When I mentioned the blue sugar bug vein at the bridge of the nose on Instagram, the comments and my DMs lit up with questions. So many folks wanted to know more about the vein and what it means.
From the perspective of Chinese medicine, a vein at the bridge of the nose in babies and children is used as a diagnostic tool.
Meaning, we look at it in the context of the whole body to get a better idea of where baby might 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, this is called “shan gen.” It literally translates to “mountain root” or “root of mountain.”
The general understanding is that a visible vein indicates a tendency towards digestive weakness. The more visible the vein is, the greater likelihood that you’ll encounter problems.
- Greenish hues around the vein mean weakened digestion.
- Blue hues indicate “kidney” 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 “liver” is involved. Which may mean that your little one is competitive, adventurous, and easily frustrated. When we see overactive “liver energy” like frustration, this can affect digestion.
All babies and toddlers have weak digestion
I mean, right?
If you’ve spent any time around a wee one, you can see this firsthand. Spit up, colic, reflux, wide variations in stool. It’s just where babies are at.
If you want to talk microbes, a baby’s microbiome literally moves through stages of development during baby’s first three years.
This means that baby’s digestion isn’t necessarily something that we need to fix.
But it is something to be aware of.
In Chinese medicine, digestion isn’t only about breaking food into usable pieces.
It’s also responsible for:
- The production of energy and blood
- Concentration and clear thinking
- Dispelling “damp”
As I talk about in my class on first foods, at 6 months 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 baby’s 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 baby’s digestion.
And while no one expects littles one to have robust digestion right away, some babies have more problems than others.
How to support baby with the sugar bug vein
The vein between the bridge of the nose is called a sugar bug vein because sweet foods are “damp” in nature and are said to easily injure digestion.
This means that 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 don’t only want to keep an eye on sugar. Other foods beyond sugar generate “damp” 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 don’t want to give your little one when you see the sugar bug vein.
What to include with a sugar bug vein:
Likewise, this vein also tells you what’s GOOD for the body.
For example, warming foods and spices, like chicken soup with dried ginger, would be especially therapeutic for littles ones with a vein at the bridge of the nose.
Beyond kitchen spices, there is TCM herbal formula to support baby’s digestion called Belly Works from Gryph + Ivy Rose.
Belly Works contains herbs that:
- Move food stagnation
- Strengthen digestion
- Drain, or clear up signs of “damp”
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 baby, so it’s 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 you’ve 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 doesn’t 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. He’s now 14 months so my question is, when it’s 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?
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 🙂
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!!
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!
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. I’m sure it wasn’t there before because I clean his face twice a day and didn’t 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! I’ve been off dairy since he was a month old and he’s 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! 🙂
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.
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 don’t 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 didn’t 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 “spleen” 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!!
I’ve given my little baby homeopathics that contain sugar. It’s just how they come. He didn’t have a vein at birth, but has developed one. Could the homeopathics have caused this? He’s 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 they’ve gotten somewhat better and he does seem to get frustrated as he is trying to crawl but hasn’t 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 🙂 Also, she gags with most dairy products, won’t 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!