Most doctors will say that a blue sugar bug vein at the bridge of the nose is normal, since babies tend to have thin, delicate skin. But traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) takes a different perspective.
In TCM, we literally read the body like you would a book. And you could even say that the body speaks to us.
From the perspective of Chinese medicine, a vein at the bridge of the nose in babies and children is used as a diagnostic tool. It can let us know what system may need more support.
What is a sugar bug vein?
A sugar bug vein is a visible vein at the bridge of the nose, in between the eyes.
In traditional Chinese medicine, we call this vein âshan gen.â Which translates to âmountain rootâ or âroot of mountain.â
đ The general understanding is that a visible vein indicates a tendency towards digestive weakness. The more visible the vein is, the greater likelihood that youâll encounter problems.
The veinâs color matters too.
- Greenish hues around the vein mean weakened digestion.
- Blue hues indicate âkidneyâ involvement. In Chinese medicine, the kidneys are related to growth and development. So failure to thrive, meet milestones, or even the development of asthma later on all involve the kidney.
- Purple hues indicate that the âliverâ is involved. Which may mean that your little one is competitive, adventurous, and easily frustrated. When we see overactive âliver energyâ like frustration, this can affect digestion.
All babies and toddlers have weak digestion
I mean, right?
If youâve spent any time around a wee one, you can see this firsthand. Spit up, colic, reflux, wide variations in stool. Itâs just where babies are at.
And if you want to get really granular about baby gut health, a babyâs microbiome literally moves through stages of development during babyâs first three years.
This means that a babyâs digestion isnât necessarily something that we need to fix. But it is something to be aware of.
Which is one reason why a good baby probiotic can be so helpful, especially early on.
âŻïž In Chinese medicine, digestion isnât only about breaking food into usable pieces. Or the microbiome. Itâs also responsible for:
- The production of energy and blood
- Concentration and clear thinking
- Dispelling âdampâ
As I talk about in First Foods + Beyond, at 6 months old the demand for iron is the highest it will ever be. Because of this, iron-deficiency anemia in littles is fairly common.
Chinese medicine explains this relationship to blood by way of babyâs digestion.
Likewise, dampness can show up as a phlegmy cough or congestion. An accumulation of mucus. Or even waxy ears.
Which is to say that anemia, congestion, and tummy troubles are all common issues that pop up during babyhood. And according to Chinese medicine, these problems can be traced back to babyâs digestion.
While no one expects littles one to have robust digestion right away, some babies have more digestive problems than others.
How to support baby with the sugar bug vein
đ The vein between the bridge of the nose is called a sugar bug vein because sweet foods are âdampâ in nature and are said to easily injure digestion.
This means thatâŠ
- Those with vein would do better to avoid sweets and added sugar
- They may also crave these foods a little more
If you see the sugar bug vein, you donât only want to keep an eye on sugar. Other foods beyond sugar generate âdampâ and can be hard on digestion.
Foods to possibly limit with a sugar bug vein:
- Sugar
- Cold food
- Raw foods
- Dairy
From a TCM perspective, raw dairy ice cream would be sort of like the poster child for everything you donât want to give your little one when you see the sugar bug vein.
Likewise, this vein also tells you whatâs good for the body. And foods that would be especially therapeutic for littles ones with a vein at the bridge of the nose.
What to include with a sugar bug vein:
- Warming spices, like dried ginger
- Warming foods, like chicken soup
- âBlandâ foods and root veggies
đż Beyond kitchen spices, there is TCM herbal formula to support babyâs digestion called Belly Works from Gryph + Ivy Rose.
Belly Works contains herbs that:
- Move food stagnation
- Strengthen digestion
- Drain, or clear up signs of âdampâ
IRL, this might look like a distended belly, gas, trouble settling at night, or very little appetite. And it can include undigested food in stool or even classic constipation.
Note that the Gryph + IvyRose formulas are extremely concentrated and not customized to a baby, so itâs always a good idea to check in with your local acupuncturist when it comes to using herbs.
Does your baby have the sugar bug vein? Share what youâve observed in the comments!
Fascinating!
How would you approach this with an EBF baby? We have a few months before we introduce solids. Should I just keep up with breastfeeding? I have already found that she doesnât tolerate dairy and have cut it from my diet.
Hey Kelsey,
I would keep doing what you’re doing. It’s information that may be helpful in the future, especially when beginning solids or maybe during cold/flu season. It’s a clue that can give some direction as you learn to “read” your baby’s body and the signs it gives.
As she gets older, there’s a good chance you’ll be able to bring dairy back into her diet.
xxo!!
My 10 yrs son still visible
So would fruit be a no? Since raw and cold and more sugar?
I would base it on how your little one is doing!
I’m a big fan of fruit, especially for littles because they do run through glucose (sugar) faster than adults. The demand is simply higher. Fruit is also a healthier alternative to cookies and candy AND the flavors of fruit are complex. There’s bitterness with the sweetness. There are antioxidants.
Always go back to the body and check in, it will tell you when things are out of balance xxo!!
My daughter does have it! I’ve always wondered about it. Is gluten something to stay away from too? I’m sad about dairy, especially raw dairy. We’re trying to go the WAPF route with our family’s diet.
Hey Britt,
Raw dairy and gluten aren’t necessarily off the menu, the sugar bug vein is a clue to keep in mind if issues start popping up. You always want to go back to the body and see how it’s doing rather than follow one rule or another.
xxo!!
My little one has it for sure. Heâs now 14 months so my question is, when itâs not as visible or when it goes away all together I assume it means his digestion is functioning well? Is it possible that particular foods would make it more apparent so therefore I need to be looking at foods that cause it to show up?
Right! According to TCM food theory, sugary foods along with too much dairy or raw foods can weaken a little’s digestive fire.
Hi I would like to know if vaccines can be a danger for babies with sugar bug?
Hey Alicia,
I wouldn’t use a sugar bug to determine vaccine safety. If you’re concerned about vaccines, you may want to work with an integrative pediatrician to determine if vaccines are right for baby or come up with a flexible schedule.
Hope this helps xxo!!
Hello,
Please tell me more about sugar bug why vaccine are bad in this case?
Sugar bug veins are prominent with kids who have MTHFR mutations. MTHFR mutations make it harder for the body to detox when it comes into contact with toxins, inactive vitamins, âenriched foodsâ, and heavy metals. We didnât know about MTHFR when our oldest kids were little, we did vaccines and they were severely injured. Chinese medicine has helped us a lot. My younger kids are vaccine free and have zero health issues. We notice as soon as something is off in their bodies and am able to use food, herbs, etc to reset whatever is going on. Itâs night and day from the way my oldest kids were growing up. Iâve had several pediatricians tell me they wish someone would do more studies on the genetics contraindicated to vaccines but this study will never be done. The findings would be financially devastating to manufacturers.
I appreciate this comment! My husband was vaccine injured as a child as well as his sister so we are not vaccinating our daughter bc we felt it could be genetic. She does have a sugar bear vein and is sensitive to dairy. I am considering cutting back on sugar now as wellâŠ
A balanced approach to natural sugar + a little TCM support with herbs is a fabulous combination when navigating sensitivities đ!
Hi, my son had bad reactions to them. Calm laid back happy baby, to scream rage, hype all over the place. He has a lot of anxiety and panic attacks now. Became extremely picky with food and has sensory processing disorder now. He only wants junk food and he was just diagnosed pre-diabetic at 7 years old. He’s very skinny too, so not an over weight issue.
(He has MTHFR gene C677T)
My oldest had seizures and was always sick and catching something her whole life (12 years). RSV multiple times a year, ear infections with tubes, eczema, asthma, banged her head on things, never slept, and colic symptoms, screaming everyday from brain swelling. My other 2 kids never had any vaccines and are rarely sick, just a cold and no behavior issues. (All my kids have MTHFR.)
Thanks for sharing, Sarah!
Sounds like gut may also be involved. Hope you’re able to get all the support you need â„ïž
My little one is 6 weeks old and very healthy, no issues but I do see a slight sugar bug vein…he is breast fed only…what does the vein mean at this age?
Thank you
Sarah đ
Hey!
It can point to the potential for digestive weakness. I have a live class this weekend that talks more about this here:
https://megangarcia.com/baby-gut-health/
xxo!!
Same here my baby is 4weeks old and I see a sugar bug vein on his forehead and nose does that mean the sugar is from breast milk bcs he feeds only on breast milk?
I have 2 little boys that I’ve had for 4 years. Their moods vary with how their sugar veins look. They get truly unruly at times. Their diet is up and down. The older they’ve gotten the worse it’s been.
Makes sense, Michelle. Sometimes there’s a big connection between mood and digestion!
Same here my baby is 4weeks old and I see a sugar bug vein on his forehead and nose does that mean the sugar is from breast milk bcs he feeds only on breast milk?
Hey,
Breast milk is amazing for baby! This means that (from a TCM view) he may have trouble with digestion or gut health. So you would want to take extra care here.
I believe my baby has this who is 4 months old . She seems really congested and has no actual cold symptoms . She is formula fed . Is changing her formula worth a try for better breathing ?
Hey Tracy,
Some sensitive babies do really well with HiPP HA or a goat milk formula.
xxo!!
I noticed my 3 month old has a blue vein above his nose two weeks ago. Iâm sure it wasnât there before because I clean his face twice a day and didnât see it. Does sugar veins suddenly appear months later? I am still breastfeeding and have been eating more sweets. Would that be a reason?
Hey Judy,
It can. I would look at was else is going on before making any changes in diet. Hope this helps xxo!!
Hey
My baby girl is 1year and 1 week old, she has had this bug vein from birth and she is light in complexion. Am worried now cause it’s still there even now
Mine def has it! Iâve been off dairy since he was a month old and heâs always had wonky digestion!
I notice in my patients its always vaccinated children? Could it be inflammation ? Or could it be they have MTHFR or another genetic condition that prevents them from detoxing from vaccines?
Hey Linz,
This is purely from a TCM perspective. That said, I have heard folks talk about the sugar bug vein with MTHFR variants. And of course, there a big connection between the gut and the immune system in both conventional medicine and TCM!!
My son has both the MTHFR gene mutation and the sugar bug vein. He has been on a soy formula and unvaccinated and doing great! đ
Thanks for sharing Ashlee!
My daughter is unvaccinated and has a very visible blue vein on her nose. She has since birth and is now 5 years old.
Mine has had this since birth, and she was not vaccinated at birth, nor was I during pregnancy.
Hi my son is 8 months old And has had the vein Spence birth. I thought it was just something he got from my husband who also has the vein. I am currently off dairy because he was having skin issues. I donât feed him sugar yet and his dad has a crazy sweet tooth. I will be sure to avoid it as much as possible going forward. Any food suggestions to try and keep in his diet.
Thank you,
Brittany
Hey Brittany,
Even with a sugar bug, you want to be careful of avoiding foods altogether even with skin issues, like eczema, because exposure to common allergens (like dairy) helps to promote immune tolerance and protect against food allergies later on.
There’s more on that here: https://megangarcia.com/how-to-introduce-allergens-to-baby/
Hope this helps!
I didnât learn this until after years of my child having seizures after the MMR vaccine – this vein also means that the child does not detox easily. My child had multiple seizures over about 3 years and bizarre rashes after the MMR vaccine. It also affected the development of his teeth and ear infections. He had lighter issues with other vaccines. Please be aware that the vein might mean your child cannot get rid of toxins easily and this includes toxins in vaccines.
Thanks for mentioning this! Sometimes seizures and/or rash do point to âspleenâ or digestive issues from a TCM perspective. How this plays out really depends on the child.
My 6 month old has one visible. I have Organic ginger in powered form, how much can I put in his bone broth? Or should I give Him a different form?
Hey Kelsey,
It depends on the quantity of bone broth. For a pint-sized mason jar, I might start with 1/8 tsp of dried ginger.
Dried ginger is the way to go. Fresh ginger (the knobby root you would get in the produce section of the store) is more appropriate for when feeling sick, during cold or flu.
xxo!!
Hi jade,if you don’t mind can I ask you how is your daughter doing now.because my one year old has sugar bug,he had his first vaccines and then I stopped it ..
My 5 years old had angel kiss he has fully vaccinated and he is on spectrum
How much of the gryph and ivy rose would you suggest giving to a 7 month old? Thank you!
Can a regular pediatrician diagnose and treat this or would I have to see a naturopath pediatrician?
Hey Breana,
This is something unique to traditional East Asian medicine, so I would see if there’s a local pediatric acupuncturist in your area!
xxo!!
Iâve given my little baby homeopathics that contain sugar. Itâs just how they come. He didnât have a vein at birth, but has developed one. Could the homeopathics have caused this? Heâs 4 months old.
Hey Em!
It’s not likely. Sometimes the sugar bug is a useful diagnostic tool, so I would look at what else is happening overall.
Hope this helps xxo!!
Hi Megan,
Thank you for your post. I experienced thrombocytopenia in pregnancy, I also had gestational diabetes and was diagnosed with both variants of MTHRF which I was told to take choline supplements for but no prenatales just a while food diet. My baby is 6 months old and and was born with a very small anterior fontanelle which is not closed, he has had tummy issues since birth but theyâve gotten somewhat better and he does seem to get frustrated as he is trying to crawl but hasnât gotten it down yet. He has a pretty prominent sugar bug vein. I am wondering if he may have blood issues, sugar intake issues, MTHFR . What do you recommend I do?
Thank you!
Karla
Typos!!
Whole food diet*
Which is now closed* ( but his head circumference is growing steadily)
Hey Karla,
It’s tough to give a direct recommendation here. If you think it makes sense, I would see if there’s a local pediatric acupuncturist that you can work with.
What you’re describing is in line with a sugar bug vein and so an acupuncturist might use herbs to support his health, based on the pattern they think he’s presenting.
Hope this helps, xxo!!
YES! My daughter was born with a very clear greenish sugar vein and it only takes a touch of refined sugar to wind her up đ Also, she gags with most dairy products, wonât eat any fish and is very selective with food. Is this a sign of lactose intolerance? Any suggestions on food choices/recipes?
BTW-
My daughter is 6
Lactose intolerance is pretty common! But hard to say if that’s what’s going on. With greenish sugar vein, warming spices like ginger or aromatic spices like cardamom can give an extra therapeutic value to food. Also starchy veggies like pumpkin or carrot. Regardless, I would follow her lead. Responsive feeding – even at 6 years old! – is one of the best ways to work with selective eating. Hope this helps!
I just came across info about the sugar bug vein. My 1 year old sons is very prominent. Heâs had digestive issues since birth. He was just diagnosed at 11 months with FPIES. No idea if there is a relation to the two. But interesting information.
đŻ
Itâs all related đ
Our baby is 10 months old and Iâve noticed his sugar bug vein pop up since he started eating 3 meals per day. He also has digestive issues, he has bowel movements often but seems to be working extra to get it out. Should we be giving him probiotics? He also had congestion all winter from RSV and other colds as well as lots of built up ear wax. Are there foods we should avoid? I hate not knowing whatâs causing this!
Hey Marisa,
I can’t really give direct recommendations without that patient-practitioner relationship. That said, it does sound like there is some level of “dampness” and you could do a little immune and gut support. From a TCM perspective, this can mean root vegetables and warming spices.
Hope this helps! And really great question xxo!!
Iâm curious if you have any experience with infants who have intestinal malrotation? My (now 7 month old) son has this and was born with a volvulus (he had surgery to fix this at two days old). He has a hard time going number two and Iâm unsure if itâs a structural thing or his digestive system is still immature. Heâs still EBF as Iâm unsure if I should start solids when he only has a BM every 3 days and itâs a thick consistency that seems difficult to move through his system and get out. Iâm just looking for options as two pediatricians, his surgeon, and an endocrinologist all believe he should get Miralax to help things move along better instead of natural remedies or even looking to see if thereâs structural issues going on (such as adhesions, kinks in his intestines, SIBO, general slow motility, etcâŠ) I know you canât give medical advice however Iâm wondering if this is something youâve run across at all.
I should mention that what brought me to your website is learning that stork bites are similar to the sugar bug vein and my son was born with two stork bites between his eyebrows, one has faded and the other appears lighter and/or smaller now that heâs a bit older.
Hi!
So I would look at what else is happening in the body beyond stools. For example, sleep. Any congestion. Skin and complexion. Even the temperature of his hands and feet can help discern what herbs may be most supportive.
Since he had surgery so early on, antibiotic use may be part of the picture. So, there’s also baby’s gut microbiome to consider.
I would definitely begin solids as soon as you feel comfortable because we want to get allergens safely in. We also want to make sure he’s getting key nutrients that support brain and immune development. These are more urgent priorities. And lastly, some research shows that getting texture in before 9 months old helps to support adventurous eating habits.
Hope this helps xxo!!
To follow on here, from a TCM perspective, a baby’s body is full of “pure yang qi” which means that they heal rapidly. With volvulus, we’re definitely in the direction of blood stagnation, but once it’s corrected the potential to move that TCM blood stagnation is very good.
Pharmacological studies on herbs do show that many can improve gut motility. These would be either “qi tonics” or herbs that move “food stagnation.” Before we do anything too purging, we would want to make sure that this is what he needs. In other words, do we need to move stool/purge heat or do we need to support his energy and digestion so that this is stronger.
xxo