This isn't paleo thought that I'm about to espouse... Nor is it biology or nutrition. But here we go regardless...

I think that our physiology and our emotions are tied together in more ways than we realize. I think that sometimes when our bodies are purging phsycially, we can begin to purge emotionally too. Emotions that we've been harboring can to come to the surface to be dealt with and discarded.

This has happened to me each time that I've done a fast. And almost every time that I've "come back" to paleo, I've had a few days of "ugh" before the euphoria of feelin' goooood. The first time I tried paleo (I did a hard core switch), I had a few WEEKS of "life-is-horrible" before my body leveled off and I realized how good being human feels.

But regardless of whether it's nutrition or carb related or whether your emotions and physiology are actually in tune, I suggest that you push past the anxious feelings and break on through to the other side! It's worth it!

My layman's understanding is that your body needs cortisol for gluconeogenesis (turning protein into glucose). It makes sense to me that if your blood glucose levels are low, you would secrete more cortisol to counter it. This higher cotrisol level would then cause stress/anxiety symptoms.

This then would be more a symptom of a low carb diet, rather than a strickly paleo one.

If anyone could provide backup or disprove this theory, I'd appreciate the enlightenment.

I recall the anxiousness back early when switching to paleo. In looking back, I think it is the body recoiling from being starved for the processed foods that turn into sugar and the sugar you were accustomed to eating. Sugar addiction!

Stay the course with low carb paleo lifestyle and you will lose any weight you want to shed and be sure to supplement with Vit D3...which helps change ones outlook on life.

Yes, and I was told it was adrenaline surges, and should decrease over time. It has, a little. Caffeine makes it worse.

It's funny you mention that, as I've been wrestling with the same thing the last two days. Started Paleo the 4-5 weeks ago. Took an extra Magnesium tonight per something that I gleaned from another post tagged 'anxiety'.

How many carbs are you eating?

I can't say I've gotten anxious on a paleo diet specifically, however I am slowly coming out of hypothyroidism, and going paleo has hastened my recovery.One of the side effects of my thyroid leveling off has been anxiety; according to my naturopath, this is natural as my body learns to work with an increased metabolism. I have just had to take it slow, and I can truly say that the anxiety passed within a week. I don't know if This helps you in your situation, but I would say hang in there! It's worth it!

Rather the contrary; since going Paleo I've felt pretty darn serene. Positively zen, in fact.

I have suffered from anxiety issues requiring medication in the past, which turn out to have been attributable to a high-stress job and a desk twenty seconds away from the free coffee. After changing employers and cutting back from eight to ten cups of coffee over a ten to twelve hour workday to an occasional cup, the anxiety seems to have resolved itself...

Im glad I found this website. I could not explain what was causing my anxiety the first day I started paleo. i resolved in eating some "old refined" foods to make it go away. The feeling was awful (felt lite headed and anxious) and being at work I could not afford to feel anxious. I also felt some discomfort in my chest area which could come from the work out earleier this morning. Feeling better now and I think I'll have to switch gradually to paleo diet by slowly adding paleo food to my diet and removing "old refined" types of food. This will be my second attempt to get on it so wish me luck. I'll keep you posted how it goes. Good luck everyone!

I've found that if I fall off the paleo wagon and eat some gluten, I get anxiety the following day. I think it is related to gluten for sure. But when going Paleo initially, the body adjusts in any number of ways as it gets used to not getting the sugars, and artificial garbage it has been getting fed for years.

Stick with the diet. The adjustment period will pass, the anxiety will fade, and you'll feel like you were shot out of a cannon!

I have started Paleo 5 days ago I have also dealt with anxiety issues for 10 years. The 2nd day on Paleo I had a horrible anxiety attack and went looking for the cause. Anxiety can be caused by low blood sugar, after I read this I had a piece of melon and I immediately felt better. Worth a try for the rest of you if nothing else seems to work.

I was doing low-carb/paleo for 3 strict months and my anxiety/insomnia were through the roof. I cut caffeine, artificial sweeteners, anything that could be a stimulant and it only got worse. I tried adding a potato at night before bed (Potatoes Not Prozac), and that didn't touch it. I was getting 3 hours of sleep at most for a week straight and I could feel the anxiety tighten my chest all day long. Finally, I stumbled across a blog that mentioned those with a history of anxiety need something in grain products to help their transmitters...well, transmit. I bought some low-carb tortillas and wraps (about 6-8 carbs per wrap), made sure I had 2 a day, and I was suddenly all better, especially with a small potato about an hour before bed. The anxiety is gone, I sleep better, and I'm still low-carbing and losing weight. However, I am off caffeine completely, with a Diet Coke here and there for the occassional rough night's sleep. Apparently, people with a history of PTSD and anxiety attacks just need some grain. Hope that helps and I hope you feel better.

Low carb gives me serious anxiety, throw some potatoes in the mix

I too had a crazy level of anxiety for about a month and the past two/three days it seems to have gone. Almost all through the work day, I would have this anxious fire in my belly. Before bed, I couldn't get to sleep because of that anxious feeling. I couldn't figure out the cause. I moved things around in my diet, I tried more sleep, and then I got anxious about feeling anxious. If it's gone for good, then I am going to be extremely happy. That was a crappy spell. (note - I've been paleo for 4 months and this started in the 3rd month).

My spouse had this before he realized he needed to avoid gluten, even small amounts. So it could be some kind of food intolerance (he reacts similarly to eggs) but the adjustment theory is more likely, fortunately.

I do not know if this sort of thing is more likely to happen on a low carb diet; perhaps google "adkins flu"?

I'm a year strict on Paleo now(cause I currently can't afford to 'cheat'),take all the standard mentioned (&more) supplements and still feel anxious throughout the day...which slowly start to fade away in the evening by the time I need to go to bed.Throughout the day I'm not that hungry,but by evening I can get really hungry and feel that I could keep on eating,to the point my stomach hurts.I also sometimes can keep on thinking about food.

Most days I feel lethargic during the day,especially when it comes to prepping&cooking meals. Bc of disease I have many intolerances,so I'm even more restricted. I hate that this 'lifestyle' requires so much work,yet doesn't make me feel better.

I already had this twisted relationship towards food/quantity&exercise and,sorry to say but Primal made it even worse,....always thinking&fearing I'm gonna be fat again/that I'm not doing enough(obsessive thoughts caused by the anxious feelings)...while all I actually want is to be able to do what I'd love to do(which requires sitting the entire time)...Enjoy Life....but these anxious feelings prohibit me from sitting down&creating what I want. Sometimes I feel so lethargic,that I think "I might as well give into the 'bad harmful stuff'.If I'm not able to workout and fear getting fat again,I might as well enjoy 'the happy thoughts' it gives me and get fat....and feel like 'a normal person again'.

I've always wondered "How come most sedentary artistic people are so lean,yet don't workout and eat what they want?" How I'd love to be able,to be like that!No more thinking of exercising/moving enough,eating what I'd feel like and be able to guiltlesly enjoy it,stay lean and be able to do what I love! ...maybe I'll get lucky in a next lifetime

Since you ask if it "goes away" it sounds like you are experiencing a more physical body type of anxiety rather than anxious thoughts.

could be caffeine, could be your fat intake is too low, could be you have more energy and cooping it up is causing it to become a feeling of "anxiousness".

I have been on paleo for six weeks, and have had horrible anxiety. I have to eat small amounts of xanax to get through work. I am concerned that the lack of complex carbs is to blame. It seems to be worse if I have an especially low carb day. I am going to up the carbs for a few days and see what happens. Maybe some bodies need more complex carbs to keep their brain chemicals stable? I can definitely trace this to the diet, though, as I had no such symptoms before I started eating Paleo. And it seems that this far into the diet "carb flu" should have passed.

I didn't have anxiety, but the first week or so I had trouble getting to sleep.

I have been eating paleo for 9 days. I have a history of anxiety (also depression). During the first 5 days of this diet I was very tired, unfocused and definitely felt like I was going through "carb withdrawal" - it was a flu-like sensation. That has mostly passed, but now I am anxious - the kind of anxiety that feels like it originates in my body (which is where I believe all anxiety originates), which is definitely worsened by caffeine. For example, I went to see a movie yesterday and got a diet coke and halfway through it I could feel an intense rise in my anxiety level. Also, the last few nights I am not falling asleep as easily as I usually do.

Due to the fact that last week as the week leading up to my period (which is almost over right now), there are numerous possible chemical explanations. Since I am not an endocrinologist, I can't begin to sort them out. All I know is that I like the way this diet stabilizes my blood sugar because I no longer have "cravings" to eat but instead eat out of what feels like more normal appetite or hunger. That is very, very good. On the other hand, feeling anxious is fairly unpleasant and I don't think that's how we are meant to feel. I know that if I ate more carbs my anxiety would improve, but that would also kind of negate the purpose of the pale diet and it would also cause me very real anxiety about losing the weight (fat) I need to lose. It's probably fine to eat some fruit or a sweet potato or daily occasionally but I don't want to use those foods to feel non-anxious, because that course would be little different from my prior behavior of eating chocolate, bread, pasta, rice etc to feel non-anxious.

I have come to no conclusions as to why I feel this way or what to do, except that obviously caffeine is not a good idea. The cortisol theory, above, seems to be a good place to start researching.