Just to update after numerous checks and tests nothing has been found but I paid to go private and saw a dietician and he said I’m definitely gluten intolerant, I have small pimples on my upper arms and that is a sure fire sign.
So since going GF almost 3 weeks ago, taking digestive enzyme tablets as my gut was producing too much stomach acid and too little at other times, a really good vegan multivitamin, psyllium husk powder for better transit of poop, and feel 100 million times better.
I am gluten free and if I drink coffee I get similar effects to gluten - this is common apparently.
I get sleepy if I eat carb heavy foods (sugars), it may be sugar sensitivity if not used to eating this kind of food. If I eat a bowl of oats (gf) I fall asleep too! It’s as if all my energy is taken up digesting the food.
I find that I am better grazing my food instead of eating big meals (this helps with IBS also).
I have exactly the same problem I love the idea of huel but I feel like it’s turning me off!
I have it in the morning and around 5pm and eat a normal lunch, get home from work and I physically cannot stay awake!
I don’t get on great with gluten but this is ridiculous, how much can there be in it? I wondered if also it’s the artificial sweetener? I’ve never had Diet Coke etc always choose sugar options as I don’t really trust artificial sweeteners
Yesterday I struggled so much to force myself to stay awake at work by the time I got home I was actually sick and then crashed and when I woke I couldn’t even open my eyes, it’s ruining my only time I get to see my husband
I want to try the gluten free unsweetened but I’m almost scared of huel now
@JamesCollier I’m having problems as well. I just started Huel (one scoop) two nights ago. Yesterday morning and this morning I had three scoops for breakfast but found I was still hungry and had an English muffin afterward. Yesterday at lunchtime I had a variety of healthy finger foods at a party and came home absolutely exhausted. I took a nap and woke up feeling shaky from exhaustion and stayed in bed for several hours. Today it’s the same story, only sooner. I even mixed my Huel with two cups of coffee but three hours later and I’m going to have to do my homework in bed!
Also, I have never had a vegan diet (still don’t) and I have no known food intolerance.
Hi @RhiLTC - sorry to hear you’re experiencing these issues. I can see now reason why you would if you’re in good health, especially with the extreme symptoms you’re describing. Are you just fatigued, or are you experiencing low blood sugar type symptoms like blurred vision, shakiness? How long after consumption do the symptoms appear and for how long do they last?
@JamesCollier Thank you for your response.
On Saturday, I had three scoops of Huel at 7 a.m., and an additional scoop at 10 a.m. I also had an English muffin and two cups of coffee in the morning, and a sandwich, some finger food (veggies, crackers, salami), and a slice of cake around lunchtime. I experienced a “crash” around 1 p.m. when I arrived home and stopped moving around so much. I stayed in bed for about 4 hours after that.
On Sunday, I had three scoops from 6-7 a.m. along with an English muffin and some coffee. I started experiencing fatigue around 9 a.m. I hypothesized that maybe I am just overeating and putting myself into a food coma. I drank three cups of herbal tea and held off from eating anything else until noon. I felt better by 10:30.
My symptoms were fatigue – my limbs felt heavy and I was not thinking clearly, and I had the overwhelming desire to go to bed. I did experience some shakiness on Sunday after I woke up from a nap in the afternoon.
This morning I plan to just have one scoop of Huel with a light, non-powdered breakfast.
Odd symptoms, even though with your high glycaemic foods like the muffin and crackers. The symptoms aren’t unknown for people ruching around and not eating regularly, but you don’t fit this and you don’t sound like you’re experiencing reactive hypoglycaemia.
Have you ever experienced anything like this before?
If you just have 3 scoops of Huel, do you experience the same?
One scoop alone this morning left me a bit hungry by 2 hours later but I was not tired. I’ll try two scoops alone (with coffee) tomorrow.
Please keep me posted
I had 2.5 scoops for breakfast, but it was spread out over about 3 hours. I had my first scoop at 6 a.m., but with two cups of coffee and all the water I needed to drink to get my lower digestive system working, I was very full. Two hours later and I finished another 1.5 scoops. Again I felt hungry but not urgently. I ate a Starbucks lunch of a steak-and-tomatillo wrap and a peach/passionfruit soda. I am a bit tired as of 3 p.m. but I think that has more to do with me having a particularly active and stressful day. I think this just has a lot to do with my metabolism. I have always been more of a “grazer” so a big morning meal is harder for me to process.
I have been 100% Huel for 3 days now.
I am type 2 diabetic.
Feeling very tired and having headaches.
Left my blood sugar meter in my holiday home so can’t check my levels right now. I am not worried about low bs - I’d like that and would cope with the tiredness - but I’m worried the tiredness and headache could be symptoms of high bs.
What can you tell me about Huel and type 2 (Metformin managed)?
I feel exactly the same. I feel completely worn out. I’m giving Huel a rest for a few days hoping to get some energy back. I had a headache every day as well. I don’t want to give up, but I hate feeling like this. I hope things change for you.
Hi I’d just like to update this (I’m the op) I found that it was just my lifestyle that was the problem coupled with not sleeping properly.
I used to add Espresso to Huel, not a good idea despite it tasting great. Being gluten intolerant strong coffee seems to cause issues. However, the main issue I found when having Huel (I’m having 1 GF Huel a day now), is I didn’t drink enough water. This led to headaches, fuzziness, sleepiness from the high and crash of caffeine.
While this is just my opinion, up your water intake when drinking/eating Huel or just in general. I drink around 4l per day now.
Definately watch your sleep and water intake. I know adding some salt has helped some people with headaches. Also I generally find physical exercise helps a lot with energy and a feeling of well being too. Hope you find ways that works for you
You are not the only one, I was experiencing the same symptoms when I was supplementing vitamin E, stop taking Huel until its fixed, start supplementing vitamin E to see if the symptoms will come back.
They should replace that synthetic vitamin E.
I haven’t heard of vitamin E causing sleepiness so I’d be interested to hear why you think it might be that.
All of the vitamin E in Huel is naturally occurring whether that’s from the ingredients or added.
It clearly does: D-Alpha Tocopheryl Acetate
“α-Tocopheryl acetate, also known as vitamin E acetate, is a synthetic form of vitamin E. It is the ester of acetic acid and α-tocopherol.”
No, you’re mixing d-Alpha Tocopheryl Acetate (natural) with dl-Alpha Tocopheryl Acetate (synthetic). Source.
I was taking# D-Alfa-TocoferolSo the result is the same.
The amount of vitamin E is only 125% of the RDA. It’s possible if you were taking a high dose supplement it was causing these issues. Do you know the dose of the supplement you were taking?