In a new study, researchers found eating too much sugar may worsen mood rather than improve it.
It can make people less alert and more tired after its consumption.
The finding suggests that there is no “sugar rush” and people should control their sugar intake.
The research was conducted by a team from the University of Warwick, Humboldt University of Berlin, and Lancaster University.
Eating sugar has been found harmful to our health. For example, one study showed that drinking sugary beverages is linked to higher death risk of heart disease.
It found sodas and sports drinks may make heart disease more dangerous.
Another study found that diet low in added sugars could effectively reduce fatty liver disease symptoms.
But the idea that sugar can improve mood has been widely influential in popular culture. Many people all over the world drink sugary drinks to become more alert or combat fatigue.
In the study, the team focused on the link between sugar intake and mood. They aimed to examine the myth of the ‘sugar rush’: can sugar really put you in a better mood?
The team reviewed data from 31 published studies involving almost 1300 adults.
They examined the effect of sugar on various aspects of mood, including anger, alertness, depression, and fatigue.
They also examined how factors such as the quantity and type of sugar consumed may influence mood.
The researchers found that people who consumed sugar felt more tired and less alert than those who had not
Sugar consumption cannot bring “sugar rush”, regardless of how much sugar is consumed. Therefore, the idea of a ‘sugar rush’ is a myth without any truth behind it.
The new finding suggests that people should dispel the myth of the ‘sugar rush’ and inform decrease their sugar consumption.
This may help fight the rise in obesity, diabetes and metabolic syndrome and provide evidence-based dietary strategies to promote a healthy lifestyle across the lifespan.
The authors of the study are Dr. Konstantinos Mantantzis at the Humboldt University of Berlin, Dr. Sandra Sünram-Lea at Lancaster University, and Dr. Friederike Schlaghecken and Professor Elizabeth Maylor in the University of Warwick.
The study is published in Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews.
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