Could I repel mosquitoes with this low/no sugar diet? page

[Jesster]

Researching a trip to the Philippines after Christmas, I stumbled upon a post on the Lonely Planet forum that said that one lady had been fine all of her trip then one night had a bit of a chocolate binge and that night she got bitten quite badly.

I am very interested as I tend to get spanked by the bloody critters every time I travel. Plan to do this next trip primal; well....there is an abundance of seafood on an archipelago....

Could there be a correlation between diet and mosquito attraction? Thoughts?

[Zach]

Mosquitos are mainly attracted to carbon dioxide, heat, movement and hormones on your skin surface. So basically the higher your metabolism and the more you move around/sweat the more attractive you will be.

Sugar could have something to do with it, not because of the taste but because sugar speeds metabolism and produces more heat and carbon dioxide.

So all reasons mosquitos would like you are also signs of good health.

[Misabi]

Could be a link. I certainly get hassled by them less than anyone else who's near me when the mozzies are about.
I used to think it was due to all the chilli that I ate, but I've taken it easy on the hot stuff over the past couple of years and it doesn't seem to have mattered much.

Which part of Kernow are you from Jesster? I spent a few years in Newquay as a kid

[NZ primal Gwamma]

I did a heap of tramping years ago, and I found that if I don't eat bananas for a few weeks before, I don't get attacked as bad. The other thing that I started to do in my later tramping career, was take thiamine B1 before. Sandflies, mozzies etc absolutely hate the taste of your skin when you have that imbedded in your system !
good luck

[Jesster]

Misabi, I'm from St Mawes on the south coast...but I travel to the north coast often to surf (when it's not blown out) I'll be in NZ for the polo season next year though!

I thought thiamine B1 helps with the itching, not the repelling?

[SarahW]

Wow, primal Gwamma, never realized you had a career in tramping

In the book Sugar Blues the claim is made that no sugar = no bites. Not sure what the science is, or if it is sound, but that may be where that bit of info came from.

[NZ primal Gwamma]

Wow, primal Gwamma, never realized you had a career in tramping

yep bloody extensive tramping career!!!! LOL - didn't climb many rungs in the ladder thou !!!!!!!!

[EyeOfRound]

I like the genetic theory, I've noticed I tend to get bitten a lot less often than my camping/hiking companions. Mosquitoes just don't enjoy my blood as much, I guess! This was the same case when I ate much more sugar, too, which is why I'm disinclined to attribute it to diet.

[Damiana]

I grew up in Vietnam, near rice fields, consequently I got recurring malaria throughout my childhood and nearly died several times. I rarely ate sugar as a child.

[YogaBare]

I notice that when I eat dairy I have a really bad reaction to mozzie bites - they flare up and become huge boils.

So all reasons mosquitos would like you are also signs of good health.

I can see the rationale, but I don't think this is true. My mum gets eaten alive, and her health is terrible. In fact, when I've travelled I've noticed that the more virile people get bitten less.