The connection between sugar and headaches
According to Dr. Edwina Raj, Senior Nutritionist, Aster CMI Hospital, Bengaluru (India), the human body needs a certain amount of sugar to maintain energy for daily activities. However, when blood sugar levels suddenly increase (due to eating too many sugary foods), the body will react by secreting insulin to lower blood sugar levels. The rapid fluctuation of blood sugar from high to low can cause unpleasant symptoms such as fatigue, irritability, shaking and especially headaches.
Mechanism for causing headaches due to sugar
Dr. Raj says that both increased and decreased blood sugar can cause headaches. Eating too many sweets causes blood sugar to spike, the body reacts by secreting insulin, sometimes excessively, leading to hypoglycemia and causing headaches. High blood sugar also increases some hormones that cause cramps or dilation of cerebral blood vessels, which is associated with migraines. Therefore, people with diabetes, prediabetes or even healthy people can also have headaches after consuming too much sugar. In addition, sweets are often low in water and can cause mild dehydration, another cause of headaches.
Not only does consuming too much sugar cause headaches, but suddenly cutting sugar from the diet after a long period of consuming too much can also lead to headaches. This is similar to the phenomenon of caffeine or nicotine withdrawal. When you consume sugar continuously, the body will get used to receiving glucose and dopamine, hormones that create a feeling of excitement and well-being. Once sugar levels are suddenly cut, the body cannot adapt to this change and can manifest itself with symptoms such as headache, fatigue, irritability and difficulty concentrating.
How to prevent and treat headaches caused by sugar
If you suspect that sugar consumption is affecting your health, especially headaches, it is important to proactively adjust your eating habits. Some effective solutions include:
Eat a balanced diet: Combine complex carbohydrates, protein, and healthy fats in main and side meals.
Drink enough water: Keeping your body hydrated helps prevent dehydration caused by increased urination when consuming a lot of sugar.
Increase natural foods: Eating plenty of green vegetables, fresh fruits, nuts and whole grains helps stabilize blood sugar levels.
Limit processed foods: Fast foods, industrial candy contain high sugar and low nutrients.
Maintain regular exercise: Exercising at least 30 minutes a day helps improve insulin sensitivity and stabilize blood sugar.
Get enough sleep and manage stress: Poor sleep and stress can make the body more sensitive to fluctuations in blood sugar.
