Glucose and the Brain:
The human brain is made up of a network of nerve cells called neurons. Although neurons exist throughout the body, brain cells are responsible for sending and receiving information via neurotransmitters. These cells are essential to everyday brain functions such as thinking, learning, communicating, memorizing, and much more. These cells are also powered by glucose, a type of simple sugar, that can be broken down from the carbohydrates found in starchy foods and fruit, honey, jam, and table sugar. As the brain cannot use fatty acids as fuel (like the muscles and liver do), it must tightly regulate the amount of glucose available to the rest of the body to maintain its high activity level. Usually, the brain depends on the bloodstream as its main source of glucose.
Overconsumption of Sugar:
Although sugar is the brain’s main fuel, overconsumption is detrimental instead. It is important to note that sugar is addictive, as high-glycemic foods activate the reward response in the brain. This means that foods that are processed and are high in sugar tend to provoke more intense feelings of hunger than low-glycemic ones. Furthermore, foods that cause a higher elevation in blood glucose produce a greater addictive drive in the brain, hence addiction. Sugar addiction impairs cognitive skills and decreases self-control, potentially leading to even more health concerns in the future. Even now, we already see increasingly negative health epidemics like diabetes and obesity—both in which sugar and addiction play a major role. Additionally, elevated blood glucose can lead to the aging of cells, and can cause the brain to atrophy or shrink. Over time, this can lead to progressive brain damage, as brain chemicals for memory foundation and learning are produced less and less.
As the saying goes, moderation is key. If there is too much sugar, the brain will learn to create and respond better to bad habits, affecting the brain and overall human health. If there is too little sugar, there is not enough energy for the brain to work properly. Keeping sugar levels at optimal levels is the best way for the brain to maintain good cognitive function for everyday tasks. This can all be best accomplished by eating regular meals that are well-balanced and limiting the intake of processed and sugar-high foods.
References
h, eufic. “Glucose and the Brain: Improving Mental Performance.” Eufic, 30 Apr. 2013, www.eufic.org/en/whats-in-food/article/glucose-and-mental-performance.
Mergenthaler, Philipp, et al. “Sugar for the Brain: The Role of Glucose in Physiological and Pathological Brain Function.” Trends in Neurosciences, 20 Oct. 2013, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3900881/#:~:text=Glucose%20metabolism%20provides%20the%20fuel,as%20the%20generation%20of%20neurotransmitters.
“Sugar and the Brain.” Harvard Medical School, Apr. 2016, hms.harvard.edu/news-events/publications-archive/brain/sugar-brain.
Joel Fuhrman, MD. “Understanding What Sugar Really Does to Your Brain.” Verywell Mind, 30 Sept. 2022, www.verywellmind.com/how-sugar-affects-the-brain-4065218.
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