How can diet support postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome?

What is PoTS? Postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome is a condition involving dysfunction of the autonomic nervous system. The autonomic nervous system regulates functions that should occur automatically without our conscious input. These functions include blood pressure, food digestion, heart rate, and temperature. When these processes are disrupted, various symptoms can occur, significantly affecting day-to-day living.

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How is postural tachycardia syndrome diagnosed?

Diagnosis is difficult because the variation of symptoms can make it difficult to spot. If you have symptoms that suggest PoTS, your GP will check your blood pressure and heart rate before and after you stand up. They will look for an increased heart rate within ten minutes of standing without a significant drop in blood pressure. The gold standard for diagnosing PoTS is the Tilt Table Test.

What are the symptoms of postural tachycardia syndrome?

Some of the most common PoTS symptoms include fainting, lightheadedness, palpitations, fatigue, and intolerance to exercise. These are caused by problems regulating blood flow and heart rate. Sleep problems, temperature changes, headaches and shakiness are also common symptoms.

Issues with blood flow to the brain can also cause neurological symptoms, including brain fog and difficulty concentrating. However, because the autonomic nervous system also controls digestion, gastrointestinal symptoms are also common. These can range from nausea to constipation or loose bowel movements. PoTS are a varied collection of symptoms that indicate an underlying problem.

What causes postural tachycardia syndrome?

Causes of PoTs are varied, and understanding potential underlying causes can help with symptom management. There is often an autoimmune link, where the immune system targets the autonomic nervous system. Many clients report sustained periods of stress before the onset of symptoms. Likewise, some have reported physical stressors like surgery, illness including viruses like Covid or exposure to toxins, including heavy metals. Occasionally, overactivity of the sympathetic nervous system causes some dysfunction by increasing anxiety and blood pressure.


How can personalised nutrition help with postural tachycardia syndrome?

Personalised nutrition can help with PoTS in several ways. The autonomic nervous system relies on essential nutrients to function effectively, sub-optimal levels or deficiencies in any of these nutrients can worsen symptoms. Nutrients important for nerve health like B vitamins, vitamin E and essential fats, can affect nervous system function. Working with a nutritionist will help identify if any deficiencies or imbalances are contributing to your symptoms.

Nutritional programmes can also support the immune system, finding strategies to manage the over-triggering of the immune system that can lead to autoimmunity. Identifying sub-optimal nutrient levels, managing inflammation, improving sleep and supporting the growth of beneficial gut bacteria can all play a part in symptom management.

Personalised nutrition approaches allow us to assess an individual’s triggers and imbalances. This can include assessing the impact of stress and blood glucose levels on adrenal hormones, checking thyroid function, and identifying food intolerances and potential allergens, as these can contribute to symptoms by triggering histamine release and inflammation.

What dietary changes are important for postural tachycardia syndrome?

Generally speaking, if you struggle with PoTS, you will want to avoid having larger meals. Instead, choose to eat more regular, smaller meals. This avoids large amounts of blood being diverted to support digestion, as this could worsen your symptoms.

Similarly, meals high in starchy carbohydrates or sugar can also worsen symptoms in some individuals. This can be for several reasons: diversion of blood flow, problems with processing blood glucose effectively, and a high carbohydrate meal can trigger blood vessels to widen. Meals higher in protein and healthy fats are unlikely to have the same effect. With this in mind, decreasing sugar intake and increasing protein is preferred.

Adequate hydration is essential if you are struggling with PoTS symptoms, as this will increase blood volume. Drinking sufficient water will raise seated blood pressure, reducing symptoms. Some people find adding water or electrolytes to water can help, too. However, this should be avoided if there are issues with kidney function.

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The views expressed in this article are those of the author. All articles published on Nutritionist Resource are reviewed by our editorial team.

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Birmingham, B13 8JP
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Written by Sarah Hanratty
location_on Birmingham, B13 8JP
Sarah is an experienced practitioner at the Brain Food Clinic specialising in physical, mental and cognitive well-being.
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