There’s no doubt that sugar is delicious. It adds a delightful sweetness to everything it’s in, making pretty much anything automatically taste better. That’s exactly why added sugar is found in so many different foods out there. Unfortunately, when it comes to sugar, there can definitely be too much of a good thing. Sugar is known for being fattening, unhealthy, and even addicting. One of our mottos here at So Yummy is “everything in moderation,” since we do make a living creating sweets all day long.
That said, there are some things that happen to your body when you have too much sugar, and they’re important to take into consideration when reviewing your diet.
It’s fine to eat some sugar each day — in fact, it’s in so many things that it’s actually difficult not to — but going overboard can lead to many different health risks. Added sugar is worse than natural sugar (think something like Frosted Flakes for added sugar, and an apple for natural sugar), but still: you’ll want to watch your intake of both. I
f you’re not convinced that you might need to take things down a notch, take a look at what can happen if you don’t:
1. Weight gain
There have been many studies done out there that have confirmed that too many sugary foods and drink can lead to weight gain. Rebecca Lee, a registered nurse and founder of RememediesForMe.com, told INSIDER:
“When you consume more sugar than the body can use, the body converts it into fatty acid and stores it for future use in adipose fatty cells, such as the hips, thighs, arms, and stomach.”
Research has found that excessive fructose consumption might cause resistance to leptin, which is a hormone that regulates hormones and tells your body to stop eating. So, if you eat a lot of sugar, you’ll want to eat more, which can lead to weight gain. Research has also consistently shown that people who drink sugar beverages weigh more than people who don’t.
2. More sugar cravings
Eating a lot of sugar doesn’t just make you want to eat more, it also makes you want to eat more sugar. Studies have found that eating fructose increases your desire for more of it. Basically, sugar is addicting.
According to Self, eating a lot of it can increase feel-good chemicals in your brain, like dopamine and serotonin.
That doesn’t sound so bad, until you realize that these are the same effects drugs like cocaine have on your body. Gina Sam, M.D., M.P.H., director of the Gastrointestinal Motility Center at The Mount Sinai Hospital, told Self, “You then become addicted to that feeling, so every time you eat it you want to eat more.”
3. Acne
You might not think that sugar can affect your skin, but it definitely can. In fact, a 2014 study published in the Journal of Clinical and Aesthetic Dermatology found a connection between consuming dairy and foods with high glycemic indexes (sweet foods) with acne and skin problems.
It’s also true that sugary foods can cause increased androgen secretion, oil production, and inflammation, all of which can lead to acne.
4. Aging skin
Sugar doesn’t only lead to acne — it can also age you faster.
Research has found that eating a lot of refined carbs and sugar can lead to the production of advanced glycation endproducts (AGEs), which can play a key role in skin aging.
One study found that women who consumed more carbs, including added sugars, had a more wrinkled appearance than women on a high-protein, lower-carb diet. There’s nothing wrong with skin that ages — that’s normal and natural. However, premature wrinkles may be something you’re worried about, and if that’s the case, you may want to cut back on how much sugar you’re consuming.
5. Depression and anxiety
It’s not all about appearance, either — eating too much sugar could actually lead to increased feelings of depression and anxiety. Research has found that diets high in starchy and sugary foods are linked to inflammation.
A 2016 study published in The Journal of Clinical Psychiatry found that inflammation can be an indicator of depression and high stress levels.
In other words: eating too much sugar causes inflammation, which can then lead to depression and anxiety. Plus, researchers have also found that blood sugar swings can result in sugar’s impact on mental health.
6. Increased cancer risk
Researchers have found that eating too much sugar might increase your risk of developing certain types of cancer. One study found that added sugar was positively associated with an increased risk of esophageal cancer, pleural cancer, and cancer of the small intestine.
Another study found that women who ate sweets more than three times per week were 1.42 times more likely to develop endometrial cancer compared to women who ate these foods less than 0.5 times per week.
The fact that too much sugar causes obesity and inflammation is also concerning, as both are linked to increased cancer risk as well.
7. Recurrent yeast infections
If you don’t enjoy yeast infections, then you probably want to avoid too much sugar. High sugar intake can promote yeast overproduction, which can lead to recurring yeast infections down there. Jessica Shepherd, MD, an assistant professor of clinical obstetrics and gynecology and director of minimally invasive gynecology at the University of Illinois College of Medicine at Chicago told Health:
“When there’s too much sugar in the body, the immune system becomes suppressed and unable to ward off any bad bacteria; that can lead to an overgrowth of yeast in the vagina.”
8. Memory problems
A study from 2015 at Oregon State University found that diets high in sugar can impact the brain’s ability to retain short and long-term memories. Basically, too much sugar can mess with your memory.
In 2017, a U.K. study found a connection between high blood sugar and the progression of dementia or Alzheimer’s Disease.
According to INSIDER, Dr. Omar Kassar told The Telegraph, “Excess sugar is well known to be bad for us when it comes to diabetes and obesity, but this potential link with Alzheimer’s disease is yet another reason that we should be controlling our sugar intake in our diets.”
9. Energy loss
You know how everyone talks about crashing after too much sugar? Yeah, that’s a legitimate thing. Although sugar can lead to increased energy right after eating it, that energy doesn’t last.
It’s quickly followed by a sharp drop in blood sugar, which is that crash everyone talks about.
Research has found that having constant blood sugar swings can lead to major fluctuations in energy levels. In other words, the more it happens, the worse it is in the long-term.
10. Increased pre-diabetes risk
Eating too much sugar can lead to a large release of insulin, which can, over time, result in insulin resistance. Insulin resistance means that your body can’t absorb glucose fast enough, allowing it to build up in your bloodstream and liver.
This can lead to pre-diabetes, and then diabetes, especially if there are certain genetic and environmental factors at play.
The fact that sugar can lead to obesity doesn’t help things. Being obese can also lead to insulin resistance.
11. Tooth decay
Yes, what your mother always told you is true: sugar can rot your teeth. Although sugar doesn’t cause cavities, the acid caused by sugar interacting with the surface of your teeth will cause cavities. Jessica Emery, DMD, owner of Sugar Fix Dental Loft in Chicago, told Self:
“We have bacteria in our mouths that feed on the sugars that we eat; when this takes place it creates acids that can destroy tooth enamel. Once the tooth enamel is weakened, you’re more susceptible to tooth decay.”
12. Insatiable hunger
When you eat too much sugar, you might not be able to tell when you’re actually full. A study from 2011 found that diets high in saturated fats and refined sugars can interfere with the brain’s signal to your body that you’re full.
So, you’ll keep eating because you think you’re hungry, even when you don’t need to eat anymore.
13. Liver damage
According to Self:
“One of the liver’s functions is regulating blood sugar levels. Your cells use the glucose in your blood for energy, and your liver takes the excess and stores it in the form of glycogen. When your cells need energy later, like in between meals, the liver will release glucose back into the bloodstream.”
The thing is, your liver can only store a certain amount of glucose, so too much accumulates as fat. These fatty acids get deposited into your liver, which can lead to nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, which can eventually lead to liver failure.
14. Overall organ damage
Your liver isn’t the only organ that can suffer from too much sugar — all of them can be negatively affected, as well as your arteries. If you have too much sugar coursing through your blood vessels, you will eventually damage your kidneys, brain, eyes, and heart.
This can lead to chronic kidney disease or kidney failure, high blood pressure, and an increased risk of stroke.
It’s important to note that you should see your doctor for a professional opinion if you’re feeling like you’re consuming too much sugar. They can run the appropriate tests and let you know. Every body is different, so these effects may not apply to everyone.
