There is no one-size-fits-all diet for fibromyalgia, but avoiding certain foods like caffeine, yeast, gluten, aspartame, dairy, and fatty meats can help. Patients should also keep a food journal to identify trigger foods and eat a balanced diet.
There is a consensus in the medical community that diet can affect fibromyalgia and its symptoms, but there is insufficient scientific evidence to single out a single eating plan as the most effective for all patients. However, there are some general recommendations. For example, there are specific foods and food groups such as caffeine, yeast, gluten, aspartame, dairy, and fatty meats that, if avoided, are believed to have a positive impact on most fibromyalgia patients. An effective fibromyalgia diet can vary significantly from patient to patient, in part because the condition has different causes and manifests different symptoms in each patient.
An effective fibromyalgia diet should generally not include aspartame, an artificial sweetener known to aggravate symptoms. Aspartame is an excitotoxin that stimulates the opening of a specific pain receptor. The pain receptor affected by aspartame is believed to be overstimulated in fibromyalgia patients.
Caffeine is a stimulant that fibromyalgia patients may want to avoid as well. Soft drinks, chocolate, and caffeinated teas and coffees should be limited or excluded on a fibromyalgia diet. Although caffeine can temporarily increase energy, fatigue will eventually increase as the effect wears off. Caffeine consumption can produce a painful cycle of spikes and crashes in people with fibromyalgia.
A fibromyalgia diet may also involve reducing or eliminating yeast, gluten, and dairy. Milk in particular has been linked to fibromyalgia flare-ups. Some medical professionals believe that yeast stimulates the spread of a yeast fungus already present in the body that exacerbates joint pain. Since some fibromyalgia patients also have gluten intolerance, doctors may recommend eliminating yeast and gluten when possible.
Fatty meats are often substituted with lean meats, such as poultry or fish, in a fibromyalgia diet as well. Fibromyalgia patients may also be told to avoid alcohol, tobacco, and fried foods. Also, white sugar and flour can trigger symptoms in some patients.
Although many fibromyalgia patients have shown improvement by eliminating or reducing certain foods from their diets, it is equally important to eat healthy, balanced meals. Patients should not eliminate healthy, vitamin-rich foods from their diets if these foods do not cause any symptoms. Many patients looking for a fibromyalgia diet may find it helpful to keep a food journal. By recording what they eat and any changes in symptoms, patients can determine which foods trigger or alleviate their condition. What is effective for one fibromyalgia patient may be detrimental to another. Additionally, the foods to which a patient responds can provide insight into the identification of underlying health issues other than fibromyalgia.
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