Are Oxalates Driving Your Pre-Menstrual Mood Swings?

Could high oxalates be to blame for your anxiety and PMS symptoms?

If you’re experiencing pre-menstrual symptoms such as mood swings, fatigue, increased pain and insomnia, oxalates may be the underlying cause.

What are oxalates?

Oxalates are a molecule found in plants. It is sharp, like glass. In plants, you’ll find it bound to minerals such as calcium.

Plants use oxalates as a form of protection for the plant, which is why you’ll find them in plants that are grown in windy or high-altitude areas. They also help to draw minerals from the soil up into the plant.

Unfortunately, they don’t serve any purpose or benefit for the human body. In fact, our bodies don’t know how to metabolise them.

For some people, oxalates are not a problem. But for others, it can lead to a variety of issues and symptoms.

Common sources of oxalates

The most common source of oxalates is through the diet. We consume plants, and many plants contain oxalates.

Unfortunately, this can be a problem. Firstly, oxalates bind to calcium in the plant, so when you’re eating a green leafy salad, you’re not getting as much calcium as you think.

Secondly, it also binds to other minerals such as copper and iron. This can lead to additional deficiencies.

Another common source of oxalates is mould. If you’re living in a house that has black mould, it can increase your levels.

A lesser-known source of oxalates is vitamin C supplements. Some people are fine with taking high doses of vitamin C. But if you take vitamin C and notice some of the symptoms linked to high oxalates, it may mean your kidneys and bowel are not processing them efficiently.

We can also have oxalates produced internally by yeasts such as candida. If there is an overgrowth of candida, it can increase oxalate levels in the body.

How oxalates are linked to hormone balance

There are several impacts that high oxalates can have on hormone balance.

The first is the depletion of sulphur. Sulphur is needed for a detox process in the liver known as sulfation. Sulfation is needed to process and detoxify chemicals such as paracetamol, BPA and xeno-oestrogens. It also is used to eliminate excess sex hormones such as oestrogen.

If this process doesn’t work optimally, there can be a build-up of excess hormones, leading to oestrogen dominance.

Adrenal hormones can also become depleted due to lower sulphur. Our adrenal hormones require sulphur as a building block. If oxalates are depleting sulphur, it can lead to a deficiency in DHEA and cortisol.

Oxalates can also affect thyroid hormone levels. A healthy gut is needed to produce good levels of active thyroid hormone T3. If there is leaky gut present, it will be difficult to make T3.

Oxalates could be a trigger for leaky gut. Leaky gut also increases the absorption of oxalates and other problematic substances into the body. This becomes a vicious cycle.

There is also evidence that when the thyroid is dissected, oxalate crystals are present in those who had thyroid issues. The crystals build up and cause problems in the thyroid tissue. This is why hypothyroidism and Hashimoto’s often go along with oxalate issues.

Who is at risk of oxalate issues?

There are a few specific groups that are more likely to have problems with processing oxalates in the body. These include:

• People with MTHFR – their levels can build up as they struggle to detoxify the body. This may explain why people with MTHFR are more likely to have kidney issues

• People who have had their gall bladder removed – the gall bladder is one of the most important organs for detoxification. Without a gall bladder, the body has to prioritise what to detoxify. This can lead to a build-up of toxins, hormones and oxalates.

• People with candida overgrowth – candida can make oxalates. This can lead to a vicious cycle between candida, oxalates and oestrogen dominance. The candida creates oxalates, which causes an oestrogen build-up, and this feeds into candida.
  This is why many women have a flare-up in candida symptoms such as thrush, dandruff, digestive issues and sugar cravings during their luteal phase.

Symptoms of oxalate build-up

How can you tell if oxalates are a problem for you? Look out for symptoms such as:

• Anxiety and mind chatter

• Insomnia

• Sharp pain in the body, particularly eye pain, joint pain, foot, genitals or hand pain

• Headaches

• Fibromyalgia symptoms

• Mucous membrane irritation, swelling and pain

• Chronic fatigue

• Kidney stones

• Recurrent UTIs or urinary tract pain

• Asthma

• Candida symptoms

• Hormonal imbalances, particularly oestrogen dominance and low testosterone

• Low DHEA levels – this is caused by low sulphur levels

It’s important to note that not everyone will experience these symptoms. We all have different tolerance levels, so what may be too much for one person is fine for another.

The histamine link

A common question I get is ‘what is the difference between histamine intolerance and oxalate sensitivity?

The biggest difference is in the symptom picture. With histamine, it is an immune response. This leads to heat, redness and itchiness. These symptoms will improve with anti-histamines.

On the other hand, oxalate issues are more painful, with stinging and burning sensations. They also won’t respond to anti-histamines.

Both sets of symptoms are more likely to flare up during the luteal phase of your cycle.

However, there is a link between the two. High oxalates can deplete DAO, the enzyme that breaks down histamine. This allows histamine levels to build up. So you may end up with both sets of symptoms if oxalates are an issue.

How to reduce your oxalate load

There are 3 simple steps you can take to reduce symptoms of an oxalate build-up.

Reduce your intake of oxalates

The simplest way to reduce your oxalate load is to reduce your intake of the high oxalate foods, particularly during your luteal phase. These include:

• Chocolate

• Cacao

• Coffee

• Spinach

• Legumes

Instead, focus on plenty of low-oxalate ingredients such as:

• Fish

• Pastured meat

• Bananas

• Green apples

• Cabbage

• Celery

• Broccoli

• Cauliflower

• Cucumber

• Mushrooms

Consider supplements

There are a few supplements that may be useful for relieving symptoms of high oxalate levels.

Vitamin B6 – this nutrient is great for symptoms of pain and anxiety. Oxalates deplete B6, which may explain why taking it can help with PMS symptoms.

B6 is particularly useful for people who have low zinc or pyrrole disorder. The dosage for relief of symptoms is typically between 50-200mg.

Calcium citrate – as we’ve mentioned, oxalates bind to calcium and prevent absorption. But calcium can also help to counteract oxalates. This is why it’s a go-to supplement for PMS and pain symptoms.

If you’re unable to cut out your favourite high-oxalate foods, you might want to take calcium with it to minimise symptoms. If you tolerate dairy, you can also consume it alongside high-oxalate foods.

Magnesium – like calcium, magnesium is depleted by oxalates, but also counteracts it. A good form to take is magnesium chelate. It also helps with many other factors that impact on our hormones. I often recommend 500mg of magnesium as a starting point.

As always, it’s best to seek personalised advice from a qualified naturopath or nutritionist about the best dosage for your needs.

Address your gut health

Given the impact that oxalates can have on gut health, it’s important to support the gut.

One step you can take is including probiotics that break down oxalates and prevent leaky gut from occurring. There is evidence that shows Lactobacillus Plantarum is able to degrade oxalates.

If you have a candida overgrowth, this will also need to be addressed. Otherwise, you could end up stuck in a loop of oxalates, candida and high oestrogen.