7 Reasons to Watch Your Sugar Intake According to Experts
There is no better time to adopt a healthier lifestyle than the turn of the year, as the first day of January marks a new beginning for all of us. Many of us make promises to ourselves to be healthier, but what does that actually mean? It's helpful to have a concrete goal in mind, and reducing sugar intake is a good place to start.
Refined sugar and carbs, like sweets, white breads, and pastas, are fine to have in moderation, but overdoing it leads to a host of health issues ranging from diabetes and weight gain to increased collagen breakdown. Of course, reducing your sugar intake can seem challenging, especially for those who don't go a day without having something sweet after dinner. We tapped a team of experts to walk us through the dangers of too much sugar, and what we can do to combat its effects.
Feeds cancer cells
In addition to causing issues like obesity and diabetes, sugar can also feed cancer cells. “Cancer cells, like all other cells in the body, need energy sources to survive. While some cells withdraw this energy from oxygen, others, such as neoplastic cells, use sugar fermentation as an energy source. In this way, sugar, more specifically glucose, can boost the development of cancer, since it feeds cancer cells, which grow and spread throughout the body,” says Dr. Marcella Garcez, nutritionist and director of the Brazilian Association of Nutrology. "Sugar is an even bigger villain if cancer is already developing, because during periods of rapid tumor growth, cancer cells digest sugar up to 200 times faster than normal cells."
Causes skin aging and hair loss
Excess sugar consumption can lead to premature skin aging due to a process known as glycation. “Glycation is the relationship between excessive consumption of refined sugar (carbohydrates) and accelerated skin aging. In this process, the glucose that gets loose in the blood binds to proteins, thus forming AGEs (advanced glycation end products). These AGEs cause a tissue disorder, degrading the collagen and elastin fibers and leading to loss of skin elasticity, formation of wrinkles, and aging of the tissue. Thus, it is necessary to use anti-glycolic supplements such as Glycoxil to reverse the damage,” explains nutritionist Luisa Wolpe Simas, integrated nutrition consultant at Biotec Dermocosméticos.
Some people are more likely than others to suffer from this process. “Genetics is capable of significantly altering the way the organism fights glycation. For example, carriers of the AGER and GLO1 genes are related to a lesser fight against the glycation phenomenon,” says geneticist Dr. Marcelo Sady, who has a PhD in human genetics and creator of Multigene Laboratory. In addition to affecting the skin, excessive sugar consumption can also harm hair health. "This is because the increase in insulin caused by the ingestion of sugar causes the release of hormones that inhibit the cell division of the capillary root, in addition to causing an inflammatory process that affects the scalp, favoring the thinning of the hair and hair loss," says trichologist Dr. Lucas Fustinoni.
Disrupts the results of aesthetic procedures
According to plastic surgeon Dr. Beatriz Lassance, a member of the Brazilian Society of Plastic Surgery, in addition to the glycation process, we require unusual enzymes to fight glucose, which increases the production of free radicals, causing oxidative stress in the body. This further worsens the glycation of collagen fibers, causing them to degrade more quickly. “And, as the key to aesthetic procedures is the stimulation of collagen, patients with high markers of oxidative stress tend to achieve less expressive results when undergoing plastic surgery, in addition to being more at risk of suffering from healing and thrombosis problems in the postoperative period,” she says.
Increases predisposition to circulatory problems
Vascular surgeon Dr. Aline Lamaita explains that sugar is related to obesity and diabetes mellitus, in addition to being identified as a major cause of high cholesterol. “In addition, sugar can cause the appearance of cardiovascular problems, for example, the thickening and accumulation of fatty plaques within the artery wall, with consequent obstruction of these vessels. Depending on the affected artery, this condition can also lead to the incidence of infarction, stroke, and difficulty walking,” she says.
Increases susceptibility to vaginal infections
Excess sweets and refined carbohydrates can also increase susceptibility to vaginal infections. “These foods become glucose in the body, making the vaginal pH more acidic. As a result, there is a deregulation of local bacteria, with an increase in the production of fungi and pathogenic bacteria, causing candidiasis and discharge,” explains Dr. Eloisa Pinho, an OBGYN. “In addition, excessive consumption of these foods can also damage the immune system, which favors the appearance of a urinary tract infection, which happens when bacteria enters the urinary tract and multiplies, causing pain, burning, discomfort in the bladder, cloudy urine and even a fever.”
Impairs oral health
If you were ever scolded by the dentist as a kid, you know sugar is one of the great villains of oral health. “One of the main problems in this regard is the formation of cavities, which occurs when the bacteria in the mouth metabolize the sugar we consume, making the pH of the mouth acidic and, consequently, causing demineralization of tooth enamel and the appearance of cavities," says Dr. Hugo Lewgoy, dental surgeon and doctor of dentistry. "What's worse is that this occurs a few hours after ingesting the sugar. In addition, sugar also favors the accumulation of bacterial plaque, which, when not properly removed, can also cause gingivitis and bad breath."
Interferes with fertility
In addition to causing obesity, which impairs the quality and quantity of sperm and the ovulation process, excess sugar intake alone reduces the chances of a couple becoming pregnant. “Excessive sugar consumption can lead to an inflammatory process with a consequent risk of oxidative stress, which can damage the germ cell DNA, increase the frequency of harmful mutations and unbalance the expression of genes that act in reproduction, thus compromising the reproductive process,” says Dr. Sady.
When it comes to long-term health, moderation is your best bet, reducing sugar consumption to a maximum of one tablespoon of per day. However, since most packaged or pre-prepared foods contain some form of refined sugar, reducing your consumption can be difficult. The good news is by combining refined sugar with other types of nutrients, you can reduce its harmful effects on insulin. “There are nutrients such as fiber, good fats and proteins that, if ingested together with refined carbohydrates, sweets, and sugars, reduce the speed of digestion and absorption of blood sugar, decreasing the glycemic index and preventing the levels of circulating glucose and insulin from rising as quickly,” says Dr. Marcella.
According to Mika Yamaguchi, pharmacist and scientific director of Biotec Dermocosméticos, using active ingredients that act as a topical anti-gland and antioxidant reinforcement, such as Alistin and SuperOX-C, can combat the damage of sugar in the skin. "In addition, oral supplements with antioxidants and anti-glycans are also interesting, such as Glycoxil and Vitamin C," she says.
Finally, to prevent the appearance of cavities and other oral diseases, the most important thing is to invest in brushing, which should be done with an ultra-soft bristle brush, as hard bristles can hurt the gums and cause gingival retraction. In addition to brushing, another key tip is to use an interdental brush daily to remove the substance buildup between the teeth. “This special brush removes the plaque or oral biofilm that builds up in between the teeth and is more effective than just flossing, since many teeth, especially the posterior ones, have a depression that only interdental brushes are able to reach and sanitize properly," explains Dr. Lewgoy.
