What foods help with POTS syndrome?

December 24, 2025 •

4 min read

According to Dysautonomia International, POTS is a common condition affecting an estimated one to three million Americans. Managing postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS) symptoms through diet is a key non-pharmacological strategy that can significantly improve quality of life. Increasing fluid intake, adding salt, and eating smaller, frequent meals are cornerstones of an effective dietary approach.

Quick Summary

This guide provides an overview of the best foods and beverages for managing POTS symptoms, focusing on increasing blood volume and hydration. It covers the importance of high-sodium foods, electrolyte-rich options, and complex carbohydrates. The guide also details which foods to limit, such as refined carbohydrates and alcohol, to help minimize symptoms.

Key Points

Increase Fluid Intake: Consume 2-3 liters of fluids daily, including water, broths, and hydrating fruits and vegetables, to help boost blood volume and minimize symptoms like dizziness.
Raise Salt Consumption: Increase daily salt intake, often recommended between 3,000-10,000 mg, to help retain fluids and stabilize blood pressure, but always with a doctor's supervision.
Eat Small, Frequent Meals: Instead of large meals, eat 5-6 smaller meals throughout the day to prevent blood from pooling in the digestive tract and worsening symptoms.
Focus on Complex Carbs and Lean Protein: Choose whole grains like oats and brown rice and lean proteins like chicken and fish for sustained energy and stable blood sugar levels.
Avoid Alcohol and Limit Caffeine: Alcohol is dehydrating and can worsen symptoms, while caffeine can have mixed effects on POTS patients and is best discussed with a healthcare provider.
Limit Processed Foods and Refined Sugars: Highly processed items and refined sugars can cause blood sugar spikes and dips, exacerbating fatigue and other POTS symptoms.
Incorporate Electrolytes: Add electrolytes through salty foods, electrolyte drinks, or supplements to aid fluid retention.
Test for Food Triggers: Keep a food diary to identify personal sensitivities, such as gluten or dairy, that might contribute to gastrointestinal issues common in POTS.

Hydration and Sodium: The Foundation of a POTS Diet

For many individuals with POTS, the disorder is associated with low blood volume (hypovolemia), which can cause dizziness and fainting upon standing. Increasing fluid and salt intake helps to increase and retain blood volume, thereby alleviating these orthostatic symptoms. Health experts often recommend aiming for 2 to 3 liters (roughly 64 to 101 ounces) of fluids daily.

Key fluid intake tips:

Start the day right: Drink a large glass of water, about 16 ounces, before even getting out of bed in the morning to help prepare your body for standing.
Spread intake throughout the day: Don't chug all your fluids at once. Carry a reusable water bottle and sip consistently throughout the day.
Include hydrating foods: Watermelon, cucumbers, and other water-rich fruits and vegetables contribute to your daily fluid goals.

Equally important is a higher salt intake, which helps the body retain the extra fluids you consume. While a standard American diet recommends limiting sodium, the opposite is true for many POTS patients. Daily salt recommendations can range from 3,000 mg to 10,000 mg, but always consult with your doctor to determine a safe and appropriate target.

High-sodium foods to incorporate:

Salty snacks: Pickles, olives, salted nuts, pretzels, and salted popcorn.
Soups and broths: Canned or homemade soups and broths are an easy way to boost both fluid and sodium intake.
Condiments and cheeses: Soy sauce, mustard, ketchup, and various cheeses can add significant sodium to meals.

Optimizing Meals for Better Digestion

Large, heavy meals can worsen POTS symptoms because the body diverts a significant amount of blood to the digestive system, which can cause or exacerbate dizziness and fatigue. To prevent this, healthcare providers often recommend eating smaller, more frequent meals throughout the day. This strategy helps stabilize blood sugar and prevents the post-meal symptom slump.

Furthermore, focusing on a balance of macronutrients is key. A meal consisting of lean protein and complex carbohydrates will cause less of a blood sugar spike and will digest more evenly than one high in refined carbohydrates.

Recommended food types:

Complex carbohydrates: Oatmeal, brown rice, quinoa, and whole-grain bread provide sustained energy without drastic blood sugar fluctuations.
Lean proteins: Chicken, fish, eggs, beans, and tofu are great options that aid in sustained energy.
Healthy fats: Avocados, nuts, and olive oil can slow digestion and help prevent post-meal blood pressure drops.
Probiotics: Yogurt, kefir, sauerkraut, and kimchi can support gut health, which is often linked to autonomic function.

Foods and Substances to Limit or Avoid

While identifying beneficial foods is crucial, understanding which substances can aggravate symptoms is equally important. Individual triggers vary, but some common culprits include alcohol, caffeine, and highly processed foods.

Comparison of POTS-friendly vs. symptom-triggering foods


POTS-Friendly Foods	Symptom-Triggering Foods
Salted nuts, olives, pickles	Salty potato chips, processed deli meats
Brown rice, quinoa, sweet potatoes	White bread, white pasta, sugary pastries
Water, coconut water, herbal tea	Alcohol, energy drinks, sweetened soda
Lean chicken, fish, legumes	Fried foods, fatty cuts of meat
Yogurt, sauerkraut, kefir	Sugary cereals, cookies, ice cream

Alcohol is dehydrating and causes blood vessel dilation, which worsens blood pooling and can exacerbate dizziness. Caffeine can have varied effects; for some, it might help, but for many, it increases heart rate and can worsen symptoms. It is best to monitor your personal reaction and consult a doctor. Refined sugars and processed carbs can cause blood sugar spikes that lead to fatigue and worsened symptoms. Large, high-carbohydrate meals should also be avoided in favor of smaller, more frequent meals. Some individuals also find relief by avoiding gluten and dairy, particularly if they experience gastrointestinal issues. Always consult a healthcare professional before eliminating entire food groups.

Creating Your Personalized POTS Diet

Every individual with POTS has a unique set of symptoms and triggers, so a personalized approach to diet is most effective. Working with a healthcare provider or a dietitian who understands dysautonomia can be very helpful. Keeping a food and symptom diary can help you identify specific foods that trigger or alleviate your symptoms.

Start by focusing on the foundational dietary strategies: maintaining excellent hydration with water and electrolytes, increasing salt intake as advised by your doctor, and adopting smaller, more frequent meals. Gradually incorporate complex carbohydrates, lean proteins, and healthy fats while reducing processed foods, high sugar intake, alcohol, and potentially caffeine. This systematic approach, combined with professional medical guidance, can be a powerful tool in managing your POTS symptoms and improving your overall well-being.

Conclusion

Making informed dietary choices is a vital part of managing POTS syndrome. By prioritizing increased fluid and salt intake to boost blood volume and adopting a regimen of smaller, balanced meals, many individuals can significantly reduce the severity of their symptoms. While general guidelines exist regarding foods that help with POTS, personal triggers can vary, making a customized approach and collaboration with a healthcare professional essential. By integrating these nutritional strategies into your daily routine, you can empower yourself to gain more control over your condition and enhance your quality of life.

Frequently Asked Questions

Eating a large meal can worsen POTS symptoms because a significant portion of blood is redirected to the digestive tract to aid in processing the food. This can reduce blood flow to the brain and other parts of the body, leading to increased dizziness, fatigue, and heart palpitations.

While individual needs vary, it is often recommended that people with POTS drink 2 to 3 liters (about 64 to 101 ounces) of fluid per day. Starting with a large glass of water in the morning is a helpful practice to boost blood volume.

Yes, increasing salt intake is a key strategy for managing POTS symptoms. Salt, or sodium, helps the body retain water, which increases overall blood volume and can help prevent the drop in blood pressure that occurs when standing.

Good salty foods for a POTS diet include pickles, olives, salted nuts, pretzels, canned soups, broths, and salted fish. These foods help boost sodium intake, which is crucial for fluid retention.

It is generally recommended to limit or avoid alcohol completely if you have POTS. Alcohol is a dehydrating agent and can cause vasodilation, which worsens blood pooling and can significantly exacerbate symptoms like lightheadedness and a rapid heart rate.

Not all people with POTS need to be gluten-free, but some individuals find that a gluten-free diet helps alleviate digestive symptoms. Since POTS is linked to a higher rate of celiac disease and gluten intolerance, it is worth discussing testing and a trial period with your doctor.

The effect of caffeine on POTS varies by individual. It can increase heart rate, which worsens symptoms for some, but others find it helpful for boosting blood pressure. It is best to monitor your personal reaction and consult a healthcare provider.

Processed foods are often high in refined sugars, unhealthy fats, and artificial additives. They can cause blood sugar instability and digestive issues, which can aggravate fatigue, brain fog, and other POTS symptoms.