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When I wake up in the morning I am ridiculously thirsty. Before paleo, when my sugar was sometimes high (120-ish) I would occasionally wake thirsty. Now every morning, when I haven't seen my sugar over 95 in I don't know how long, I feel like I slept with a sponge in my mouth sucking up all possible water out of my system. This happens even on days when I drink over a gallon of water throughout the day. I think this has been worse since I started taking magnesium (Natural Calm), but I don't know for sure. My wife (also paleo) reports similar thirstiness.

1) Does this happen to anyone else? What do you do about it?

2) Do you think this could be related to the magnesium? If so, is there a way to still take it at bedtime (for the sleep effects), and not have it happen?

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4 Answers

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I can't wait to see answers to this one. I've been experiencing the exact same thing (but without supplementing magnesium). I'm still drinking a respectable amount of water per day (80+ oz?) like prior to starting Paleo (just a couple weeks ago), but it seems that I now often have cottonmouth when I didn't before. I feel MUCH better eating Paleo and don't intend to turn back, but would love to get around the perpetual thirst.

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I hope that you get an answer too, but my thirst couldn't really be considered perpetual (I drink a lot during the day). Mostly just when I wake up. – Eric Jul 1 2011 at 11:34
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It could be due to dry air, especially if you are a mouth breather. A humidifier might help if that is the case.. Also maybe wearing a nose strap at night will help you breathe through your nose

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Personally, I find this happens when I dont get enough fat/carbohydrate in comparison to the amount of protein i just ingested/ate throughout the day. Like earlier today for example, I got three sides of chicken from the Asian restaurant at the mall and went thru the whole box. I sprinkled some olive oil on it thinking it was enough, but in the middle of talking to some students in the computer lab, i realized i was running out of spit, and talking was becoming difficult. I took repeated trips to the water fountain, but to no avail. so, remembering a bottle of olive oil i had in the car, i took a trip to the parking lot and drank about as much as i could comfortably. and before you know it, cotton mouth was gone, lips unchapped and regained moisture, and i was back in a comfortable mood.

Since most of you are on the low carb end, you need enough fat to make up for the energy you need to get thru your day as well as digest that protein. i think the safe side is keep the ratio of protein to fat 2:3, although from what im learning about my body this is still too low.

Best of luck

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I definitely exceed the amount of protein they say you should have. Maybe I need to put more thought into adding additional fat to my meals and scaling the protein back. – Eric Jul 1 2011 at 11:33
Either or. Whatever is most feasible and natural for you. if your able to eat more fat along with the amount of protein you already do, then try that. if you cant stomach it all, then yes, do what you suggested instead. p.s. remember, part of being paleo is also eating an amount of food which will benefit you. making yourself sick just to gain additional pounds or lose pounds in my book is not "paleo" – OptimusPrimal Jul 1 2011 at 18:36
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I can tell you Natrual Calm does make you thirsty. I have to down another glass of water after drinking a cup with 1/2 tsp of Natural Calm.

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