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By: Flora Zhao
At 55, Kate (a pseudonym) suffered from depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Her emotions swung dramatically, and she struggled with binge eating, resulting in obesity. These issues persisted for decades without any sign of improvement.
She also had a sweet tooth.
It was only when her psychologist encouraged her to give up sugar that these symptoms began to improve.
Two weeks after quitting sugar, Kate had lost four pounds and experienced reduced irritability. She no longer craved sugar, and her energy remained stable throughout the day, without the “shakiness and anger” that used to arise a few hours after meals.
Additionally, her sleep quality improved; previously, she had experienced nightmares several times a week, and now these terrifying dreams were absent. Interestingly, she noticed that when she indulged in sugar again, the “toxicity” she’s come to associate with it would reemerge, leading to bloating and anxiety.
“The old feelings would come back once more,” she said.
Kate was treated by Jessica Russo, a clinical psychologist with a private practice in Philadelphia.
“Sugar could be contributing to her depression,” Ms. Russo told The Epoch Times.
Association Between Sugar, Mental Disorders
This patient’s condition isn’t an isolated case. Extensive research has shown that added sugar is linked to various mental disorders, with a high-sugar diet contributing to anxiety, stress, and hyperactivity.
Excessive sugar consumption “can exacerbate mood disorders,” according to clinical psychologist Laurel Basbas. She has observed too many such cases in her clinical practice over the years, she told The Epoch Times.
In a 2023 study published in Frontiers in Public Health, researchers assessed the association between total sugar intake and depressive symptoms in more than 16,000 American adults. The findings revealed that the prevalence of depressive symptoms increased with higher sugar intake; individuals in the top 20 percent of sugar intake had a 56 percent higher likelihood of experiencing depression compared to those in the lowest 20 percent.
The habit of consuming sugary drinks is one of the most significant contributors to excess sugar intake in the modern diet. A single can of soda contains as much as 40 grams of sugar.
A meta-analysis published in the Journal of Affective Disorders in 2019 that included 10 observational studies involving over 365,000 individuals revealed that those who consumed more sugar-sweetened beverages had a 31 percent higher combined risk of depression compared to those who consumed the least sugar-sweetened beverages. A prospective study in the United Kingdom also found similar results.
Excessive sugar stimulation to the brain can lead to an inability to concentrate and may even exacerbate symptoms of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).
A systematic review and meta-analysis published in 2020 that included seven studies involving nearly 26,000 individuals confirmed a positive relationship between overall sugar and sugar-sweetened beverage consumption and symptoms of ADHD. Another systematic review and meta-analysis published in the Journal of Affective Disorders in 2019 that included 14 studies proposed that a diet rich in refined sugar and saturated fat could increase the risk of ADHD by 41 percent.
3 Major Reasons Sugar Raises Mental Disorder Risk
- Sugar Depletes Essential Nutrients in the Brain
Sugar can induce symptoms of mental disorders because it alters the gut microbiome, leading to a deficiency of nutrients required by the brain and nerves.
“We have to be careful with nutrition because good nutrition can help, [and] bad nutrition is going to exacerbate the problem,” Ms. Basbas stated.
“The gut microbiome produces B vitamins and vitamin K, which are our foods,” said Sheridan Genrich, an Australian clinical nutritionist and naturopath, told The Epoch Times.
B vitamins are crucial for the brain.
“When they are deficient, people can experience fogginess, even paranoia—just generally troubled thinking as sort of a depressive state,” Ms. Russo said. The production of red blood cells decreases as B vitamin levels decrease, leading to a reduced oxygen-carrying capacity of the blood and lower energy levels. Additionally, these B vitamins are essential for the synthesis of neurotransmitters.
The gut microbiome also produces neurotransmitters, which are stored in the brain and are “the key for mood,” Ms. Genrich said. For instance, the gut produces serotonin, which is responsible for feelings of happiness and well-being. It’s also a precursor to melatonin, which can help promote restful sleep.
In the brain, a substance called brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) preserves synaptic integrity and improves neuronal survival. Reduced levels of BDNF can promote depression and hippocampal atrophy. Animal models have confirmed that a high-sugar diet can lead to a decrease in the levels of this substance.
Calcium and magnesium are both “minerals significantly depleted due to a high-sugar diet,” Ms. Genrich said. “Our bodies are so intelligent; they always strive to protect our safety.”
When we consume too much sugar, calcium and magnesium are drawn from our bones to buffer blood sugar fluctuations and create a balanced internal environment. Their deficiency not only leads to bone loss but also affects the nervous system. In particular, magnesium “puts on the brakes” for our intensifying emotions, and a lack of magnesium can make “someone feel less relaxed,” according to Ms. Genrich.
Excessive sugar consumption also leads to deficiencies in essential nutrients such as iron and vitamin C, she said.
In summary, the deficiency of these essential nutrients contributes to emotional fluctuations, cognitive decline, inability to concentrate, and irritability. Additionally, it gives rise to that “wired yet tired” feeling, as Ms. Genrich described it. This is why some people may feel extremely tense despite their strong desire to sleep.
- Sugar Induces Inflammation
Excessive sugar can lead to inflammation. Inflammation is being researched as a contributing or causal factor in mental disorders, including depression and anxiety.
“I think if you just look at the basics of what sugar is and what table sugar or refined sugar is, it just would make sense,” Ms. Russo said.
Inflammation is a key mediator of sugar-induced depression; emotions are affected as inflammatory markers increase in the bloodstream. Additionally, inflammation is also recognized as a physiological trigger of depressive symptoms, such as fatigue, low energy, sleep problems, and changes in appetite.
A review study published in 2020 indicated that added sugar perturbs various metabolic, inflammatory, and neurobiological processes, significantly impacting the inflammation processes within the body and the brain. Research has confirmed that higher sugar intake from nonalcoholic beverages and sugar added to tea, coffee, and cereals is associated with elevated inflammatory markers in the bloodstream.
Sugar can also trigger gut inflammation. Ms. Genrich stated that our intestinal lining has a thick layer of cells, acting as a barrier similar to our skin and protecting the body from external substances. However, sugar can compromise the function of the protective barrier in the intestines, altering its permeability. Consequently, substances that shouldn’t directly enter the body can pass from the intestines into the bloodstream, leading to inflammation.
