Sugar Withdrawal Syndrome (English )

Sugar consumption has been steadily decreasing since 2008.It is due to number of reasons, including a shift in tastes and lifestyles, with the popularity of low -carbohydrate diet, like keto, increasing in the past decade. A greater understanding of the dangers of eating excess sugar on our health may also be driving this drop.        Reducing sugar intake has clear health benefits. It includes weight loss and improved dental health. But people sometimes report experiencing negative side effects when they try eating less sugar-including headaches, fatigue or mood change.           The reason for these side effects is currently poorly understood. But it is likely these symptoms relate to how the brain reacts when exposed to sugary foods-and the biology of" reward.'       Carbohydrates come in several forms-including as sugars, which can naturally occurs in many foods, such as fructose in fruits and lactose in milk. Table sugar -known as sucrose -is found in sugar cane and sugar beet, maple syrup  and even honey.Sucrose and other sugars are now added to foods to make them more palatable. Beyond the improved taste and "mouth -feel' foods with high sugar content, sugar has profound biological effects in the brain.                          Sucrose activates sweet taste receptors in the mouth which ultimately leads to the release of a chemical called dopamine in the brain. Dopamine is a neurotransmitter, meaning it is a chemical that passes messages between nerves in the brain. When we are exposed to a rewarding stimulus, the brain responds by releasing dopamine.-Which is why it is often called the "reward " chemical.

The rewarding effects of dopamine are largely seen in the part of the brain involved in pleasure and reward. Reward governs our behavior -meaning we are driven to repeat the behaviours which caused dopamine to be released in the first place. Dopamine can drive us to seek foods like junk food.      Experiments in both animals and people have shown how profoundly sugar activates these reward pathways.Intense, sweetness surpasses even cocaine in terms of internal reward it triggers. Interestingly, sugar is able to activate these reward pathways in the brain whether it is tasted in the mouth or injected into the blood-stream, as shown in studies on mice. This  means it's effects are independent of the sweet taste. Sucrose consumption can actually change the structure in the brain that dopamine activates as well as altering emotional processing and modifying behavior in both animals and humans.         . .              Life without sugar:It is obvious that sugar can have a powerful effect on us. So that is why it is not surprising to feel negative effect when we eat less sugar or remove it from our diet completely. It is during this early "sugar withdrawal' stage that both mental and physical symptoms have been reported - including depression, anxiety, brain fog and cravings, alongside headaches,fatigue and dizziness. This means giving up sugar can feel unpleasant, both mentally and physically, which may make it difficult for some to stick with diet change.       A change in the brain's chemical balance is almost certainly behind the symptoms reported in humans who remove or reduce dietary sugar.                As with any dietary change, sticking to it is key. So if you want to reduce sugar from your diet long term, being able to get through the first few difficult weeks is crucial. It is important to also acknowledge however, that sugar isn't "bad' per se- but it should be eaten in moderation alongside a healthy diet and exercise.