Can Eating Sugar Lower Your IQ?

It has been documented in studies dating back to the 1970s that children who eat high amounts of simple sugars at breakfast and lunch consistently do poorer in academic work and have more behavioral issues. A recent study published in the journal of the American Diabetes Association suggests that “higher levels of hemoglobin A1C levels (a measure of a person’s average blood glucose over a 2 to 3 month period) were linked to lower cognitive function.” [1]

Previous studies have found preliminary links to premature dementia and measurable cognitive decline in patients with type II diabetes.

A 2006 Norwegian study showed a measurable increase in hyperactivity and mental distress in adolescents who consume soft drinks: “…the association between soft drink consumption and mental health problems remained significant after adjustment for behavioral, social, and food-related variables. The highest adjusted odds ratios were observed for conduct problems among boys and girls who consumed 4 or more glasses of sugar-containing soft drinks per day.” [2]

One of the defenses of people who are addicted to soft drinks is something to the effect of “well, it is only a couple a day…and that can’t be all that bad for me.” Depending on many variables, this may be more innocuous in some people than others. Factors such as overall diet (how much daily sugar are you consuming from other sources), health conditions (people with diabetes and cardiovascular diseases should restrict sugar consumption), genetics, exercise habits (people with regular exercise routines have a little more “headroom” than couch potatoes) and overall stress levels (emotional eating) will have an effect on how sugar consumption affects your overall health. The truth is that most people are highly unaware of their overall dietary sugar consumption and it is the accumulated intake of simple sugars that can have the most detrimental effects to good health.

Many foods are made with ample amounts of simple sugar. Numerous popular breakfast cereals have a 35-45% sugar content; bread and peanut butter can have between 15-25% sugar content; salad dressings and ketchup can range between 20-30% sugar. When you add up all the hidden simple sugar consumption, those few sodas might be the tipping point for your pancreas, which produces precious insulin that your entire hormonal and nervous system requires for good health.

[1] http://care.diabetesjournals.org/cgi/content/short/32/2/221

[2] Consumption of Soft Drinks and Hyperactivity, Mental Distress, and Conduct Problems Among Adolescents in Oslo, Norway
Am J Public Health, Oct 2006; 96: 1815 - 1820.

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