7 Symptoms That Tell You That You Are Consuming Too Much Sugar

Is there any way to tell if you are consuming too much sugar? The answer is yes. Even if you don’t realize it, your body is sending you signals that your diet is not adequate.

However, many people are not aware that those physical or psychological problems they experience may be due to excess sugar in the body.

Therefore, today we present you 7 symptoms that indicate that you are consuming too much sugar to learn how to detect this problem. We started!

Signs that you are consuming too much sugar

The excessive consumption of sugar is one of the habits that, over time, can significantly affect health. However, in the first place, it is important to clarify that when we talk about sugar, we refer to refined and not natural, which is found in fruit, for example.

The latter is also known as “intrinsic sugar” and, as the World Health Organization (WHO) states, there is no evidence that, in principle, it is harmful to health. In fact, they are necessary in our diet.

On the contrary, sugars called “free”, in large quantities, can be harmful to health. Therefore, today we present you 7 signs that warn you that you are consuming too much sugar.

1. Constant hunger

According to a study published in the journal Hospital Nutrition , sugars produce a greater feeling of satiety than carbohydrates.

However, this satiety is short-term, that is, it is very likely that in a short time you will feel hungry again and will eat something again. This, coupled with a lack of exercise and an incorrect diet, can lead you to become overweight or obese.

So if you feel like you’re hungry all the time, despite eating, it may be because you’re consuming too much sugar and no real nutrients.

2. Feeling tired due to consuming too much sugar

It is true that, in general, glucose drinks are usually provided precisely to provide energy and avoid tiredness and fatigue. In fact, many sports drinks contain sugars.

However, its long-term and excess consequences are not so clear. In fact, an experiment conducted by researchers at Cardiff Metropolitan University showed that individuals who reduced their intake of refined sugars improved their levels of fatigue and their overall mood.

Although the study itself opened the door to further research on the subject, it is very interesting and enlightening. Therefore, if you constantly feel tired and for no apparent reason, it may be because your diet is too rich in free sugars.

3. Weak teeth

Surely your mother when you were little always told you that if you ate too much candy, your teeth would fall out. Well, he was right.

Various investigations show that excess sugar coupled with poor dental hygiene weakens the enamel. How? Well, first of all, you should know that the mouth is full of bacteria, some good and some bad.

What sugar does is that it serves as food for harmful bacteria that end up eroding the enamel and weakening your teeth.

This, if left unchecked, can lead to constant cavities or your teeth breaking easily when you eat something hard, for example.

4. Aged skin, a sign that you are consuming too much sugar

According to a study published in the journal Clinics in Dermatology , consuming too much sugar can make your skin age faster.

This is because it creates molecules, known as AGES (in Spanish: advanced glycation end products), that damage collagen and elastin in the skin. Consequently, your skin ages faster.

5. Joint pain

Although this is a more rare symptom, consuming too much sugar could lead to joint pain. In fact, some research associates excessive intake of carbonated beverages (rich in sugars) with a higher probability of developing rheumatoid arthritis in women.

This is again due to those AGES molecules that we have talked about. These cause inflammation, which can lead to long-term joint pain.

6. Weight gain

You probably won’t be surprised to read this, but if you’re consuming too much sugar, you ‘re likely to gain weight, especially if you don’t exercise.

In fact, we have already seen that it creates a temporary feeling of satiety, which leads you to eat more and, therefore, to gain weight. We have also told you that it is related to overweight and obesity.

7. Concentration problems

The effects of the accumulation of sugar in the blood are also perceived in the cognitive abilities and the ability to concentrate.

When you consume too much sugar, you often need more and more. This can lead to your brain not working properly when your blood sugar drops, because it needs it to give you energy to work.

Thus, there may be periods when you suddenly feel that your mind is clouded and you are not able to concentrate. In fact, various studies associate excessive sugar consumption with certain cognitive dysfunctions.

Why stop consuming too much sugar?

Can you identify these symptoms? Are you eating a lot of foods with sugar? If so, you better start taking action. Although at first it is easy to overlook it, its lack of control can lead to the development of more serious diseases than those mentioned here, such as cardiovascular problems.

Therefore, you should pay attention and start reducing your consumption of free sugars. Also, you should bear in mind that sugar is addictive : the more you consume, the more you need it.

According to various research, this is because it releases dopamine (a hormone related to well-being and pleasure), which generates addiction. Therefore, do not hesitate, if this is your case, act as soon as possible.