10 hours Ago
Images of cheerful people eating sugary ice creams may paint a picture of happiness, yet the reality may be less joyful and more complex. Sugar, found in such sweet treats or any other food loaded with it, can significantly impact our health in more ways than one. It has the potential to play more than one villainous role - beyond contributing to weight gain and diabetes, sugar can also impact our brain health.
High sugar intake is creating an addiction in the brain, with certain sections of the medical community even terming it as ‘the new tobacco’! One of the earliest studies that has linked high sugar intake with mental health can be attributed to a 2002 study titled A cross-national relationship between sugar consumption and major depression. The investigative study found a significant correlation between per capita sugar consumption and the prevalence of major depression across six countries. Over the years this correlation has found credence in more studies.
More recently, a team at the University of Surrey, in their research, found a strong connection between sugary treats and serious diseases, including depression. So, how does sugar cause mental health issues? There are various biological mechanisms that could explain why eating sugar regularly might impact the brain. One key factor could be related to a substance in the brain called brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), which is crucial for brain growth and function.
Studies suggest that diets high in sugar, particularly when combined with unhealthy fats, can reduce BDNF levels. And low levels of BDNF have been linked to depression as well as the shrinking of brain areas involved in memory and emotional regulation. Excessive sugar consumption is also known to contribute to metabolic disorders and an increase in circulating inflammatory markers.
Studies have consistently demonstrated a link between inflammation and depression. Individuals with depression often show elevated levels of inflammatory markers in their blood, such as interleukin and C-reactive protein. Apart from depression, high sugar intake is also known to exacerbate other serious mental illnesses.
For instance, a diet rich in refined sugar has been linked to a worsening of schizophrenic behaviour among individuals afflicted by the disease. India has the unfortunate distinction of being the ‘diabetes capital of the world’. According to a study conducted by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), the country is home to 101 million diabetics, with an additional 136 million individuals classified as pre-diabetic and in need of preventive measures.
This has critical repercussions on mental health as well, as people with diabetes are two to three times more likely to experience depression compared to those without the condition. Such alarming statistics begs the question whether sugar could be considered an addiction and is it the new tobacco? Typically, in medicine, the term addiction refers to a situation when a person’s brain chemistry is altered and which compels him or her to repeatedly consume a substance despite the harmful consequences. A similar process can be said to be unleashed with high sugar intake, as consuming it triggers the release of opioids and dopamine in our bodies.
Dopamine is a neurotransmitter that activates the dopaminergic system, which is responsible for motivation and reward in the brain. The release of the dopamine creates a pleasurable high, reinforcing the behaviour and making the individual repeat it, in this case, the uncontrolled consumption of sugary foods. With millions consuming foods with far more sugar than necessary for the human body, there are bound to be widespread consequences, one of which is a silent mental health epidemic.
So, when studies suggest that ‘sugar is the new tobacco’, it is difficult to disagree. The question is, what are we going to do about it? This article is authored by Dr Rajesh Gupta, director, pulmonology and critical care, Fortis Healthcare, Noida..
