The Connection Between Calorie Intake And Foot Numbness

Your foot can often go numb if you sit on it for too long or if you prop your feet up too high. Numb feet are typically due to two main reasons, according to Foot Pain Explored. The first is reduced or restricted blood flow to the feet — this might happen if your feet are subjected to frostbite, for instance. The other reason for numbness in your feet comes from a slight nerve compression, often due to sitting awkwardly. This pressure pauses the nerve's function, making our feet go numb. When the decompression stops, your body responds with pins and needles for a while.

These nerve and circulation issues can be rooted in many conditions. Your diet could be one of them. If your diet is too low in calories, your body starts depleting its stores of fat, sugar, and protein, according to PINNT. This can result in malnutrition, which can affect your energy levels and your body's ability to heal itself. A low calorie intake could also rob your body of the necessary nutrients to function. According to Berkower Pain & Spine Rehabilitation, a diet low in vitamin B12 can cause tingling in your feet, because this nutrient helps protect your nerves. Over time, a vitamin B12 deficiency could lead to peripheral neuropathy, which is nerve damage that affects the signals transmitted back and forth from the brain to the extremities, including the feet.

Your foot can become numb for other reasons ranging from injury to serious disease, according to Buoy Health. Damage to or pressure on the sciatic nerve can cause numbness or tingling in your feet. Morton neuroma can cause stabbing pain or numbness in your foot if the tissues near the ball of your foot begin to swell and press on the nerves. This can come from wearing high-heeled shoes or running. Peripheral artery disease (PAD) occurs when fat in the arteries reduces the circulation in your lower legs. You're more at risk for PAD if you have high cholesterol, high blood pressure, or if you're overweight.

Foot numbness could also signal metabolic diseases such as diabetes, because excessively high blood sugar over time can cause damage to the nerves. You could also have a growth on your foot that presses on a nerve. Some bacterial infections such as Lyme disease and autoimmune diseases can also cause foot numbness. If you experience persistent numbness in your feet, reach out to your doctor for a consultation. They can help you determine if the cause is something relatively harmless, or if you may have an underlying condition that requires treatment.