# Malt sugars, side effects **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [November 29, 2013, 4:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/malt-sugars-side-effects/675078 "2013-11-29T16:43:32Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![HoneyBadgerDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/honeybadgerdc/32/1033_2.png) [@HoneyBadgerDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HoneyBadgerDC)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2013, 4:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/malt-sugars-side-effects/675078/1 "2013-11-29T16:43:32Z")
From what I can find on line I see nothing outstanding about malt sugars as opposed to any sugars. Several years ago I had a problem with being unable to move when I woke up in the morning. The brain would work but it migh take several seconds, or even close to a minute for my body to react. It would take verything i had to get to my coffee maker and make some coffee and within about 10 min I would feel pretty normal except I would have a slight headache. ``` I was easliy able to track it to my midnight snacking habit. Whenever I would have these episodes it always involved something with maltose as an ingredient. ``` The physical problem was because my blood pressure was dropping too low. The same food had no affect on me if I ate them while I was up and around and active, only if I got up from sleep and ate them and went back to bed. My Dr. said it was simply spiking my sugar and had nothing to do with malt sugars, but other sweets or pastries didn’t seem to have the same affect. Anyone else experience anything similar to this? ---
**Author:** ![njtt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ecd19e/32.png) [@njtt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/njtt)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2013, 8:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/malt-sugars-side-effects/675078/2 "2013-11-29T20:09:24Z")
I am pretty sure maltose, as distinct from other sugars, can’t do that to you. It is only two glucose molecules stuck together, and normally will be readily split into two glucoses (and if you can’t handle glucose, you aer in real trouble). It is possible to have “[maltose intolerance](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maltose#Maltose_intolerance)” if you are missing a good copy of the gene for the enzyme that splits maltose, but its symptoms are not as you describe. Actually, all starches break down via maltose, so if you had maltose intolerance you woould have a problem with starch in general. I think your doctor is probably right, but perhaps there something else, apart from the maltose content, in the relevant foods that triggers this. ---
**Author:** ![HoneyBadgerDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/honeybadgerdc/32/1033_2.png) [@HoneyBadgerDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HoneyBadgerDC)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2013, 9:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/malt-sugars-side-effects/675078/3 "2013-11-29T21:52:19Z")
> [@njtt](#): > > I am pretty sure maltose, as distinct from other sugars, can’t do that to you. It is only two glucose molecules stuck together, and normally will be readily split into two glucoses (and if you can’t handle glucose, you aer in real trouble). It is possible to have “[maltose intolerance](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maltose#Maltose_intolerance)” if you are missing a good copy of the gene for the enzyme that splits maltose, but its symptoms are not as you describe. Actually, all starches break down via maltose, so if you had maltose intolerance you woould have a problem with starch in general. > > I think your doctor is probably right, but perhaps there something else, apart from the maltose content, in the relevant foods that triggers this. Chocolate chip cookeis are the main culprit and another is wheaties cereal and to some extent grape nuts if I have over a certain portion. I will check out the ingredients a little closer. ---
**Author:** ![Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/46a35a/32.png) [@Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tim_T-Bonham.net)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2013, 12:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/malt-sugars-side-effects/675078/4 "2013-11-30T00:46:01Z")
Get your doctor to run an A1C test on you. Sounds like possible early onset of diabetes. ---
**Author:** ![HoneyBadgerDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/honeybadgerdc/32/1033_2.png) [@HoneyBadgerDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HoneyBadgerDC)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2013, 1:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/malt-sugars-side-effects/675078/5 "2013-11-30T01:45:06Z")
> [@t-bonham@scc.net](#): > > Get your doctor to run an A1C test on you. > > Sounds like possible early onset of diabetes. I get that checked every few years, 65 now and no problem that they hav detected. Otherwise I feel fine but very low morning blood pressure has been with me throughout my life. I suspect it is dropping too low when i have the problem. Well, I quit eating those things in the middle of the night and am not currently having a problem but I was curious about it.