Some imbalances due to sugar consumption are being hungry despite having eaten enough, easily losing concentration, having a tendency to get angry and feeling heavy behind the neck, explained Satoru Yamada, a doctor and MD in Japan.
MADRID, Dec. 2 (EDIZIONES).- Feeling sleepy, irritableo hungry shortly after eating It could be more than just tiredness: it could be sugar fatiguean increasingly common metabolic imbalance caused by sharp spikes and drops in blood glucose.
This phenomenon, which affects even people who play sports, or who follow apparently healthy diets, can accelerate aging and increase the risk of diabetes and hypertension, according to the warning in an interview with Europa Press Salud Infosalus Satoru Yamada, physician and MD in Japan, and specialist in internal medicine and diabetes.
“Sugar fatigue is a problem caused by sudden spikes and drops in blood glucose due to excessive consumption of carbohydrates, even in foods that seem healthy to us. A very common symptomatology would be, for example, feeling sleepy or tired after eating. Also if, despite having eaten enough, we immediately feel hungry again, or if we easily lose concentration, tend to get angry, or feel heaviness behind the neck. Furthermore, if we ignore these types of episodes we can increase the risk of promoting premature aging and suffering from diseases such as diabetes or hypertension,” he maintains.
It is a problem that “increases constantly, but silently in our society”, as this specialist warns, who adds that it is a problem that affects us all very closely, but, “curiously, no one believes that it affects them directly.” Furthermore, and surprisingly for him, he recognizes that many people who do sports regularly, even professional athletes, also suffer from ‘postprandial hyperglycemia’.
Apparently healthy habits that are not
Furthermore, and according to experts, everyday habits such as eating fruit for breakfast or drinking energy drinks are behind this “roller coaster” of sugar that exhausts your body without you realizing it, for example. Precisely, doctor Satoru Yamada, author of ‘Sugar Fatigue’ (Neko Books), warns that, for example, fruit is rich in fructose and other sugars. “And fructose itself is converted into triglycerides, which facilitates the development of obesity and fatty liver,” he says.
He also points out that a habit that ‘a priori’ may seem healthy but then really isn’t is eating smoothies or juices for breakfast causes glucose spikes: “The main drawback of fruit is its high content of fructose and other sugars. Although it provides fiber and vitamins, these nutrients can also be obtained from vegetables. When a label indicates ‘X percent sugar’ this means that in 100 grams of the product there are X grams of sugar, although it is often used as a claim flavor”.
Furthermore, Dr. Yamada emphasizes that biological rhythms cause blood glucose levels to tend to rise in the first hours of the day. “For this reason, the habit of eating sweet foods for breakfast favors an additional increase in sugar at a time when the body already has it naturally higher. To avoid a sudden increase in glucose, it is recommended that breakfast, more than any other meal, be low in carbohydrates, and contain mainly proteins and fats,” highlights this expert.
Likewise, warn about the consumption of some low-fat yogurts, since they usually contain a large amount of sugar and fructose, which can cause an increase in the level of triglycerides, and produce
postprandial hyperglycemia.
Say no to performance-enhancing drinks
It also warns that another habit that apparently seems healthy but is not is the consumption of energy drinks to improve performance, since according to a standard energy drink it contains about 27 grams of carbohydrates per 250 milliliters.
“When ingesting it before starting the day, it is common to notice an increase in energy or enthusiasm, but shortly after, postprandial hyperglycemia occurs, followed by a feeling of tiredness derived from excess sugar. Without realizing it, we can feel that the initial effect disappears and look for another drink, repeating the cycle. If after drinking an energy drink you first perceive euphoria and then exhaustion, you are experiencing exactly what we have been talking about: ‘sugar fatigue,'” this doctor insists.
In summary, this diabetes expert comments that, if we consume more sugar than the body needs, there is a rapid rise in glucose, accompanied by an insulin response, and finally a sudden drop in glucose, which can lead to drowsiness, fatigue, or sudden hunger.
“This causes a metabolic imbalance that can manifest itself in the form of fat accumulation, chronic inflammation, or the appearance of insulin resistance, among others. In turn, these processes can cause everyday symptoms and increase the risk of suffering from metabolic diseases and premature aging,” concludes Dr. Satoru Yamada.