No, Eating Sugar Will Not Give You the Energy Boost You Think
When researchers crunched the data from 31 studies, they discovered that sugary foods and drinks do not actually improve mood or fatigue. In fact, consuming them can actually increase your energy slump.
The data does not apply to using carbs to fuel your workout, which is still important if you are exercising long or hard.
The notorious mid-afternoon energy slump has driven many people toward sugary snacks for a temporary lift. The problem? It might not actually help at all, as a new meta-analysis published in Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews suggests.
Researchers collected data from 31 studies on nearly 1,300 adults to look at the effect of sugary foods and sweetened drinks on aspects of mood, as well fatigue and alertness levels.
They examined different timeframes after eating, including within the first half hour, and found that sugar didn’t lead to any improvement in mood or alertness. In fact, it seemed to increase the energy slump. And that fatigue increased at an hour after sugar consumption.
“Our study provides clear evidence against the idea that sugar ingestion can improve mood,” said lead study author Konstantinos Mantantzis, Ph.D., of Humboldt University of Berlin. “More importantly, our results show that, if anything, sugar consumption might make people more tired and less alert shortly after its consumption.”
[Build a killer midsection in the kitchen for effortless miles on the road with Eat for Abs!]
In terms of mechanism, that remains unclear, he added. The original idea behind sugar improving mood came from studies showing that carbs might increase levels of serotonin-a neurotransmitter known to be associated with mood.
“Although our study did not look into the sugar-serotonin connection, our results question the existence of a mood-boosting mechanism related to carbohydrate consumption,” said Mantantzis.
The best thing you can do if you need a quick pick-me-up is get up and take a quick walk, according to a 2016 study published in Emotion. Getting outside and in nature is ideal, but this research found that you’ll get a mood boost even if you wander around your drab cubicle zoo.
Important note: The findings here don’t change the recommendations out there on carbs for fueling and recovery. If you’re going hard or long during a workout-say, longer than 60 minutes-you may benefit from some carbs to top of your tank. Sports drinks, gels, or chews fit the bill, and many also contain electrolytes and caffeine to aid in hydration and give you boost to get through the last few miles.
('You Might Also Like',)
