A lot of people find eating sugar increases RLS could this be a clue.
High-sugar diet dampens release of dopamine, triggering overeating
"On a high-sugar diet, we find that the fruit flies' dopaminergic neurons are less active, because the high sugar intake decreases the intensity of the sweetness signal that comes from the mouth," Dus said. "Animals use this feedback from dopamine to make predictions about how rewarding or filling a food will be. In the high-sugar diet flies, this process is broken—they get less dopamine neuron activation and so end up eating more than they need, which over time makes them gain weight.
Thanks for posting this Goldy, an interesting read.
I've read in this forum of many sufferers saying that eating excessive sugar can make their RLS worse.
I have no reason to doubt them. I've never experienced that myself, but then, I don't eat much sugar anyway.
Some go so far as to claim it's sugar that causes RLS which I find is going a bit too far.
I've also read some possible explanation as to why excess sugar may aggravate RLS. This includes a recent popular health web site which made several claims about the effects of sugar, some of which were nonsense.
I've not yet come across an adequate explanation why excess sugar makes RLS worse.
The study you provide a link to doesn't really offer any explanation.
To put this into context, dopamine, the neurotransmitter is used in various parts of the brain and nervous system to perform various functions. If there is a lack of dopamine in any part of the system, the effect of that depends on WHERE the lack is and what function that part performs.
An excess or lack of dopamine is associated with various conditions e.g. Parkinson's disease, addiction, ADHD and even schizophrenia.
RLS is only one condition which is associated with dopamine, although in fact it isn't due to a lack of dopamine, it's due to a problem with dopamine receptor sites in a particular part of the brain.
Dopamine is used in a part of the brain called the limbic system and one of its functions there is as part of the "reward" system. As the article you refer to identifies it plays a part in the sense of "satiation" or satisfaction. If there's a lack of dopamine in this area of the brain then, as the article states, someone may continue eating past the point when they're full because they don't feel satisfied. They can eat too much.
The study demonstrates that excess sugar suppresses the release of doapmine in this area and prevents satiation. People consequently eat too much,
This goes to show that if you eat too much sugar, you'll get fat!
It doesn't show that sugar causes RLS becasue it doesn't show that sugar suppresses dopamine in the area responsible for RLS.. It doesn't really demonstrate that sugar worsens RLS symptoms either or at least the connection is tenuous.
It is a great idea not to eat too much sugar, it's fattening (now demonstrated), it can promote diabetes and it rots your teeth. It may also make RLS worse.
Totally wrong I'm afraid. the metabolism of a fruit fly is nothing like that of a human being or even a mammal. Sugar actually triggers a release of dopamine in mammals, which is why sugar is so addictive, some say more addictive than heroin. The reason why we tend to over eat when we've had something sweet to start is because sugar suppresses leptin (the satiety hormone), so the body doesn't get the 'stop' signal soon enough as we are eating.
My goodness, I was a bit miffed that anyone would be paid to research into what causes fat fruit flies. Hadn't the researchers anything better to do? Like develop a vaccine for something.
I thought it might at least have some practical application, Now it seems it hasn't. Sad.
Those people that say sugar is more addictive than heroin are talking nonsense and should leave me in peace to inject my syrup.
I've often wondered since us poor sods are deficient in Dopamine for whatever reason, are sufferers of RLS more likely to engage in addictive and dangerous behaviours?
I know I've not engaged in addictive behaviours but I did get married and have kids so that would count as dangerous (and silly) behaviours
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