Chapter 5 - 3

03 Biology

Sugar Consumption

Scientists studying the harmful effects of sugar on the human body recently made a claim that avoiding sweets leads to a longer life.

According to their research, the consumption of sweets has been proven to reduce life span and have degenerative effects on the body.

Their findings were based on results found after studying sugar’s effects in worms.

They believe that sugar’s harmful effects are similar for all species, including humans.

The researchers supported their findings with three key pieces of evidence.

First of all, a look at basic physiology helps explain the effects of glucose on longevity.

When one consumes sugar, whether in the form of regular sugar or as carbohydrates, the body must break it down into glucose, which is the simplest form of sugar.

Glucose, the main supply of energy for the body, is available in many carbohydrates in the form of starches or other kinds of sugar, such as sucrose (regular table sugar), fructose (found in fruit), and lactose (found in milk).

Cells need fa consistent supply of glucose through the blood in order to function optimally.

But when blood glucose levels rise higher than what cells require, the body stores the excess in order to adjust to this influx of glucose.

The pancreas reacts by secreting the hormone insulin.

Insulin acts as the messenger to the cells, telling them to absorb the excess glucose to return the blood to more normalized glucose levels.

Upon, consumption of large amounts of sugar, the pancreas continues to produce insulin, regardless of the negative effects of the hormone itself.

Problems with insulin balance and pancreatic function result in diseases such as diabetes and obesity.

Secondly, an experiment on glucose deprivation led by a team of researchers at the University of Jena in Germany found that restricting intake of glucose lengthened worm life span up to twenty percent.

If the results hold true for other animals, then the findings propose that this extension of life span in worms could translate to an extension of fifteen years in humans.

The research pointed to the involvement of mitochondria to fuel the bodies of these glucose-deprived worms.

Mitochondria are organelles that exist in the cytoplasm of all cells.

Food molecules such as amino acids, fatty acids, and sugars are broken down by mitochondria with the help of oxygen.

They are then converted to usable energy in the form of ATP, which allows energy transport.

In fact, mitochondria are practically energy factories that manufacture ATP as the cell demands it.

Since in the experiment the worms could not rely on glucose for energy, their mitochondria increased ATP production to create fuel.

Essentially, the lack of glucose allowed the body to strengthen its ability to fuel itself naturally.

Finally, Nicholas Perricone discusses the various life-shortening effects of sugar in his book The Perricone Promise.

He describes the process of the effects of sugar on human bodies, in which the overconsumption of sugar produces an inflammatory effect.

This leads to the acceleration of the aging process and various diseases such as cancer, Alzheimer’s, and arthritis.

In an experiment with sugary cereals, he found that due to the rapid rise in blood sugar, not only did the body produce more of what are called inflammatory markers, but the body’s ability to fight inflammation was also compromised for up to four hours after consumption.

According to Dr. Perricone eating sugar causes the production of stiff sugar-protein bonds, which accumulate in the body over time.

These glucose molecules affix themselves not only to collagen in the skin, but to veins, ligaments, bones, arteries, and even brain cells.

This leads to stiff joints, hardened arteries, and failing organs.

Therefore, sugar causes a slow deterioration of bodily functions, which leads to a shorter life span.