OK, this sounds weird, but when I eat anything that contains RAW onions I get super-sleepy (like it's going to rain). I have to pick onions off of burgers and such, to avoid crashing in the middle of the day. When onions are fully cooked (sauteed/fried) then I don't feel so bad afterwards. This probably doesn't relate to ADD but it might. It could be that onions make me dehydrated, but why doesn't everybody get tired from eating them? Has anybody else noticed this?

I am allergic to Onions I get this rash so I can understand the adverse reaction thing, but I can't eat them so my post really isn't much help. I just wanted to post because I understand.

OK, this sounds weird, but when I eat anything that contains RAW onions I get super-sleepy

That is really amazing to me. I do not experience this, and I happen to really love onions.

I would love to learn more about this. I've never heard of anyone experiencing anything like this from onions.

Have you ever experienced anykind of allergic reaction like mspen1018 described?

Yes, I have heard of onion allergies. I have also heard of people with fish allergies recently (new to me).

There are a lot of chemicals in onions: propenthial S-oxide (a sulfur compound that makes us cry), GCPS (another chemical), for starters

There are a lot of chemicals in onions: propenthial S-oxide (a sulfur compound that makes us cry), GCPS (another chemical), for starters

What chemical in onions causes sedation?

I've heard of onion allergies too, however I've never heard of anyone experiencing a sedating effect like the one described here.

It is quite common for people who mediate to become sensitive to onions, garlic and similar food (In addition to meet...).
I take it as a sign that it is bad, but most of us are not sensitive enough to notice

I think allergies can cause fatigue, but I'm not sure. Cooking the onion breaks down the protein. When you have an allergic reaction (instead of a sensitivity), your body is reacting to the protein. If those proteins break down when cooked, then you won't have as much of a problem.

I am not allergic to apples, peaches, pears or a couple of other fruits that make my mouth itch. However, they have a protein similar to birch or ragweed (I forget which). Since I'm allergic to those things, I react to the fruits. However, I only have the problem with raw fruit, not cooked. My allergist told me that this is because the proteins break down when it is cooked.

I love raw onions myself. :)

Interested in why they could make a person sleepy.
People with fructose intolerence are told to avoid onions according to this. (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18035330?ordinalpos=1&itool=EntrezSystem2.PEntrez.Pubmed.Pubmed_ResultsP anel.Pubmed_RVDocSum)
Another idea is fructan: "Vegetables with the highest quantity of fructans included garlic, artichoke, shallots, leek bulb, and onions". (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17625872?ordinalpos=2&itool=EntrezSystem2.PEntrez.Pubmed.Pubmed_ResultsP anel.Pubmed_RVDocSum)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fructan

Chocolate: 9.4%[3]

Onion: 1.1-10.1%[1]

Hmm that suggest chocolate would have to have the same effect in the amounts you likely eat. So fructan metabolism might not be it.


Another substance in onion is quercetin but its may even blocks substances involved in allergies. It mentions it can down-regulate histidine decarboxylase. (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18187018?ordinalpos=1&itool=EntrezSystem2.PEntrez.Pubmed.Pubmed_ResultsP anel.Pubmed_RVDocSum) Which makes me think anti-histamine like action.

Interesting histidine decarboxylase knock-out mice had a hard time staying awake. (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12196593?ordinalpos=6&itool=EntrezSystem2.PEntrez.Pubmed.Pubmed_ResultsP anel.Pubmed_RVDocSum)
mice lacking brain histamine are unable to remain awake, a prerequisite condition for responding to behavioral and cognitive challenges.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quercetin

Foods rich in quercetin include capers (1800mg/kg)[1], lovage (1700mg/kg), apples (440mg/kg), tea (Camellia sinensis), onions (higher concentrations of quercetin occur in the outermost rings.

it inhibits both the manufacture and release of histamine


Atomoxetine increases histamine release and improves learning deficits in an animal model of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder. (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18346050?ordinalpos=1&itool=EntrezSystem2.PEntrez.Pubmed.Pubmed_ResultsP anel.Pubmed_RVDocSum)

Methylphenidate and atomoxetine increase histamine release in rat prefrontal cortex. (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17198700?ordinalpos=3&itool=EntrezSystem2.PEntrez.Pubmed.Pubmed_ResultsP anel.Pubmed_RVDocSum)

I forgot the cooked part. Onions get sweeter when cooked that could be the fructose polymer fructan breaking down. Suggesting fructan again.

Quercetin has a high melting point so I'm assuming its not destroyed in the cooking process. Different strains of onions may have different levels. And the ones being cooked maybe low in quercetin.


Various saponins in onions, "Among the tested compounds, elburzensosides C1/C2 and agapanthagenin showed the highest activity in reducing induced contractions as measured by the reduction of histamine release by about 50 %". (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16320201?ordinalpos=2&itool=EntrezSystem2.PEntrez.Pubmed.Pubmed_ResultsP anel.Pubmed_RVDocSum)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saponin

Onion (red variety)

"As active compounds in onion extracts, thiosulfinates and cepaenes could be identified. They exert a wide spectrum of pharmacologic activities". (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/1937886?ordinalpos=3&itool=EntrezSystem2.PEntrez.Pubmed.Pubmed_ResultsP anel.Pubmed_RVDocSum)


Five alk(en)ylsulfinothioic acid alk(en)yl-esters isolated from onions and four synthetic thiosulfinates inhibited 5-lipoxygenase of porcine leucocytes, histamine release and leukotriene B4 and C4 biosynthesis of human polymorphonuclear leucocytes, thromboxane B2 biosynthesis by human platelets and allergen- and PAF-induced bronchial obstruction of guinea-pigs. The anti-asthmatic and anti-inflammatory effects of onions depend in part on the thiosulfinate moiety. (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/2462422?ordinalpos=5&itool=EntrezSystem2.PEntrez.Pubmed.Pubmed_ResultsP anel.Pubmed_RVDocSum)

Cooking onion certainly alters the concetration of some of its sulfur compounds. Based on the simple fact they get milder.

If we had a $50,000 HPLC machine we could fractionate raw onion and cooked onion extract and find what fraction caused the problem. Determine that it has been reduce in cooking. Then make a 50 mg sample or so and send it off for NMR analysis to figure out what compound it is. :)

Theta are you a biochemist?

Thanks for the info.

I was hoping to hear from anyone experiencing the same problem, but no luck yet. Obviously it's not something that ADDers commonly deal with. I don't have any allergic reaction, just extreme fatigue.

Evidently it's not fructose/fructan because I can eat chocolate till the cows come home and I won't feel tired (theobromine, I love you).

Theta are you a biochemist?

No.


I was hoping to hear from anyone experiencing the same problem, but no luck yet. Obviously it's not something that ADDers commonly deal with. I don't have any allergic reaction, just extreme fatigue.

Looking at not science based sources:

http://www.answerbag.com/q_view/531839

actually its a any meal has more onion get you fell sleepy!!!!

http://www.iris-publishing.com/sleep/curiouscures.html

The Onion Cure

Cut up and onion and put it in a jar. As you go to bed, open the jar, sniff the onion and then close it and place it on your bedstand. Within 15 minutes you'll be asleep.

Source: Corvallis Gazette Times quoting Joan Wilen, 6/18/97
Comments
The normal amount of time it takes to fall asleep (sleep latency) is 10 to 20 minutes.
IT MAKES MY EYES WATER
The onion cure is a savior. IT has worked many times fir me. It only took me about eight minutes to fall sound asleep. The best part was that I stayed asleep all night. That is very hard to do when you have a very serious case of insomnia such as I do.

Some people think the opposite.

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20080120191911AAfnuJk

Fill a jar with onion slices and put the lid on in.
Each time you get sleepy while reading, shake the jar real hard and then take a solid wiff. You will burst into tears and it will suck. Then, go right back to reading.

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20071210041019AAnytSA

After taking your last meal of the day, take a half medium onion and chop it into small pieces, cut out a half medium tomato into small cubes spread a spoon of virgin olive oil and sprinkle just a bit of salt so that you can stand the taste and eat it immediately. No matter how hot you may find the onion, do not steam it. Let me know how you do tonight. God bless you.

http://www.wenwen.ws/health/diet-fitness/Does-eating-onions-make-one-very-sleepy-k14t01289.htm

Onions do induce sleep. Onions are excellent for insomnia. It causes a lot of people to feel sleepy in about 10-20 minutes afater ingesting a reasonable raw protion of it. It is probably due to its high content of glutamic acid which is converted in the brain into glutamine--an aminoacid--which binds with vit. B6 to induce that sleepy state through the formation of a couple of brain hormones.

Look in the internet for Onion Cure for insomnia, and you will find many inputs regarding it.

Glutamic acid can not pass the blood-brain-barrier last I heard so I doubt that
explanation.

http://naturecure.ygoy.com/2008/04/24/onion-remedy-for-insomnia/
http://www.tipking.co.uk/tip/5154.html

Some mention cooked onions have same effect.

Relieve insomnia by eating a boiled onion at bedtime.

http://ezinearticles.com/?Home-Remedies-for-Itch,-Indigestion-and-Insomnia&id=213978

A strange but effective treatment is eating onions during bedtime. This is known to induce sleep. Using either stewed Spanish onions or the garden variety of onions will do. Two or three of them are taken. If you cannot stomach this, turning them into onion soup or onion jelly is a recommended alternative. Onion soup is simple. Onion jelly on the other hand is made by shredding onions and simmering them in a little stock until tender. And then the onions are added into a pot of boiling water with a squeeze of lemon. These are all cooked together.


Since many people say merely whiffing raw onion does it and others say eating onions even cooked does it, I assume there is a compound in onions that can make some people sleepy. Pehaps cooking lowers that compound and one would have to eat more cooked onion for the same effect.

I get this TOO!!! everyone thinks i'm crazy or says don't eat onions. I think you are right about them dehydrating you cause I feel it does the same to me. The taste won't go away for days and I fall asleep almost instantly. when i wake up i'm super thirsty. Some people say its the allium within the onions but this is greater in garlic and i don't get the same reaction to garlic or eggs either as some have suggested with the moving of heavy metals within the body.I will test the dehydration theory with asparagus due to its strong dehydration properties.

By the way i'm working on another theory related to this. Do you happen to have any autoimmune disorders, crohn's, psoriasis, etc.?