Sugar is a familiar ingredient in most diets today, from candy, soft drinks to sauces and processed foods.
Although it brings a pleasant sweetness and a feeling of rapid satisfaction, consuming too much sugar has many potential consequences for health, especially the brain and nervous system.
Mr. Prashant Katakol, a neurosurgist with more than 33 years of experience (working at Health City in Gulbarga, Karnataka, India) has described intuitively what happens in the body when people consume too much sugar every day.
According to Dr. Katakol, the effects of sugar do not stop at weight gain but also have a profound impact on brain function.
When sugar enters the body, the brain quickly reacts by stimulating the release of dopamine, a neurotransmitter that creates a feeling of joy and excitement.
This is the reason why people are addicted to sweets, because the feeling of well-being appears almost immediately.
However, this feeling is short-lived and quickly subsides, forcing the brain to demand more sugar to maintain an excited state.
According to Dr. Katakol, problems start to arise when the amount of sugar intake exceeds the body's ability to process.
At this time, the pancreas must increase insulin secretion to bring sugar from the blood into cells. If this condition occurs frequently, the body can develop insulin resistance, which is an important risk factor for metabolic disorders and type 2 diabetes.
When insulin no longer works effectively, excess sugar will be pushed to the liver and gradually converted into fat, especially belly fat.
This is not only a cosmetic problem but is also directly related to the risk of cardiovascular disease, fatty liver and many other chronic diseases.
Not stopping there, sugar continuously activating the brain's reward system can also cause emotional disorders.
People who consume a lot of sugar are likely to fall into a state of fatigue, irritability or lethargy when blood sugar levels drop rapidly after a period of high excitement.
According to experts, sugar is not an enemy, but consuming too much will create a chain reaction that affects the brain, hormones and fat storage.
Reducing sweets, prioritizing natural foods and balancing nutrition are effective ways to protect long-term health.
(The article is for reference only, not a replacement for professional advice. Always consult a doctor or medical professional if you have any questions).
