DavidGardner
Member
- Joined
- Jul 1, 2015
- Messages
- 165
When I quit drinking two and a half years ago, I started having shakes, mainly in my left (dominant) hand. Initially, I concluded they were withdrawal symptoms. Then I put it off to a continuing GABA deficiency. Over a year passed and I started cutting back my caffeine consumption for unrelated reasons. As my caffeine intake decreased, the tremors actually worsened and became much more drastic and debilitating. Sometimes I would lose control of my entire arm and feel altogether uncoordinated. Somewhere at this stage I began coming across studies correlating essential tremor with meat consumption. Here is one such study: Dietary Epidemiology of Essential Tremor: Meat Consumption and Meat Cooking Practices. As an experiment, I began cutting out meat, which given my love of dairy and trying to save money, was not hard to do. The less meat I consumed, the less frequent and severe the tremors were. Whenever I would relapse and eat meat for two or three days consecutively, the tremors would worsen again. I have noticed this pattern consistently. Now it has been over a year since going mostly vegetarian and I very rarely eat meat. Only socially, and even then if I can find a way around it I do. Now the tremors are very few and far between.
During this time, I should note I went on lamotrigine and then quetiapine also, and gradually increased my caffeine intake to a pretty substantial amount again. The reason I think meat is the main factor in my recovery is because of how consistently and severely the tremors would start again whenever I ate meat two or more days consecutively.
I'm just passing this on, because this is a very common issue, especially with older people, and no one really mentions meat as a factor, even doctors. I think people would rather blame stress or caffeine because they are easier scapegoats. Americans love their meat for the most part and I think few are willing to live without it. Nonetheless, I think this important to consider.
Just my bit, I hope this is helpful to someone out there.
During this time, I should note I went on lamotrigine and then quetiapine also, and gradually increased my caffeine intake to a pretty substantial amount again. The reason I think meat is the main factor in my recovery is because of how consistently and severely the tremors would start again whenever I ate meat two or more days consecutively.
I'm just passing this on, because this is a very common issue, especially with older people, and no one really mentions meat as a factor, even doctors. I think people would rather blame stress or caffeine because they are easier scapegoats. Americans love their meat for the most part and I think few are willing to live without it. Nonetheless, I think this important to consider.
Just my bit, I hope this is helpful to someone out there.