Why does sugar cause mental illness | Li Luming | The dangers of sugar | Quitting sugar

Laura, 55, suffers from depression and anxiety, as well as post-traumatic stress disorder. She had extremely mood swings, overeated and was overweight. These problems have not gotten better in decades.

She has a hobby, that is, she loves eating sweets. However,After the psychiatrist asked her to give up sugar, all her symptoms changed.

After giving up sugar for two weeks, Jessica lost 4 pounds, along with her irritability. Laura found that she no longer crave sweets as she used to, and she began to feel endless energy throughout the day. When hunger returned a few hours after a meal, she no longer experienced “shaking and anger.”

After giving up sugar for a month, Laura has successfully lost 10 pounds. Not only has her concentration improved, but she no longer feels anxious. Her sleep quality was better, and the nightmares she had experienced several times a week were now gone for a long time. She also noticed that if she broke the habit and ate sugar, the “toxicity” of sugar would creep up on her body again – bloating, anxiety, and “the previous feelings would reappear.”

Laura (pseudonym) is a patient helped by Jessica Russo, a clinical psychologist in Philadelphia, USA. Russo told The Epoch Times that “sugar may have contributed to her depression.”

Sugar linked to depression and other mental illnesses

Laura’s situation is not unique. A large number of studies have proven that added sugar is related to a variety of mental illnesses, and that high-sugar diets can lead to anxiety, stress, hyperactivity and other problems.

Excessive sugar consumption “can exacerbate mood disorders.” Clinical psychologist Laurel Basbas said in an interview with The Epoch Times that she has observed too many such cases in clinical practice over the years.

A 2023 article published in the journal “Frontiers of Public Health”Research, evaluated the association between total sugar consumption and symptoms of depression in more than 16,000 U.S. adults. The results showed that the higher the sugar intake, the higher the prevalence of depression. Compared with the lowest 20% of sugar consumers, the highest 20% of sugar consumers had an increased chance of suffering from depression. 56%.

The habit of drinking sugary drinks is one of the important reasons why modern people’s dietary sugar intake exceeds the standard. The sugar content in a can of Coke has reached 40 grams.

A 2019 study published in the Journal of Affective Disorders included 10 observational studies involving more than 360,000 people.meta-analysisshowed that compared with those who drank the least sugary drinks, those who drank more sugary drinks had a 31% higher overall risk of depression.Another BritishForward-lookingResearchSimilar results were found.

Sugar overstimulates the brain, causing people to lose focus and even worsen ADHD.

A study published in 2020 included seven studies involving 25,000 people.Systematic reviews andmeta-analysisIt was determined that there was a positive relationship between overall intake of sugar and sugary drinks and ADHD symptoms. Another systematic review and meta-analysis including 14 studies published in the Journal of Affective Disorders in 2019 suggested that dietary patterns rich in refined sugar and saturated fat increase the risk of ADHD.41%。

3 reasons why sugar increases the risk of mental illness

1. Sugar deprives the brain of important nutrients

Sugar can cause psychiatric symptoms because it can makeChanges in intestinal flora, which in turn leads to a lack of nutrients needed by the brain and nerves. Important nutrients currently found to be deficient include vitamins B, K, vitamin C, iron, calcium and magnesium, as well as certain brain nutritional factors.

“We must pay attention to our nutritional intake, because good nutrition is good for the human body, and malnutrition will aggravate the problem.” Basbas emphasized.

Intestinal bacteria produce B vitamins, vitamin K, etc., “and this is also our food,” Sheridan Genrich, an Australian clinical nutritionist and naturopath, said in an interview with The Epoch Times .

B vitamins are very important for the brain. When lacking, a person “feels confused, even paranoid, and often falls into a state of depression,” Russo said.

When B vitamins are reduced, the production of red blood cells is also reduced, which means that the blood’s oxygen-carrying capacity decreases, and a person’s energy level decreases with it. Moreover, the production of neurotransmitters also requires these B vitamins.

Gut bacteria also produce neurotransmitters that are stored in the brain and are “keys to mood,” Genrich said. For example, the gut produces serotonin, which makes people happy and feel good, and it also Melatonin precursor, can help people get good sleep.

There is a nutritional factor in the brain calledbrain derived nervesnutritional factors(BDNF), which ensures neuronal integrity andimproveNeuronal survival rate. If levels of this substance are reduced, it promotes depression and shrinkage of the hippocampus. Animal experiments have confirmed that a high-sugar diet will reduce the level of this substance.

In addition, calcium and magnesium are both “minerals that are consumed in large amounts due to high-sugar diets,” Genrich said. “Our bodies are so smart, it always tries to keep us safe.” When we consume too much sugar, calcium and magnesium are lost from the bones in order to buffer blood sugar fluctuations and create a balanced internal environment. Their deficiency not only leads to bone loss, but also affects the nervous system. Magnesium, in particular, can put the brakes on our accelerated emotions, and a lack of magnesium can make people “unable to relax.”

Eating a lot of sugar can also make people deficient in important nutrients like iron and vitamin C, Genrich added.

Taken together, it is deficiencies in these key nutrients that lead to mood swings, reduced cognitive function, difficulty concentrating, and irritability. Along with it, there’s that feeling of “nervousness and fatigue,” which Genrich says is why some people want to sleep but are so nervous.

2. Sugar triggers inflammation and affects mental illness

“A lot of sugar causes inflammation,” Russo said. One of the theories behind mental illnesses, including depression and anxiety, is that they are caused by inflammation. “If you just look at what sugar is, look at processed sugar or refined sugar. With basic knowledge, you can understand this matter.”

Inflammation is thought to be a key mediator of sugar-induced depression, with levels in the bloodinflammatory markersincrease, emotions will be affected.In addition, inflammation can lead to fatigue, low energy, sleep problems, and changes in appetite, which aredepressive symptomstriggers。

A review study published in 2020 concluded that added sugar disrupts many metabolic, inflammatory and neurobiological processes, affecting the body and brain.inflammatory processHave far-reaching consequences.experimentIt has been confirmed that consuming more sugar from non-alcoholic beverages and added sugars from tea, coffee, and cereals will also increase the levels of inflammatory markers in the blood.

Sugar can also cause inflammation through the gut. Genrich explains that our intestinal walls have a very thick layer of cells that serve as the body’s barrier to outside substances, somewhat like skin. Sugar can damage the intestinal barrier and change its permeability – substances that should not enter the human body directly can enter the bloodstream from the intestines and cause inflammation.

3. Sugar shrinks the brain and disrupts the dopamine system

Russo emphasized that people who eat a lot of sugar will have high blood sugar, which can damage blood vessels in the brain. The function of blood vessels is to transport oxygen-rich blood to the brain – when blood vessels are damaged and the brain receives too little blood, brain cells will die. This is called “brain atrophy.”

Sugar stimulates the brain to secrete dopamine, which makes people happy, but long-term intake of large amounts of sugar will cause dopamine secretion to decrease. In order to maintain a sense of satisfaction, people will consume more sugar, and a vicious cycle begins. The brain’s reward system is disrupted and emotional problems arise.

Other ways sugar contributes to mental illness

High consumption of added sugar can lead to elevated blood sugar and insulin resistance.Insulin resistanceIncreases the risk of depressive symptoms, and insulin resistance is more common in people with depressive symptoms.Additionally, researchers believe that insulin resistance in the brain and the consequentenergy usageinterruptmay be a direct cause of depressive symptoms.

Sugar produces reactive oxygen species during metabolism, and excessive intake of sugar can lead tooxidative stress, which can lead to cell damage, inflammation and accelerated aging.A study that included 29 studiesmeta-analysispointed out that patients with depression have higher levels of oxidative stress than healthy people and lower levels of antioxidants.

Excessive intake of sugar will promoteGlycation end productsIt is produced and deposited in the body, causing a series of harmful reactions.Animal experiments have confirmed that high levels of glycation end products willAffects the hippocampusnerve growththereby damaging hippocampal function, causing depression and cognitive decline.

Sugar isn’t just bad for the body, it’s bad for the mind – it also affects our brain, mind and nerves, so it’s time to consider removing it from our diet.

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Editor in charge: Li Fan