targinact and Lyrica but when my B12 levels got low my RLS became absolute hell! Because of lacklustre responses to my plight and having joined The Pernicious Anaemia Society and my husband reading every bit of information we can find, I am now self injecting B12 intramuscularly on a daily basis until my symptoms go. This is day four and I can report that not only are my energy levels up, I'm no longer shuffling along as I walk, the tingling in my hands and feet has quietened, the overall pain in my arms and legs is getting better and I'm altogether more hopeful for the future.
Marmite helps because of the B12, but you need to eat lots of it. Try high dose B12 tablets instead and then add Folate. Read everything you can about B12 deficiency, the struggles that peoples are going through to get a diagnosis, how many of us have decided to buy B12 injections from a German Pharmacy because we can't wait the years it will take for the NHS to sort out a test for B12 deficiency that actually works (none of them work at present).
In summary, my RLS broke through all my pain medications that had worked brilliantly until recently. I have been doing a "Loading dose" of B12 injections and this is day 4. My RLS has stopped breaking through. As they say in America "Go figure".
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