I love sugar, and consume loads of it daily. Although, ever since a young age I was told to avoid eating sugar since it would make me Hyper. I decided to look into this statement and see if it was correct.
It is well-known that for people with a low blood sugar level, consuming sugar will give them a temporary energy boost. This energy boost can be described as a sugar high but is a simple increase in mental functions because you regain the lost energy. With that misconception addressed, I will analyze some other sources.
Parents link sugar to hyperactivity
According to Dr. Mark Wolraich, chief of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics at Oklahoma University Health Sciences Center, sugar lacks effect on an individual's hyperactivity. He did not know why parents believed sweet treats make kids hyper in the first place, considering there are few scientific links to this assumption. He stated it must be because parents created a relation between sweets and their child's behavior. Often, sweets and candies typically excite a child, and boost their energy, indirectly making them hyper.
The biology behind sugar
Dr. Eugene Arnold states that sugar increases the production of insulin, which decreases amino acid level in your body, which dopamine production strongly depends on.
ADHD, a Common condition is when dopamine levels in the brain are low, causing the individual to seek stimulation by being “hyper”. So, according to this, sugar makes you hyper, right? Not quite. Tryptophan, a chemical in your body barely affected by sugar consumption, increases the production of serotonin, a mental stimulant that acts much like dopamine.
This counters the effect of low dopamine levels by stimulating the brain else wise. According to this statement, even with lower insulin, tryptophan can maintain your mental state, so you won't be any more hyper then you were before.
Studies show sugar does not make you hyper
A 1994 study in the Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology took a series of kids and their parents as test subjects.
The experiment showed that much of a child's behavior after consuming a lot of sugar was directly related to the parent's expectation of what they might do.
In retrospect, sugar does not make you hyper. It is nothing but a misconception created by parents who relate sweets to their kids' excitement. Studies show a sugar high is just placebo, and sweets have no effect on one's mental functions. In the end, a soda may not be the best for you, but in no way makes you hyper.
