Consuming simple and refined sugars can cause hyperactivity, or a “sugar high”, with symptoms including increased movement and distractibility. High blood sugar levels can have negative effects on healthy individuals, and prolonged hyperglycemia can cause health problems such as damage to the brain, blood vessels, and kidneys. Diabetics are at higher risk for experiencing high blood sugar spikes, which can have major health effects if left uncontrolled. Eating complex carbohydrates, such as those found in whole grains, does not cause sudden spikes in blood sugar levels.
A sugar high is a period of hyperactivity caused by sudden high blood sugar levels. A sugar high is more likely to be caused by consuming simple and refined sugars than complex carbohydrates. Frequent high blood sugar spikes can have minor side effects for the average individual. Diabetics experience frequent blood sugar spikes if their disease is left uncontrolled, in which case it can have major health effects.
Symptoms of hyperactivity include increased movement, impulsivity, and distractibility. When hyperactivity is caused by the consumption of sugar, it is referred to as “high sugar”. Some sugars enter the bloodstream rapidly, rapidly raising blood sugar levels which in turn trigger the release of adrenaline, resulting in hyperactivity.
There are a number of factors that can cause sugar to rise, but diet is a major cause of hyperglycemia, or high blood sugar. Eating refined or processed sugars, such as white table sugar, honey, or high-fructose corn syrup, can cause your blood sugar to spike. Stress and low levels of exercise can also increase a healthy person’s chance of having high sugar. Eating complex carbohydrates, such as those found in whole grains, do not have the same effect because carbohydrates take longer to be broken down by the body and, therefore, do not cause a sudden spike in blood sugar levels.
While not typically life-threatening, high sugar can have negative effects on healthy people. Rapid changes in blood sugar levels, such as those that occur when someone eats something very sugary, are followed by the release of insulin, which puts stress on the body and promotes fat storage. High blood sugar levels also cause the immune system to be depressed, increasing the chances of developing a disease. Another common side effect of a high sugar is a period of fatigue after the high blood sugar has subsided.
In healthy adults, experiencing a sugar high is usually not a dangerous experience. When insulin is released in the body, blood sugar levels drop rapidly. In diabetics, who experience poor or ineffective insulin production, hyperglycemia can be caused by consuming both refined sugars and complex carbohydrates, and blood sugar levels can remain high for too long. Prolonged hyperglycemia can lead to dehydration or, in severe cases, a diabetic coma. Frequent and long-term high blood sugar can cause further health problems such as damage to the brain, blood vessels and kidneys.
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