The Mistaken War Against Sugar

Zero sugar, no added sugar and other anti sugar sentiments have permeated society, largely stemming from health and nutrition guidance that vilifies sugar in all of its forms. Government and nongovernment health institutions alike blame surging obesity, diabetes and other conditions on overconsumption of sugar. At surface level, the reasoning tracks: your body craves carbohydrate as its preferred short-term energy source and the sweetness of sugar makes it an easily palatable food source which leads to overconsumption. However, this mindset lacks nuance. There must be a biological reason for your body to crave sugar. 

Despite the guidance of today, health statistics keep deteriorating. The real cause isn't as simple as blaming God's candy.

THE FOUNDATION

Sugar is found in various forms (depending on the saccharide molecular structure): fructose, sucrose, glucose and others. To explain the basic function of sugar, I will focus on glucose which is the primary form of sugar in the body and provides energy for cells all over the body. You can eat glucose directly, depending on the carbohydrate food you are eating, while other forms of sugar are broken down into glucose for use in the body. Excess glucose is converted into glycogen and stored in the liver and muscles. When those liver and muscle stores are saturated, extra sugar is converted into fat via lipogenesis and stored elsewhere in the body. This process of creating fat from sugar is driven by insulin ("the diabetes hormone") signaling and the level of insulin sensitivity depends on the person but is impacted by one's genetics, behaviors and environment. The last piece to set our foundation is metabolism; metabolism is how the body uses energy which also differs per person and is impacted by genetics, behaviors and environment.

SUGAR, METABOLISM AND THE THYROID

The energy that sugar provides is used to convert T4 (inactive thyroid hormone) into T3 (active thyroid hormone). These thyroid hormones directly regulate the body's metabolism through influencing the Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR) which measures the calorie requirement for all basic, life-sustaining bodily processes.

A proper metabolism efficiently uses food to support bodily functions, rather than overstoring energy in fat deposits or over-excreting. Metabolic dysfunction is increasingly on the radar as a cause for many of the ailments that people are suffering from on a day-to-day basis. For example, PCOS has recently and accurately been renamed PMOS (M for Metabolic). 

STRESS

When you cut out sugar and carbohydrates, you experience low energy. Running on low carbs, working out on low carbs, even simply existing on low carbs is taxing. Think biologically, your body is starving for energy. This is a stressful situation and thus your body will suffer from increased cortisol; the same occurs for severe caloric restriction in general. Here is where I introduce Dr. Ray Peat, who developed an impressive following for his research on stress, female hormones, sugar and other health topics. He found stress to be an indicator of sugar deficiency. This article of his about sugar issues and the rest of his writings are well worth the reads.

During stressful circumstances, the body will release hormones (epinephrine, glucagon, cortisol) to signal the use of glycogen stores around the body to supply its energy needs. Essential processes like brain function are prioritized, while less important processes are left to run on fumes. Carnivores will respond with "when you don't eat any glucose, your body will produce its own through gluconeogenesis by breaking down non-carbohydrate sources." I counter with: cortisol literally promotes gluconeogenesis because your body craves sugar. Gluconeogenesis is inefficient and stressful. 

High stress causes a whole host of issues related to cardiovascular, immune, digestive, musculoskeletal, metabolic, reproductive and other systems. Some examples are headaches, hormonal imbalances, respiratory underperformance, immune suppression, increased risk of heart disease, hair loss and increased acne.

WHAT ABOUT INFLAMMATION?

Diabetes, Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, obesity, fatty liver. You may be left wondering if high sugar intake will leave you disease ridden later in life. Let's clear that up because not all sugar intake is the same. Picture two groups of individuals, the first is the plethora of marathon runners who consume high quantities of sugar, both naturally occurring and refined, to fuel their runs and the second is the more than 40% of American adults who are obese from their sedentary lifestyle and consumption of ultra-processed foods. Who is the culprit: sugar consumption, exercise or is it more complicated?

Maybe its the insulin sensitivity. The runners' sugar is constantly being used by the body, while the second group doesn't have a need, which allows sugar to remain in the body and bloodstream and accumulate and oxidize where it shouldn't. Due to their behaviors, the runners have greater energy consumption and (most likely) higher insulin sensitivity which is a sign of good metabolic health. Conversely, low insulin sensitivity, also known as insulin resistance, increases the risk for type 2 diabetes, heart disease and other metabolic disorders. Diseases such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's are now, thankfully, being explored for their potential originations in insulin resistance. For example, Alzheimer's is characterized by excess sugar in the brain leading to the buildup of amyloid plaques and tau tangles.

Focus on raising insulin sensitivity, rather than cutting sugar. Exercise, sleep well, eat healthy, experience nature, cut out toxins and lower cortisol.

THE GROUND RULES

Tailor your sugar consumption to your needs. Sugar's main function is energy, so consume it in line with your energy needs. Include a reasonable amount to take care of your basic bodily needs, then increase your sugar to fuel athleticism, labor and exercise. Eat to live, don't live to eat. Not all sugar is made the same: fructose is fruit sugar, dextrose is ultra-processed from corn and loses micronutrients, cane sugar comes from sugarcane and each type of sugar is accompanied by the other nutritional benefits (or detriments) in their related food items.

"A daily diet that includes two quarts of milk and a quart of orange juice provides enough fructose and other sugars for general resistance to stress, but larger amounts of fruit juice, honey, or other sugars can protect against increased stress, and can reverse some of the established degenerative conditions. Refined granulated sugar is extremely pure, but it lacks all of the essential nutrients, so it should be considered as a temporary therapeutic material, or as an occasional substitute when good fruit isn't available..." Dr. Ray Peat