It can be very embarrassing and devastating to blush for no reason whatsoever. Excessive Blushing is the action of the autonomic nervous system (ANS) and in particular the “Sympathetic Nervous System”(SNS) over which we have no direct control.

Blushing Problem is associated with anxiety and the blushing is often confused with the cause of anxiety. Thus the person is usually trying to stop blushing and/or being anxious in a vain attempt to control the Sympathetic Nervous System which by definition cannot be controlled by the mind.

This branch of the ASN is activated by adrenaline – the fear hormone – and if we want to know why the body is overproducing adrenaline or releasing it at the wrong time, we need to understand the function of drenaline.

Adrenaline serves to increase blood sugar levels throughout the body to give the body enough energy to deal with a crisis. Normally such a crisis occurs when suddenly out of the blue we are faced with a real life danger. Thus the Sympathetic Nervous System is a valuable mechanism that can save our life.

Once this SNS is activated by a flaw in the underlying biochemical mechanism – quite unrelated to environmental stresses – symptoms can take all sort or weird physical symptoms.

But the problem is that excess adrenaline production can also occur when the brain is suddenly starved of energy (of sugar). This may happen when we suffer from a metabolic disorder such as Insulin Resistance or hypoglycemia. This may be quite unrelated to circumstances in the environment. The function of adrenaline is to push nutrients – glucose, fatty acids and protein – across cell membranes. Carbohydrates (sugars in food) are a major source of biological energy called adenosine triphosphate (ATP) indispensable as a source of energy to the brain.

Without this biological energy brain cells will die and so will we. Hence the brain has a mechanism to activate the adrenal glands to pour adrenaline into the system and this will activate the SNS. Adrenaline functions to convert glycogen – sugar stores in muscles and the liver – into glucose, so as to feed the brain with energy. The brain, although only 2 per cent of body weight, requires about 70 per cent of available glucose to energize biochemical machinery in the brain.

Thus when insulin resistance causes the blood sugar levels to rise initially, it is soon followed by more insulin secretion, called hyperinsulinism. This results in a sudden drop of blood sugar reaching the brain. The brain then switches on the adrenal glands to pour adrenaline into the system. Adrenaline among others dilates blood vessels – to provide peripheral muscles with energy in preparation of strenuous action.

Prevent the action of blushing

Thus if we want to prevent us blushing uncontrollably, we need to treat the underlying insulin resistance that is responsible for activating the SNS.

The major and foremost treatment for hypoglycemia is going on a hypoglycemic diet, (similar to a diabetic diet)which consists of a small frequent snacks of high protein and low glycemic diet, supplemented with vitamins and minerals, such as B complex, vitamin C, zinc and chromium picolinate, omega-3 fatty acids (fishoil). For some of the hypoglycemic herbs see here.

One immediate remedy for blushing is taking GLYCERINE, before you expect to be in a situation that may cause you to blush. You could also try out phenylalanine or tyrosine available from health food stores. But no guarantee is given.

Another likely candidate would be the supplementation of lecithin. It contains nutritional forerunners of phosphatydilcholine – a hormone – that could together with vitamin B5 activate the parasympathetic nervous system and counteract the SNS. However, it will not treat the hypoglycemia! Other possible single remedies could be Seredyn or Eredicane, although results have been controversial.

One chemical solution is to ask your doctor to prescribe Propranolol one of the non-sedating anxiety pills in cases of emergency. It is an beta-adrenergic blocking agent counteracting the effects of the Sympathetic Nervous System. It is primarily used in the treatment of high blood pressure and angina. It can also counteract anxiety attacks without fogging up intellectual thinking. But of course this is not going to cure the underlying biochemical imbalance and they have inevitable side effects for some people.

Some of its side effects are: Propranolol is generally well tolerated, and side effects are mild and transient. Rare side effects include abdominal cramps, diarrhea, constipation, fatigue, insomnia, nausea, depression, dreaming, memory loss, fever, impotence, hotheadedness, slow heart rate, low blood pressure, numbness, tingling, cold extremities, sore throat, and shortness of breath or wheezing.

Blushers can be expected to have a low self-image because of the embarrassment they have to face. But more importantly their metabolic disorder will unavoidably affect your self image, because they are constantly bombarded with stress hormones over which you have no control.

Additionally to stress and social situations there are other things that may cause blushing for certain people.

Coffee
Caffeine-containing drinks such as strong coffee and lots of cups of tea can stimulate the body’s natural sweating mechanism and blushing. Heat and caffeine make you blush a lot easier. If you need caffeine I found Red Bull to be the best. Lack of sleep my put you in a calm mood, but this is very individual, some people blusher more.

Flushing caused by drugs

A few drugs can cause flushing, so it is worth checking whether you are taking any of the following:

Chlorpropamide (for diabetes), which can cause flushing if you take it with alcohol

Diabinese (for diabetics) and niacin (for lowering cholesterol, sometimes contained in high-potency vitamins)

Glyceryl Trinitrate, Isosorbide Dinitrate (for angina)

Alcohol
May worsen blushing. Different liquors may contain different amounts of histamine that I believe is the reason for this. The break down of alcohol in the body actually puts histamine breakdown on hold, meaning that any histamine consumed in the body will have a greater effect than usual. So even if histamine is not normally a problem it might be when you drink.

Tamoxifen (for breast cancer and some other conditions)

Buserelin, Goserelin, Luprorelin and Triptorelin (for prostate tumors in men)

Raloxifene (for osteoporosis)

Calcitonin (for some bone disorders)

Calcium-Channel-Blockers (for angina or high blood pressure).

Morphine can cause flushing due to histamine release.

Viagra - Used for impotence or by guys that wants to be a stallion for a night.

Shaving (In the face)

Don’t shave in the morning instead do it before you go to bed. Shaving may cause skin irritation and your skin may feel hot, and this feeling alone can trigger a blush attack.

Niacin - (for high cholesterol) Niacin may cause flushes. Niacin is also known as Vitamin B3 or Niacinamide. It is heat stable and water soluble. It was first discovered when scientists were looking for the cause of pellagra. It is absorbed in the small intestine and excreted in the urine.

The human body uses niacin in more than 50 chemical reactions. It is needed by the body to extract energy from fat, carbohydrate and protein. It is a natural cholesterol regulator, and often works as well as prescription medications for persons with mild cholesterol problems. This formula uses nicotinic acid, the form of niacin that has shown promise in lowering LDL levels of cholesterol.

Like all members of the B family, niacin plays a role in energy metabolism. Niacin has the property of causing the small blood vessels to increase in size. These are the capillaries. Now, capillaries are often so small that the blood cells pass through them in single file.

It is the capillaries that take care of the vast majority of all the cells in the body. You have large arteries near the heart, and they get smaller and smaller as they extend from the heart. But, at the end of every well-sized artery is a very large network of capillaries. They all start from the heart — but at the end of the line they are tiny, tiny capillaries.

What causes excessive blushing at some people?

Excessive blushing is called in medically terms Idiopathic Craniofacial Erythema and is caused by strong emotional stimuli like love, anxiety or embarrassment. There are particular cases when some people blush too much and medical explanations say that this is due to the following reasons.

• Happiness – laughter may cause blushing because it consumes energy and creates movement stimulating in this way the blood circulation.
• Embarrassment – This feeling is created by many things such as lack of integrity, confidence and forgiveness, all of them producing strong blushes when social activities are developed.
• Frustration – Is caused by mental stress which leads to high blood pressure and ultimately blushing.
• Social anxiety – Some consider social activities quite stressing and when they communicate with their friends or other people they know, blood pressure rises and they become tensioned, this causing strong blushing.
• Spicy food – some substances from the spices people usually eat produce blushing and studies have shown that people who eat certain spices blush more than others.

Blushingis sometimes an indicator for some mental or physical disorders and nowadays it’s even a common fact among people, as a result of their stressed life.

An interesting fact is that even though we know the causes people usually blush, some blush more when others blush much less. There are a lot of treatments like surgeries, medications and psychological therapies in order to help the sufferers overcome this affection. One must inform itself and ask for advices from an experienced doctor.

There is a major risk that minor problem grow larger and larger ultimately having severe impact on sufferer’s lives so one should make sure he is well informed before he acts.