The relationship between depression and excessive sugar intake
Depression
It is a mood disorder that causes a feeling of sadness and
loss of interest and is inherent in the person, affecting feeling, thinking and
behavior, as well as leading to a variety of emotional and physical problems;
This affects the person’s daily and routine activities, and sometimes even
leads to the person losing the desire to continue living. It is not limited to
a bout of sadness and cannot be simply eliminated. It requires long-term
treatment that improves with the patient taking medications or when responding
to psychological treatment.
Depression leads to suicide. An episode of depression is
classified as mild, moderate or severe depending on its severity and the number
of symptoms shown. It is divided into two main types: Recurrent depressive
disorder and sufferers of it suffer from; Mood disturbance, loss of interest,
low level of energy and activity, anxiety, low self-esteem, poor concentration,
sleep disturbance and appetite, and the second is bipolar affective disorder
and consists of manic episodes separated by periods of normal mood, and manic
episodes include fluctuating mood states punctuated by hyperactivity Speech
pressure, decreased ability to sleep.
How is the excessive intake of sugars?
What is the effect of excessive sugar intake on humans?
Excessive consumption of sugar in the short term contributes to many health
problems such as; Acne, weight gain and fatigue, and excessive consumption of
it increases the risk of chronic diseases such as type 2 diabetes and heart
disease, and according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC),
people in the United States in particular consume a lot of added sugars in
foods, according to the guidelines From 2010 to 2015, Americans consumed about
17 teaspoons of added sugar per day, which is equivalent to about 270 calories,
compared to guidelines that state that it is necessary to limit the intake of added
sugars to less than 10% of the daily calories intake, in order to obtain 2000
calories per day, so that added sugar should be less than 200 calories, but in
2015 the World Health Organization advised people not to exceed 5% of calories
from added sugars.
What are the sources of sugars?
Beverages are the main and leading source of added sugars,
as drinks constitute 47% of the percentage of added sugars and are divided
between soft drinks with 25%, fruit drinks with 11% sugars, sports energy
drinks with 3% and finally stimulants coffee and tea by 7%, sweets and snacks
after Beverages are the second largest contributor to sugars by 31%, and
according to the recommendations of the American Heart Association, men should
consume no more than 9 tablespoons, equivalent to 36 grams or 150 calories of
sugars per day, and for women, the association recommends eating no more than
About 6 teaspoons, which is equivalent to 25 grams or 100 calories per day.
Is there a relationship between
depression and excessive sugar intake?
Is there any explanation for the relationship between depression and excessive sugar intake? There are many factors that contribute to the development of depression and it is possible that biochemical or psychological problems are essential to make a person suffer from depression, and you find many stimuli that affect the individual such as exposure to a stressful or tragic event and a major calamity in his life, loss of function, separation of relationship or other social problems that affect mood and cause depression, in addition to the presence of many nutritional imbalances that expose the person to depression, but is there a real relationship between Depression and excessive sugar intake will be explained by the following lines:
- Dopamine and glucose
What is glucose and what is its role? Glucose, known as
blood sugar, is the simplest carbohydrate necessary for human survival. Glucose
acts as a primary source of energy for every cell of the body, and the brain
depends on it; This is because the equal supply of glucose contributes to
maintaining the way the brain functions in a balanced way, but despite this,
excessive intake of added sugars has been linked to increased irritability, low
energy level and exposure to depression, and although the initial sugar intake
appears positive, it leads to a decrease The level of glucose in the blood,
which negatively affects the mind and body in a large way, and for many people,
sugar causes addiction to them greatly and they cannot do without it, because
when a person consumes sugars, the mesolimbic dopamine system in the brain
provides a reward and therefore; Influencing and increasing mood, the dopamine
system begins to work when feelings of pleasure and joy approach.
Added sugars are not as beneficial to the body as it is
believed in any way, and their excessive intake leads to chemical changes in
the body resulting from preventing over-stimulation, so the body wants more
sugar on occasions to improve and increase mood, in addition to linking sugars with
systemic inflammation, which was considered to be One of the main links between
sugar intake and depression, and it was found that high systemic inflammation
is a strong physiological cause of depression; Several studies have linked
diabetes to chronic inflammation because increased inflammation occurs through
respiratory conditions such as schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and anxiety,
and is often a factor in depression.
Is there a relationship between sugar and depression of the brain?
Insulin-resistant adipocytes produce bad inflammatory
messages known as cytokines when a person eats a large amount of sugar, through
which they spread damage to the brain. Therefore, some researchers have
suggested calling depression type 2 metabolic syndrome. This is because instead
of just having a belly bloated with fat, a person gets a brain swollen from fat
in addition to depression and causing an imbalance in the level of insulin and
blood sugar, because sugars consume B vitamins to maintain a person's good
mood, according to a study published in the British Journal of Psychiatry where
3,500 participants of half-life were given a diet of whole foods versus a diet
of processed foods laden with sweets, fried foods, and some refined grains.
After 5 years; The risk of developing depression in the processed food group
increased by 58%, while the risk of developing depression in the other group
decreased by 26%.
What is the relationship between refined carbohydrates and depression?
A group of researchers in London discovered that a diet very
rich in whole foods such as; Vegetables, fruits and fish reduce the risk of
depression in middle age compared to people who eat meat and processed foods
such as sweets and fried foods; According to their study on a group of people
who ate processed foods and refined carbohydrates and were more likely to
develop depression than people who relied mainly on unprocessed whole foods
such as vegetables and fruits, which contribute to maintaining a healthy heart
and brain and preventing depression and many other chronic diseases.
Is it possible that baked goods have an impact on mental
health?
Commercial baked goods such as cakes, pastries, croissants,
and other commercial baked goods taste great for many, which is why they are
seen as healthy and valuable foods, but in fact they can lead to depression,
and according to a group of Spanish researchers; that individuals who eat a lot
of baked goods are more likely to suffer from depression, at a rate of 38%,
compared to individuals who eat less of commercial baked goods, based on the
fact that the intake of trans fats plays a major role in depression; This is
because trans fats are unhealthy fats that lead to infections and increase the
risk of many health problems and diseases such as; Heart disease,
cardiovascular disease and heart attack, and therefore unhealthy trans fats
were banned by the FDA in front of American food producers until mid-2018 with
the aim of removing all trans fats from food items.
What is the relationship between sugar and mitochondria
depression?
Sugar damages the mitochondria in the body, which can have
an effect on the body’s energy level so that mitochondria generate the vast
majority of the energy in the body known as ATP or adenosine triphosphate, and
when sugar is the main fuel i.e. the main source of energy in the body, types
of sugar are created Excessive reactive oxygen (ROS) along with secondary free
radicals that damage mitochondrial cell membranes and DNA as well. Damage to
the mitochondria in the body is known to cause a significant reduction in the
energy production in the body that the brain needs to function properly, thus
increasing the risk of depression. On the other hand, healthy dietary fats
create very few ROS and free radicals that enhance mood and maintain a healthy
mind. Healthy fats are also very important for the health of cellular membranes
and many other biological functions that occur in the body, mainly brain
functions such as; Omega-3 fatty acids are among the fats most important for
brain function and mental health and are known for their anti-inflammatory
properties and their role in promoting a healthy mind.