The Impact of Glucose on Mental Health
Did you ever think that what you eat and how you eat could impact your mental health? Most people would not be aware of the impact that sugar can have not only on our physical health, but on our mental health as well. In this article, we will explore the world of glucose, discovering how its spikes affect our brain and mental health, and how we can keep our sugar levels under control without giving up our favourite foods.
What is Glucose?
Glucose is a sugar molecule that can be mainly found in carbohydrates. Glucose is our body’s main source of energy, and as such it is extremely important. However, glucose spikes could damage our mental and physical health.
A glucose spike is an increase in our sugar levels by more than 1.7 mmol/L within an hour and a half after the last meal. If before lunch your level is 5 and an hour and a half later you measure 7, for example, then you are experiencing a glucose spike. The goal is not to reduce our glucose levels, but to minimise its fluctuations throughout the day.
the effects of glucose in the brain
Once in our bodies, glucose is delivered to the brain by special transports called gluts. In the brain, glucose is broken down into pyruvates through a process called glycolisis. Piyruvates will then generate ATP (adenosine triphosphate), the primary energy currency of cells. ATP powers various brain processes, including the synthesis (i.e. the production) of neurotransmitters such as glutamate and acetylcholine (memory, learning and synaptic plasticity), serotonin (involved in regulating mood, emotions and sleep-wake cycles), and dopamine (which, if you read my articles on bad habits, you know is involved in the brain’s reward system). When we experience a glucose spike all these neurotransmitters get synthesised very quickly, but then crash suddenly. If we have frequent glucose spikes, the neurotransmitters could fluctuate throughout the day, leading, according to scientists, to unstable mental health (although this is a topic that is very much under research).
Glucose and Mental Health
Brain processes aside, studies have shown a link between glucose spikes and mental health difficulties. The majority of studies has been conducted on people with diabetes, a population affected by frequent glucose fluctuations. A study found that 25% of males with diabetes experiences depression. Women with diabetes were also found to be more prone to low quality of life, negative mood, anger, sadness and nervousness. Non-diabetics that consume big amounts of carbohydrates and sugar could also experience glucose spikes with their mental health-related consequences. A 2017 study found that people that frquenlty consume sugary food and drinks were more prone to suffer from depression and mental health difficulties.
Practical Tips to Flatten the Glucose Curve
Sounds almost like we should give up most carbs and sweets (I personally could not imagine anything more terrifying), but that is not the case. Jessie Inchauspé, the "Goddess of Glucose," in the book “The Glucose Revolution” offers us some practical tips to flatten the glucose curve while still enjoying our favourite foods. Below are outlined five, but you can find more tips in Jessie’s book.
1. Start with savoury
Starting the day with sugars is one way ticket to glucose rollercoaster throughout the day. In the morning it is best to have a savoury breakfast. And if you usually skip breakfast, just make sure that your first meal of the day is not a sweet/carbs heavy one.
2. Eat food in the right order
Consuming different types of food in the right order is a great way to mitigate glucose spikes. “What is the right order?” you may ask. Veggies (fibres) first, proteins and fats second, and carbs and sugar last. Let’s say you’re having fish with salad and potatoes - you would be eating the salad first, then the fish with the potatoes at the end.
3. Eat sugars as a dessert
Consuming sweets on an empty stomach will directly lead you to a glucose spike. Eating sweets at the end of a meal instead of at the day, will make sure that other types of food cushion the glucose damage.
4. Put clothes on your carbs
Glucose spikes can be reduced combining carbs and sugars with a fat or protein source. For example, instead of eating a cake on its own, you could try having it with full-fat greek yogurt, resulting in a much smaller glucose fluctuation.
5. Move after eating
Even ten minutes of low intensity exercise (such as a walk, or ten squats) after a meal, work wonders in reducing glucose spikes.
You don’t have to follow all these tips, you can just incorporate in your routine those that resonate with you the most. If you would like to discover more tips, and the science behind them, I strongly recommend following Jessie Inchauspé on Instagram, and reading her book.
Conclusion
Glucose spikes can have negative effects on our mental health, but with some tricks, we can keep them under control. Do not expect immediate miracles, especially if your mental health problems are severe. However, changing your diet can be a great starting point. Try these tips and discover how to keep your glucose and mood in balance.
References
https://sph.umich.edu/pursuit/2019pos...
https://www.redonline.co.uk/wellbeing...
https://hms.harvard.edu/news-events/p...