Excessive Sugar Intake May Lead to Long-Term Health Issues

(Newswire.net — January 10, 2023) Orlando, FL — Over the years, researchers have been carrying out studies to look into the dangerous amounts of sugar found in widely-consumed foods. It has long been found that sugar overload can be harmful to the human body. 

A QUT study of mice has shown that kids who eat too much sugar are at an increased risk of becoming cognitively impaired, obese, and hyperactive as adults. 

This research was published by the Frontiers of Neuroscience. 

The World Health Organization has long been stressing the relevance of lessening sugar intake in humans. This study supports such a recommendation as it shows that when mice were treated with a much smaller dose of sucrose daily, they had a decreased risk of sugar-induced weight gain and other health issues. 

“Recent evidence shows obesity and impulsive behaviors caused by poor dietary habits leads to further overconsumption of processed food and beverages but the long-term effects on cognitive processes and hyperactivity from sugar overconsumption, beginning at adolescence, are not known,” said one of the lead authors, QUT neuroscientist Professor Selena Bartlett.

“Our study found long-term sugar consumption (a 12-week period with the mice which started the trial at five weeks of age) at a level that significantly boosts weight gain, elicits an abnormal and excessive stimulation of the nervous system in response to novelty. It also alters both episodic and spatial memory. These results are like those reported in attention deficit and hyperactivity disorders.

It is worth noting that people eat sugar and food not just to regulate energy balance, but also to achieve pleasure and comfort. The professor added that this hedonistic desire for palatable food is reward-driven and overeating can impact and even override our ability to regulate. 

Over the years, it has long been considered that unrestricted intake of high-sugar food and drinks within the Western Diet might be associated with the increased obesity epidemic. 

Scientists also revealed a strong link in between attention deficit/hyperactivity disorders and being overweight or obese. 

“This rise in obesity rates could result from a delayed effect of excess sugar, suggesting that adult obesity may be driven by high sugar intake over a life span,” Co-lead author Dr. Arnauld Belmer said.

Obesity is one of the major global health issues today. It is strongly recommended to follow a healthy diet and engage in physical activities regularly. To enhance exercise performance and adherence, it is wise to consider the use of Divine Bounty L-Carnitine (http://www.amazon.com/dp/B06XF7K9MM).