Are Sugar and Xylitol Behind Your Oxalate Problem?
Here's how to know if carbs or sugar alcohols are behind your oxalate problem and what to do about it.
Oxalate is a mitochondrial toxin that inhibits pyruvate carboxylase, which is necessary for gluconeogenesis and the citric acid cycle, and pyruvate kinase, which is needed for glycolysis. High-normal levels of oxalate inhibit citric acid cycle activity by 48%.
This means oxalate could be sapping your energy and causing your blood sugar problems.
Oxalate is also a powerful inhibitor of D-lactate dehydrogenase. D-lactate is a normal intermediate in human energy metabolism but if it increases in circulation it is neurotoxic and an impairment in its clearance could raise methylglyoxal levels, which would contribute to diabetes and cardiovascular disease.
Oxalate levels in autistics are tripled, suggesting oxalate may contribute to the neurological dysfunction of autism.
As covered below, oxalate crystals have been found in human brains, offering an explanation for neurological effects that go beyond metabolic disturbances.
Oxalate also inhibits the delivery of iron to cells. It has been suggested that oxalate rises high enough to cause anemia in autism.
Oxalate also causes kidney stones. Oxalate kidney stones can probably be largely prevented by maintaining urine pH at 6.5 or slightly higher, providing oxalate levels stay within the normal range.
Sally Norton collected anecdotal reports of oxalate sensitivity in her book Toxic Superfoods. They include trouble swallowing, acid reflux, and other types of gastrointestinal distress; fatigue, weakness, brain fog, trouble with bodyweight, slow healing; rashes, migraines, hot flashes, cold intolerance, arrhythmias, respiratory problems, light sensitivity, clumsiness, spasms, stiffness, joint problems, or bleeding gums; watery, itchy, or dry eyes; ringing or buzzing in the ears; genital and pelvic discomfort including pressure, soreness, itching, redness, blistering, or stinging; incontinence, and cloudy, sediment-filled, or powdery urine.
You may come across high oxalate levels on a Genova ION + 40 if you are using the Comprehensive Nutritional Screening.
I recently covered how seed oils might be behind your oxalate problem, and how biotin, folate, and B12 might help in oxalate detoxification, in these articles:
In this article we talk about whether carbs could be causing your oxalate problem and whether sugar and sugar alcohols could making an independent contribution.
Glucose can be converted to oxalate. Fructose and sugar alcohols have peculiarities in their metabolism that may strongly influence the degree to which they are converted into oxalate. Yet, carb restriction could under some circumstances enhance the synthesis of oxalate. So, some people may find their oxalate goes up from eating carbs, while others may find it goes up when they restrict carbs.
In this article we look at how to know if carbs, sugar, or sugar alcohols are behind your oxalate problem and what to do about it.
This is educational in nature and not medical or dietetic advice. See terms for additional and more complete disclaimers.