Your Brain on Sugar: What Really Happens Inside Your Head
Your Brain on Sugar: What Really Happens Inside Your Head
By: Kashmik Singh Chouhan
Sugar Lights Up the Brain But Not Always in a Good Way
Your brain loves sugar but too much of it can cause problems. Here's what really happens when you eat sugary food or drinks.
Glucose is your brain's main fuel. After eating sugar, your brain gets a fast energy spike making you feel alert and awake (temporarily).
1. Instant Energy Boost
Sugar triggers dopamine—the 'feel good' chemical. It lights up brain reward centers, which is why sugar can feel addictive.
2. Dopamine Rush
Once the sugar rush fades, your blood sugar crashes. This can lead to irritability, fatigue, and anxious feelings.
3. Mood Swings
Too much sugar can disrupt how brain cells communicate. You may feel foggy, distracted, or have trouble focusing.
4. Focus & Brain Fog
Diets high in sugar are linked to weaker memory and learning. Over time, sugar may shrink memory-related brain areas like the hippocampus.
5. Memory & Learning
High sugar intake increases brain inflammation and raises the risk of depression, anxiety, and diseases like Alzheimer's.
6. Long-Term Impact
Sweet, but at a Cost
Sugar isn't the enemy but too much can affect how your brain works. Fuel your mind with balanced meals and keep sugar as an occasional treat.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
India Today
8 hours ago
- India Today
Your Brain on Sugar: What Really Happens Inside Your Head
Your Brain on Sugar: What Really Happens Inside Your Head By: Kashmik Singh Chouhan Sugar Lights Up the Brain But Not Always in a Good Way Your brain loves sugar but too much of it can cause problems. Here's what really happens when you eat sugary food or drinks. Glucose is your brain's main fuel. After eating sugar, your brain gets a fast energy spike making you feel alert and awake (temporarily). 1. Instant Energy Boost Sugar triggers dopamine—the 'feel good' chemical. It lights up brain reward centers, which is why sugar can feel addictive. 2. Dopamine Rush Once the sugar rush fades, your blood sugar crashes. This can lead to irritability, fatigue, and anxious feelings. 3. Mood Swings Too much sugar can disrupt how brain cells communicate. You may feel foggy, distracted, or have trouble focusing. 4. Focus & Brain Fog Diets high in sugar are linked to weaker memory and learning. Over time, sugar may shrink memory-related brain areas like the hippocampus. 5. Memory & Learning High sugar intake increases brain inflammation and raises the risk of depression, anxiety, and diseases like Alzheimer's. 6. Long-Term Impact Sweet, but at a Cost Sugar isn't the enemy but too much can affect how your brain works. Fuel your mind with balanced meals and keep sugar as an occasional treat.
India Today
20 hours ago
- India Today
Endocrinologist Dr. Ambrish Mithal on the happy side-effects of weight-loss drugs
New-age weight-loss drugs are exploding the pharmaceutical market, offering better results than traditional medicines. Top endocrinologist Dr. Ambrish Mithal deconstructs the many facets, including side-effects, of these GLP-1 drugs in his recently published book The Weight Loss Revolution, in an episode of India Today's said that while the GLP-1 field -- drugs that belong to the class of GLP-1 targeting the same hormone in the body -- is just beginning to explode, there'll be many newer drugs with less and less side effects and easier to most cases have shown muscle loss as a prominent result of using GLP-1 medications like tirzepatide or semaglutide, Dr. Mithal explains that losing muscle is an accompanying factor to weight loss. "In the long run, if you're not following a healthy diet, you will end up with significant muscle loss. And this is not because of the weight-loss drugs. Whenever we lose weight, we also lose muscle. If you lose 10 kg, you've lost 2-3 kg of muscle. Now, if you want to preserve that, you have to ensure adequate protein and fibre in your diet. Along with that, you have to make sure that you're exercising regularly and that exercise should include strength training," Dr. Mithal also shared what many people experience loose skin after taking these medicines. "When you lose weight rapidly, you lose subcutaneous fat. Particularly in older people where skin tends to sag anyway. If you suddenly lose weight, don't hydrate yourself well, not eating the right kind of balanced diet, then you get that little sagging on the face which people have started calling Ozempic face. Before these drugs came into the market, anyone we put on a very strict diet or someone who had bariatric surgery would see similar results," he gastrointestinal side-effects, nausea, and vomiting, Dr. Mithal addressed concerns about thyroid cancer, highlighting that there's no evidence to link the also explained the "happy side-effects" of GLP-1 medications. Besides growing body of evidence suggesting how semaglutide is linked to Alzheimer's disease, Dr. Mithal said that the benefits of the drugs are moving beyond weight loss."The evidence that they might be helping Alzheimer's by helping obesity in the brain may actually be very exciting, and even for cardiac health, Parkinson's disease. Cardiac events are reduced. Fatty liver is reduced. Kidney disease progression is reduced. But the brain effects are particularly fascinating. Sleep apnea has also gone down," he said, adding that the drugs have also helped improve fertility outcomes in women with PCOS (Polycystic Ovary Syndrome).Currently, most GLP-1 drugs are injectable and expensive, limiting their access in India. However, new formulations and more research are on the way. Novo Nordisk's Wegovy and Eli Lilly's Mounjaro, two blockbuster fat-busting medicines, are set to gain ground in India to tackle the diabetes and obesity crisis."Remember, the GLP-1 field is just beginning to explode. There'll be many newer drugs with less and less side effects and easier to use," Dr. Mithal sayssaid.- EndsMust Watch
India Today
a day ago
- India Today
Ozempic & Celebs: The Real Stories Behind the Weight Loss
Ozempic & Celebs: The Real Stories Behind the Weight Loss By: Kashmik Singh Chouhan Lately, medicines made for diabetes are being used by many people to lose weight. But do they really work? Are they safe? This story breaks it down in a simple way. New-age medications like Ozempic and Wegovy, originally meant for diabetes, are now being widely used for rapid weight loss. But what's really happening behind the trend? 1. The Buzz Around GLP-1 Drugs Many users report quick fat loss sometimes over 30 pounds. But it often comes with fatigue, nausea, or even depression. Is it worth the hype? 2. Weight Loss vs Wellness These drugs don't magically erase emotional eating or body image issues. Medical experts stress: long-term change still needs mindset work and lifestyle effort. 3. More Than Just a Shot People are increasingly turning to weight-loss drugs under the pressure of looking a certain way especially in social media or public life. It's reshaping beauty standards, for better or worse. 4. Social Pressure & Perception Some say the medication gave them physical transformation but made them feel disconnected or less confident. Inner confidence doesn't always come with outer change. 5. The Confidence Trap Doctors caution that once people stop the meds, weight often returns. These drugs can manage symptoms—not cure root causes of weight gain. 6. Temporary Wins, Lasting Questions Users who stopped the drug say it wasn't sustainable: nausea, weakness, or mental fog led them to step away and opt for natural, slower transformations. 7. Why Some Quit There's growing stigma about 'who's on Ozempic'—especially in industries obsessed with appearance. Many feel judged whether they use it or not. 8. Stigma and Speculation From potential nutrient loss to muscle wasting, risks are real. Medical guidance, regular checkups, and mental health support are essential. 9. Balancing Risk and Reality Weight loss drugs can be tools not solutions. Transparency, medical advice, and realistic goals make the journey healthier than shortcuts alone. 10. The Final Word
