How sugar makes us sick. Sugar eats away at your teeth. But it can cause even more damage to your body, depending on how much and in what form you eat it. Our experts tell you what the right dose is and where the pitfalls lie.
As a man, you are in a sweet dilemma: the substance that your body so urgently needs to perform can make you seriously ill. It’s about sugar. The human body loves it. The simplest form, glucose, serves as the preferred fuel for cells. Strength athletes build up their muscles after exertion by consuming a high amount of energy.
Quickly available carbohydrates in the form of sugar are ideal for this. Runners and cyclists also make sure that they are not running on empty. Even if you are not doing any sport or physical work, you need sugar. Then the head is the main consumer: 75 percent of the total requirement goes to the brain. It loves sugary foods and makes sure that the tank is always sufficiently full.
The downside:
Too much sugar makes you sick, and many people overdo it. “In Germany, people eat too much sugar, an average of 35 kilos per year,” says Prof. Dr. Hans Hauner , Director of the Center for Nutritional Medicine at the Technical University of Munich. About half that amount would be recommended – the guideline for daily intake is 50 grams. Anything above that can trigger or worsen illnesses.
Sugar promotes obesity
Supermarkets are full of sugary products, your genes make it difficult for you to resist. Sugar is not the same as sugar – there are many other forms besides glucose. Not only do they taste different levels of sweetness, they are also processed, used or stored differently in the body. A characteristic of table sugar is its effect on the insulin level in the body.
The hormone insulin is produced in the pancreas. It ensures that glucose gets from the blood into the body’s cells. This lowers the blood sugar level. This is good for the blood vessels, but bad for the cells. Sugar accumulates there – and the cells have no choice but to store it. If the storage is full, any further excess is converted into fat. Theoretically, the sugar could be excreted in the urine. However, the body is programmed not to waste energy.
Everything that is not immediately needed is stored for times of need. The result: you get fatter. For every 7000 calories you consume too much, your body stores around 1 kilogram of fat on your stomach, hips and under your skin. This means that if you eat 1000 calories more than you need every day, you will gain around 1 kilogram every week. Industrially produced food will add weight to your hips more quickly than natural products such as fruit and vegetables.
“Added sugar is less healthy than the sugar naturally present in food because it is absorbed into the blood much more quickly and blood sugar levels therefore rise more quickly, but you don’t feel full,” warns nutritionist Hauner.
By the way:
Fruit is not a threat to your waistline, because it is rarely consumed in such large quantities that a worrying amount of sugar is consumed. “No one eats enough fruit to consume as much sugar as is in 1 liter of cola,” says Hauner. You can consume unlimited amounts of fructose from fruit. You should avoid industrially produced products with added sugar. Pay attention to the list of ingredients on the packaging: Even terms such as “corn syrup” and “maltose” ultimately only refer to sugar.
Increased risk of diabetes due to sugar consumption
Doctors distinguish between different types of diabetes. Type II diabetes is particularly important in connection with sugar consumption, because this form of the disease can be triggered by sugar-related obesity. A precursor to type II diabetes is the so-called metabolic syndrome. This is what scientists call the simultaneous occurrence of obesity, lipid metabolism disorders, high blood pressure and insulin resistance.
In concrete terms, the following happens: Because of the excess sugar, the pancreas releases a corresponding amount of insulin in order to lower the blood sugar level. At some point, however, the cells no longer respond to the insulin flood, they become resistant, and the sugar remains in the blood – this is the beginning of diabetes.
The number one widespread disease is not only annoying because you have to inject insulin every day and stick to a strict diet; it can have particularly serious consequences if you don’t do exactly that – skin diseases, damage to the eyes, kidney problems or, in acute emergencies, a life-threatening diabetic coma.
But be careful:
Even if you are of normal weight, you are not completely immune to diabetes! One in ten patients develops diabetes without being overweight. A study by the Feinberg School of Medicine in Chicago found that those affected are particularly at risk. During the observation period, almost twice as many normal-weight diabetics died as overweight diabetics.
Fructose promotes liver damage
Our expert takes a closer look. In the video he tells you when fructose is actually unhealthy
Low-sugar fruit
Fruit is full of vitamins, of course, but it also often contains a lot of sugar. We show you the 20 types of fruit with the lowest sugar content – with ranking.
Sugar increases the risk of heart attack
Diabetes and obesity lead to deposits and calcifications in the walls of the large blood vessels and thus soon to circulatory problems. The fatty liver mentioned above can also lead not only to hepatitis but also to further complications. Because the organ can no longer carry out its metabolic tasks properly, the level of unhealthy LDL cholesterol and other blood fat values rise.
All of this increases the risk of heart attack – with far-reaching consequences, not only for you, but for the health system as a whole. “The trend towards an unhealthier lifestyle counteracts the progress in early detection and treatment,” says Professor Christian Hamm from Giessen, President of the German Society for Cardiology. Doctors’ methods are getting better and better, but they are almost powerless against the consequences of an overfed society.
“Obesity and diabetes are increasing at an alarming rate,” warns Hamm. “This puts the successes we achieve with medication in lowering blood pressure or blood lipid levels into perspective.”
Improvement is only in sight if the legislature places greater restrictions on added sugar in food or regulates advertising for such foods. “We also need more prevention programs that consistently support coronary patients in changing their lifestyle,” demands cardiologist Hamm. Until that happens, every individual consumer must pay attention to their own diet and lifestyle, in other words: get plenty of exercise and avoid sugar.
Sugar attacks the brain
Are you reaching for a wine gum as you read this? Then you’re probably out of your mind! At least, not any more. Within 10 minutes of eating something sweet, the sugar and trans fats are said to attack the hippocampus. That’s what US researchers at the University at Albany in New York have discovered.
This area of the brain is responsible for learning and remembering. Have you once again overindulged? Get a black tea from the corner shop and add cinnamon to it. Exercise and the tea with the spice are said to mitigate the negative effects of sweets.
Potency problems caused by sugar
Don’t worry! You can still have sex after eating a bag of gummy bears. However, the sugar can indirectly lead to potency problems. “Erectile dysfunction is a common secondary disease of diabetes,” says diabetologist and gastroenterologist Siegel. “Being overweight and not exercising enough causes the body’s cells to lose their sensitivity to the hormone insulin.”
Doctors speak of insulin resistance. As a result, the blood sugar level is permanently elevated – this leads to circulatory problems and potency problems. In addition, the erectile tissue in the penis is remodeled and broken down. Those who are overweight as children and adolescents are at much higher risk.
But even if you are no longer a teenager: make sure you don’t get caught in the vicious circle of snacking, being overweight, insulin resistance and vascular damage. Once the blood vessels are ruined, nothing works without Viagra & Co.
Increased cancer risk due to too much sugar
Tumors have mechanisms at work that mean that glucose and other substances can be used better than in other cells. “This connection has been proven for people with diabetes,” says Professor Stephan Herzig from the German Cancer Research Center in Heidelberg. “The chronically elevated blood sugar level promotes cancer growth.”
The disrupted hormone pathways, especially the permanently elevated insulin level, also increase the production of proteins that support cancer growth. This makes a tumor even more aggressive. “Diabetes patients develop liver and pancreatic cancer more often than healthy people,” says the expert. “Diabetes is an inflammatory condition whose reactions promote tumor disease.”
Conversely, in many cases a reduction in cancer growth can be observed when sugar is withdrawn. “It is unlikely, however, that tumor growth will stop completely by giving up sugar,” says Professor Herzig. With 1.5 billion people worldwide being overweight, the number of cancer cases is expected to continue to rise in the coming years – one more reason to stay slim.
From the age of 35, go for a check-up and have your blood sugar levels checked regularly. This way, the doctor can detect any impending diabetes early on and you can take appropriate countermeasures.
Sugar as an energy source in sports
Athletes have completely different conditions than couch potatoes. “When you move quickly, energy is used up and sugar stores are emptied,” says gastrointestinal expert Siegel. Sugar is actually helpful in high-intensity endurance sports: it is the only way to supply new energy as quickly as necessary. The body cannot metabolize protein and fat at the same rate.
Eating too little is more of a danger for athletes than overeating. “2 to 3 hours before exercise, you should eat a meal rich in carbohydrates and low in fat,” says Siegel. “When you do endurance sports, your glycogen reserves will then last for about 1 to 2 hours.” If you skimp on apple juice or energy bars during exercise, you will be wasting your training efforts. “Athletes can consume as much sugar as they want, provided they are physically active,” says nutritionist Hauner. “This balances the sugar intake and thus helps to maintain a good metabolism.”
In general, it is sensible to cover the need with slowly absorbed, starchy foods such as potatoes, vegetables or whole grain products. “Especially in competitions, however, glucose can contribute to a quick supply of fuel and increase performance,” explains Hauner. Caution is advised with starchy sugars such as maltodextrin, which are often contained in sports drinks or bars. In contrast to fructose and glucose, they hardly taste sweet, but are just as bad for your teeth and make you just as fat if you don’t do any sport.
Fructose can also cause flatulence and diarrhea in large quantities (100 grams or more). Anyone who doesn’t do any sport should only consume the amounts that are naturally contained in fruit anyway. For all non-athletes, there are substitutes in dire need:
“Foods with sweeteners can definitely be recommended,” says Hauner, “especially for people who want to lose weight and still like to drink sweet drinks.”
However, sweeteners are not completely uncritical, and research is still being carried out into their effect on the body. The situation is similar with sugar substitutes, which can lead to side effects such as diarrhea and flatulence when consumed in excess of 20 grams.
Glucose, galactose & Co.: Overview of sugar types
When people talk about sugar, they usually mean household sugar. But depending on its origin, the chemical composition is different – and its effect. Here is an overview of the most well-known types of sugar:
- Glucose : Better known as grape sugar. A simple sugar that serves the body as an energy source in the blood.
- Fructose : Simple sugar, also called fruit sugar because it is mainly found in fruit. It is about twice as sweet as glucose.
- Sucrose : This is the scientific name of table sugar. A disaccharide consisting of equal parts of glucose and fructose. It is usually obtained from sugar cane or beets.
- Lactose : Disaccharide made up of glucose and galactose. Lactose makes milk sweet.
- Galactose : Also known as mucilage sugar. The third simple sugar, alongside glucose and fructose, is found in breast milk but not in household sugar – and is therefore of less interest to you.
- Maltose: Malt sugar is a disaccharide in which two glucose molecules are linked together. It is found in grains, for example.
- Corn syrup: A mix of glucose and fructose, often added to industrially manufactured foods.
- Honey: In addition to fructose and glucose, it contains water and minerals, proteins, amino acids and vitamins.
- Agave syrup: Consists of glucose and fructose, although the proportion of fructose predominates.
- Starch sugar: The name stands for types of sugar made from starch (long glucose chains), for example maltodextrin, starch syrup and isoglucose. Often used industrially as an alternative to household sugar, maltodextrin for example for the production of sports drinks or carbohydrate gels.
Sorbitol, Mannitol & Co.: Sugar substitutes and sweeteners
Many sugar substitutes belong to the group of sugar alcohols, have fewer calories than sugar, but cause diarrhea. Sweeteners do not contain any calories, but the WHO has set maximum amounts to exclude possible health risks. Here are the 11 most common ones used in the food industry:
SUGAR SUBSTITUTES
Sorbitol (E 420) is found naturally in some fruits, such as plums and rowanberries. Its sweetening power is about 50 percent of that of household sugar.
Mannitol (E 421) Occurs naturally in algae, mushrooms, figs, the sap of the manna ash and the sap of the larch. It is made from fructose and is relatively expensive, so its use is limited. Its sweetening power is about half that of normal sugar.
Isomalt (E 953) is made from sugar beet, which is naturally found in sugar beets. Isomalt is also about half as sweet as sugar.
Maltitol (E 965) Made from starch by chemical-enzymatic saccharification. The sugar substitute has almost the same sweetness as conventional sugar.
Xylitol (E 967) This sugar substitute is found naturally in various fruits and vegetables. It is chemically extracted from wood sugar for the food industry and has approximately the same sweetening power as regular sugar.
SWEETENERS
Acesulfame K (E 950) Tastes 200 times sweeter than sugar. The compound of carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen, oxygen, sulfur and potassium is made from derivatives of acetoacetic acid.
Aspartame (E 951) Is up to 200 times sweeter than conventional sugar. The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) is currently re-examining the sweetener aspartame for possible side effects.
Cyclamate (E 952) Is about 35 times sweeter than normal sugar. Cyclamate is often combined with other sweeteners.
Saccharin (E 954) Can be 300 to 700 times sweeter than sugar. The oldest sweetener is made from toluene (in petroleum).
Sucralose (E 955) is roughly 600 times sweeter than sucrose. It is obtained by chlorinating conventional household sugar.
Stevia (E 960) Is made from an extract of the South American stevia plant. Up to 450 times sweeter than sugar.
Conclusion on sugar
There is no reason to demonize sugar in general. It is particularly important for athletes because it improves muscle growth and performance. Anyone struggling with obesity should try alternatives.
“Pay attention to the sugar content of drinks in particular and cut back on that,” advises nutritionist Hauner.
This way you can avoid metabolic syndrome and all the resulting diseases. It is better to do without something sweet than to end up having to swallow a bitter pill.
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