Dr. Curtis Cripe: Negative Effects of Sugar on the Brain

Dr. Curtis Cripe: How Sugar Impacts the Brain

Our brains are incredibly complex organs that demand a lot of energy to function properly. According to Dr. Curtis Cripe of NTL Group, they use more energy than any other human organ, primarily from glucose or blood sugar.

However, we all know that consuming too much sugar can harm our bodies. But have you ever stopped to consider what happens to our brains when we consume excess sugar? While glucose is essential for brain function, too much can harm our cognitive abilities. In this case, more is not better, and we must moderate our sugar intake - not just for our bodies but also for our brains.

The adverse effects of sugar on the brain may include:

• Decreased self-control and impaired cognitive skills: Having a little sugar makes many crave more.

• Drug-like effects: Scientists have suggested that sweet foods, fatty foods, and salty foods can cause addiction-like effects in the brain, resulting in the loss of self-control and overeating.

 Sugar Causes Addiction-Like Responses 

Studies on brain activity have shown that overeating changes the brain's reward system, further driving more overeating. Over time, more sugar is needed to reach the same reward level. More studies suggest that overeating results in a diminished reward response and a worsening addiction to unhealthy foods rich in sugar, salt, and fat, adds Dr. Curtis Cripe.

Sugar Hinders Mental Capacity 

Elevated blood glucose harms blood vessels. Blood vessel damage is the leading cause of the vascular complications of diabetes, resulting in other serious problems, such as damage to blood vessels in the eyes and brain, causing retinopathy. Studies of people with diabetes reveal some cases of progressive brain damage leading to deficits in learning, motor speed, memory, and other cognitive functions.

Dr. Curtis Cripe says that excessive exposure to glucose diminishes mental capacity, as higher HbA1c levels have been linked to a great degree of brain shrinkage. In addition, even in people without diabetes, high sugar consumption is linked with lower scores on cognitive function tests. These effects might be due to hyperglycemia, insulin resistance, elevated cholesterol, and hypertension.

Additional research shows that added sugar reduces the production of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), a brain chemical necessary for new memory formation. Lower levels of BDNF are also linked to Alzheimer's disease and dementia, according to a study published in the journal Diabetologia.

Learn more about NTL Group's research and development head Dr. Curtis Cripe and the work he does by clicking this link.