IIt’s a warning passed down from generation to generation: Give a child too much candy and he’ll bounce off the walls. But is there scientific proof that sugar makes us overwork? Not yet, says Amanda Avery, associate professor of nutrition and dietetics at the University of Nottingham.
She says there are theories linking sugar to behavioral changes. One comes from the way sugar activates the body’s reward system, triggering a burst of dopamine – the “feel good” neurotransmitter. “Increases in dopamine levels may be linked to changes in behavior, which may include periods of hyperactivity,” says Avery.
Another theory focuses on how eating too much sugar can cause blood sugar to rise and then drop quickly, known as reactive hypoglycemia. This can lead to behavioral changes, some of which could be interpreted as hyperactivity.
There is, however, little evidence to prove these theories. Not least because hyperactivity – outside of its clinical context as a symptom of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) – is subjective: “What one parent might call hyperactive, another might simply consider energetic. »
So far, research has found only limited links between sugar consumption and hyperactive behavior, mainly in children already diagnosed with ADHD. The strongest links appear with sugary drinks containing seven or eight teaspoons of sugar per serving, which also contain additives and caffeine, making it difficult to isolate sugar as the culprit. Some animal studies – but not humans – have found that people fed a high-sugar diet early in life were more likely to have hyperactivity later in life.
So, does sugar make us hyper? So far this has not been proven. Still, Avery says, most of us eat more sugar than is healthy and we should try to reduce our intake.
