Vilma Brunhuber, Holistic Integrative Nutrition and Health Coach
How does sugar affect our hormonal health?
Health news. Past research shows that a high level of insulin, the hormone primarily secreted after eating, is related to low testosterone levels (co-author Frances Hayes, MD, an endocrinologist at St. Vincent’s University Hospital in Dublin, Ireland).
The authors found that the glucose solution decreased blood levels of testosterone by as much as 25 percent and remained low even after a period of two hours, regardless of whether the men had diabetes, prediabetes or normal glucose tolerance.
And 15 percent of the 66 men with normal testosterone levels before the test experienced testosterone drops so low that they would be classified as having “hypogonadism,” or testosterone levels low enough that would require taking the hormone.
The body uses fat and sugar (carbohydrates) as its primary sources of fuel. Since our very first dose of mother’s milk (or formula, modeled on mother’s milk), we have been genetically wired to love, crave and overeat the sweet taste. We’ve been programmed to conclude that, if it’s sweet, it’s safe to eat.
As humans we’ve evolved to appreciate the instant energy sugar provides us, but food is a highly emotional topic, especially when it comes to sweets. We often associate sweet foods with love and acceptance, and scientists have looked at our brain chemistry to understand how food can directly affect our “feel-good” neurotransmitters like serotonin. There are many other physical causes for sugar cravings, too, like hormonal fluctuations, intestinal yeast, and stress, to name a few.
Photo courtesy consciouslifenews.com
Sugar can in fact be MORE addictive than cocaine(2)
Dr. Michael Aziz: “We are a nation in hormonal chaos,” he said. “The wrong type of food — sugar, trans fats, lifestyle, smoking, stress — they all can cause hormonal chaos and they can cause us not only to gain weight, but they can also cause disease.”
Elevated blood sugar increases insulin. Insulin causes an increase cortisol and cortisol increases blood sugar. And round and round it goes.
Does sugar increase your estrogen levels?
Sugar causes an unhealthy rise in insulin levels, which can cause a decrease in the sex-hormone globulin. The simple sugars, glucose and fructose deactivates your SHBG (sex hormone binding globulin) gene, causing your levels of SHBG protein to drop dramatically, and it is this SHBG protein that controls your testosterone and estrogen levels.
Too little SHBG protein means your body will produce too much testosterone and estrogen, which increases your chances of acne, infertility, polycystic ovaries, uterine cancer, and heart disease. (1)
HYPOGLYCEMIC TENDENCIES INSULIN RESISTANT TENDENCIES
Feels better after meals Feels tired after meals
Sugar cravings before meals Sugar cravings after meals
May have difficulty staying asleep at night May have difficulty getting to sleep at night
Insulin is necessary for life. Without it, you’d be dead. But as with most hormones, insulin should be balanced. In excess, elevated insulin levels have a host of negative consequences on the body. Here are some reasons you want to take insulin seriously.
Balancing hormones starts with eliminating sugars, both natural and artificial. Artificial sweeteners can cause exaggerated insulin secretion, which leads to an increased desire for more sugar, weight gain, diabetes and other health problems.
Sugars are sometimes hidden in foods that don’t seem like sweets, such as bread and pasta sauce. It’s important to read food labels for ingredients like galactose, glucose, maltose, honey, malt, molasses and types of syrup. No-calorie sweeteners also disrupt hormones.
“Artificial sweeteners in fact, are really worse than pure sugar,” Dr. Aziz explained. “They are completely foreign to our body and they are unrecognizable. And research shows that for example, animals who are given artificial sweeteners can gain more weight. And diet soda can lead to diabetes and metabolic syndrome.”
Just because you eliminate sugar from your diet, doesn’t mean that you can’t enjoy the finer things in life.
I would love to hear about your experiences. You can find more suggestions on:
My website www.vilmaswellness.com,
Facebook http://www.facebook.com.vilmaswellness,
Twitter @vilmaswellness, or by joining my thyroid group [email protected] .
Or you are welcome to contact me personally via [email protected]
To your health,
~ Vilma B
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