Constant Insatiable Hunger, Extreme Stress, And Brain Fog All For 7 Years Now

[Dan77]

21 year old male.

At the age of 14, I was a normal guy. The very next day my life changed. I had CONSTANT hunger and had to eat every single hour or else I was in for massive brain fog and trembling stress/depersonalization with blurry vision.
I could eat 2 steaks and a burger, then the very next meal be absolutely starving.
I could eat 5000 calories of food, and still feel hungry.
This is not diet-related because I have tried every diet there is with no help. something is wrong in my body. Some hormone,enzyme, chemical, something is not right....

Since then, nothing has changed. I've felt like this for years now and I'm sick and tired. Constantly feeling "wired but tired".

Doctor and I did a lot of testing. Everything normal.. Glucose normal, normal A1C, normal thyroid/iron/B12, EVERYTHING looks normal, yet i'm suffering.
The only thing not normal is my cortisol and c-peptide, both being high.

Any supplement that causes stimulation makes it all worse. Iodine, B vitamins, vitamin c, caffeine/coffee, creatine, tyrosine, and literally any supplement that's meant to "increase energy" makes it worse.

Could it be low GABA/High catecholamines? Nervous system related? Dopamine/serotonin? Hormones?

 

[Hans]

21 year old male.

At the age of 14, I was a normal guy. The very next day my life changed. I had CONSTANT hunger and had to eat every single hour or else I was in for massive brain fog and trembling stress/depersonalization with blurry vision.
I could eat 2 steaks and a burger, then the very next meal be absolutely starving.
I could eat 5000 calories of food, and still feel hungry.
This is not diet-related because I have tried every diet there is with no help. something is wrong in my body. Some hormone,enzyme, chemical, something is not right....

Since then, nothing has changed. I've felt like this for years now and I'm sick and tired. Constantly feeling "wired but tired".

Doctor and I did a lot of testing. Everything normal.. Glucose normal, normal A1C, normal thyroid/iron/B12, EVERYTHING looks normal, yet i'm suffering.
The only thing not normal is my cortisol and c-peptide, both being high.

Any supplement that causes stimulation makes it all worse. Iodine, B vitamins, vitamin c, caffeine/coffee, creatine, tyrosine, and literally any supplement that's meant to "increase energy" makes it worse.

Could it be low GABA/High catecholamines? Nervous system related? Dopamine/serotonin? Hormones?

Could be high copper. Copper is a cofactor for the enzyme that breaks histamine down (histamine promotes satiety) and also the cofactor to the enzyme that converts dopamine to noradrenaline.
Have you ever tried zinc before?

 

[methylenewhite]

Check for IBD. I had exactly same symptoms. It's better now. Google for "IBD always hungry", "IBD blurred vision". That's possible explanation why any diet doesn't work for you. Your gut could be inflamed.

 

[Momentum]

Are you as hungry if you eat carb compared to protein? Does anything make you feel full longer?

 

[tara]

This is not diet-related because I have tried every diet there is with no help.

Impressed that you have managed to try every diet variant. :)
Want to post a cronometer shot of a recent typical or average day? When you say you can eat 5000 cals, do you mean this is typical?
Parasites considered/excluded?
Are you exceptionally lean or round?
Get regular movement of some kind? Or exceptionally active?
Body temps and resting heart-rate?
Any thyroid or other lab test results?
How's your breathing?
Getting sunshine on skin regularly?
UpH?

 

[Dan77]

Could be high copper. Copper is a cofactor for the enzyme that breaks histamine down (histamine promotes satiety) and also the cofactor to the enzyme that converts dopamine to noradrenaline.
Have you ever tried zinc before?

I took zinc for years. In fact, much of my hunger and brain fog started after zinc supplementation many years ago(a family member heard it was good for young teenagers and got me some), but I'm not sure if it was coincidental or not.... She gave me a bunch of B-vitamins, zinc, and other stuff, and that's when this hunger started hitting me bad. coincidence? correlation?

At first I felt great, but eventually it made me feel weak and terrible, and made my hunger 10x worse. Once I started taking copper, I felt stronger and generally better, which I'm assuming balanced the zinc, but did nothing for hunger.

 

[Dan77]

Check for IBD. I had exactly same symptoms. It's better now. Google for "IBD always hungry", "IBD blurred vision". That's possible explanation why any diet doesn't work for you. Your gut could be inflamed.

I have IBS, but it's such little concern right now compared to the hunger and brain fog. That's how bad my health is, that I forget I have a freaking other health conditions!

How did you fix yours?

 

[Dan77]

Are you as hungry if you eat carb compared to protein? Does anything make you feel full longer?

Only thing that makes me feel full longer is protein and fiber, and by longer i mean an extra 30 minutes of satiation. Carbs don't affect me.

 

[Dan77]

Impressed that you have managed to try every diet variant. :)
Want to post a cronometer shot of a recent typical or average day? When you say you can eat 5000 cals, do you mean this is typical?
Parasites considered/excluded?
Are you exceptionally lean or round?
Get regular movement of some kind? Or exceptionally active?
Body temps and resting heart-rate?
Any thyroid or other lab test results?
How's your breathing?
Getting sunshine on skin regularly?
UpH?

Average day would be: Red meat, eggs, milk, olive oil, bread, beans/lentils, etc.

5000 Cals is not typical, but I easily could on a really bad day. Sometimes I have days where the hunger is manageable, usually after a good night sleep. But even that's hard to get, hence vicious cycle.

Not sure about parasites, but I would not rule it out.
Yes, unfortautly exercise does not cure this.
I'm fat. Gained a lot of weight because of this.
Body temperature, feet, hands are all normal.

Lab tests? Yes.
NORMAL= Blood glucose, A1C, cholesterol, thyroid, liver, kidneys, electrolytes, iron and B12.
BAD= High cortisol, high c-peptide, high insulin.

Doctor thinks insulin is only high because I'm fat and eat a lot, that makes sense. However, the cortisol is high and lowers serotonin, which maybe is what is causing this excessive hunger in the first place?
I did try supplements to raise serotonin, and to my surprise the hunger went significantly down and I felt a lot normal, confirming the high cortisol/low serotonin connection. But I heard this supplement can cause serotonin syndrome so I stopped taking it in fear of the dangers.

 

[Hans]

I took zinc for years. In fact, much of my hunger and brain fog started after zinc supplementation many years ago(a family member heard it was good for young teenagers and got me some), but I'm not sure if it was coincidental or not.... She gave me a bunch of B-vitamins, zinc, and other stuff, and that's when this hunger started hitting me bad. coincidence? correlation?

At first I felt great, but eventually it made me feel weak and terrible, and made my hunger 10x worse. Once I started taking copper, I felt stronger and generally better, which I'm assuming balanced the zinc, but did nothing for hunger.

Too much zinc could lower copper what most likely happened to you. Low copper can contribute to leaky gut and absorption of endotoxins.
Endotoxins promote inflammation when promotes the kynurenine pathway (KP).
The KP pathway catabolizes tryptophan and creates neurotoxic metabolites.
It's speculated that inflammation lowers serotonin by lowering tryptophan availability. This might be why you felt better trying to increase serotonin. You might benefit a lot more from niacinamide, which lowers the KP and increases free tryptophan.

I was also wondering, because you said the onset of your condition was very rapid, did something traumatic happen to you/in your family during that period?

 

[Astolfo]

Try 5-ht2c agonist lorcaserine and see if it helps.

 

[somuch4food]

I have IBS, but it's such little concern right now compared to the hunger and brain fog. That's how bad my health is, that I forget I have a freaking other health conditions!

How did you fix yours?

I'd think IBS plays a role in your hunger and brain fog. Have you tried a low FODMAP diet?

 

[somuch4food]

Average day would be: Red meat, eggs, milk, olive oil, bread, beans/lentils, etc.

What about potassium sources? Any fruits and veggies?

 

[Kunstruct]

I took zinc for years. In fact, much of my hunger and brain fog started after zinc supplementation many years ago(a family member heard it was good for young teenagers and got me some), but I'm not sure if it was coincidental or not.... She gave me a bunch of B-vitamins, zinc, and other stuff, and that's when this hunger started hitting me bad. coincidence? correlation?

I recognize the blurry vision and stress with brain fog.


Many people report brain fog on Zinc on this forum, I am not sure why until this day this is not the first suspected culprit in brain fog and apathy.

Taking a bunch of B vitamins all at the same time did zero for me, rather created more issues. Rather try experience with individual vitamins if you really want to take Bs.

Try take a bit of copper 1mg or 2mg for several days and see how you feel, the same or better?

Also B1 200-300mg per day has been helping my brain fog, the same with trying to get rid of gut issues and pushing estradiol as low as possible, which the latter two are hard to keep in check for me.


Beans and lentils favor much gut discomfort and gas, I do not think these are helpful when having such issues that you have described.

 

[methylenewhite]

Too much zinc could lower copper what most likely happened to you. Low copper can contribute to leaky gut and absorption of endotoxins.
Endotoxins promote inflammation when promotes the kynurenine pathway (KP).
The KP pathway catabolizes tryptophan and creates neurotoxic metabolites.
It's speculated that inflammation lowers serotonin by lowering tryptophan availability. This might be why you felt better trying to increase serotonin. You might benefit a lot more from niacinamide, which lowers the KP and increases free tryptophan.

I was also wondering, because you said the onset of your condition was very rapid, did something traumatic happen to you/in your family during that period?

The Serum Concentrations of Zinc, Copper and Selenium in Children With Inflammatory Bowel Disease - PubMed

 

[gaze]

how much salt do you eat

 

[Dan77]

Too much zinc could lower copper what most likely happened to you. Low copper can contribute to leaky gut and absorption of endotoxins.
Endotoxins promote inflammation when promotes the kynurenine pathway (KP).
The KP pathway catabolizes tryptophan and creates neurotoxic metabolites.
It's speculated that inflammation lowers serotonin by lowering tryptophan availability. This might be why you felt better trying to increase serotonin. You might benefit a lot more from niacinamide, which lowers the KP and increases free tryptophan.

I was also wondering, because you said the onset of your condition was very rapid, did something traumatic happen to you/in your family during that period?

Fascinating. Do you think combining the Niacin with serotonin co-factors like tyrptohan, B6, methyl-folate, and magnesium, could help? I have high cortisol, and this apparently lowers serotonin as well, on top of what (we're assuming) is already low from inflammation and imbalances.
So, could this all just be low serotonin? I think I'll try this out...

My hair test showed that I had a high zinc/copper ratio, indicating I need more copper. I have taken copper supplements on and off for a few weeks + nuts/seed, so I think I'm good now. Hopefully.

Nothing traumatic at all. When I first took zinc years ago, I was euphoric. Amazing. A new person. Whatever it did, it was amazing. After a few weeks I rebounded, euphoria went away, and got the hunger/misery/terrible brain fog, and has stayed ever since for 7 years. To be honest, I did not want to blame those supplements, but I guess there is a correlation here...

In school all throughout my life, there were years where I had straight A's and was the smartest guy in the room, while other times I had brain fog and depersonalization....

So, I defiantly already had underlying imbalances, and those supplements triggered something.

SO.
Are there tests for the KP pathway? Or is this a trial and error type of thing?
Trytophan and niacin dosages?

 

[Dan77]

I'd think IBS plays a role in your hunger and brain fog. Have you tried a low FODMAP diet?

The IBS came later, far after hunger and brain fog. But I have not yet tried a low FODMAP diet, not sure if it would really help though. If I had bad bacteria wouldn't it be better to destroy it with anti-biotics than do a compensatory diet? Fiber is helpful and maybe not best to limit long term?

 

[Dan77]

What about potassium sources? Any fruits and veggies?

Yes. Diet is for the most part good. I also take Potassium citrate for an extra boost(extra 450 mg potassium daily)

 

[Dan77]

I recognize the blurry vision and stress with brain fog.


Many people report brain fog on Zinc on this forum, I am not sure why until this day this is not the first suspected culprit in brain fog and apathy.

Taking a bunch of B vitamins all at the same time did zero for me, rather created more issues. Rather try experience with individual vitamins if you really want to take Bs.

Try take a bit of copper 1mg or 2mg for several days and see how you feel, the same or better?

Also B1 200-300mg per day has been helping my brain fog, the same with trying to get rid of gut issues and pushing estradiol as low as possible, which the latter two are hard to keep in check for me.


Beans and lentils favor much gut discomfort and gas, I do not think these are helpful when having such issues that you have described.

Maybe it's because it affects iron and copper so much? In meat, it's always with accompanying co-factors, whereas supplement is highly isolated. Maybe.

I do occasionally take copper which makes me feel a lot calmer(good), but sadly does nothing for the hunger.
I did try B1 also. It was far to stimulating and made me hugrier....

Trust me my friend, I've tried tons of supplements with no avail. If I had a few thousand dollars to throw at medical testing, now that would be nice.