Sweet doping: how sugar affects brain function

“Eat a chocolate bar, then your brain will work better”, “I can’t think of anything, I need to eat a sweet” – everyone knows these expressions and many believe them to be true. But is it so? How do sugar and sweets in general affect the brain and can speed up thought processes? Let’s find out together with Anna Semenova, founder of the company producing dietary nutrition products Newa Nutrition, candidate of technical sciences in the field of food technology, nutritionist, product developer and expert of the International Festival of Health and Sports SN PRO EXPO FORUM.

How much energy does the brain need and where does it come from?

The brain makes up on average 2% of a person’s total weight. It performs many different functions, without which the body could not function. Therefore, it is not surprising that it needs a lot of energy to function properly. It is believed that the brain uses about 20% of all the energy it consumes.

The most energy-consuming process is the provision of neuronal communication, that is, the conduction of nerve impulses. The brain does not have a separate storage to store nutrients, so it needs a constant supply of energy, and therefore glucose, which is its main source. The average person needs about 65-120 g of this substance per day, depending on the load.

Of course, glucose is not necessarily needed in its pure form. The body has special ways to convert galactose (milk sugar), fructose, sucrose, starch and others, including complex carbohydrates, into the main nutrient – glucose.

There is a mechanism where the brain gets energy from ketone bodies as well. It is activated when no carbohydrates are supplied to the body, for example as a result of a ketogenic (keto) diet. However, this is an exceptional case and although possible, it is not permanent. The brain still needs at least 30% of its energy from glucose.

Do sweets help with brain function?

After all, the main natural mechanism is to get energy from glucose. The brain takes it in the necessary amount from the blood – exactly as much as it needs to work. If there is a process that requires a lot of energy, the concentration of glucose in the blood drops. If you are trying to accomplish a difficult task at this time – with an initially low glucose level (less than the recommended amount), you will have a harder time doing it.

At the same time, if you are engaged in heavy mental labor, the total glucose intake increases by only 3-5%. Therefore, there is no need to eat sweets to improve brain function.

What happens to the “extra” energy?

It is recommended to maintain a blood glucose level of 3.99-4.6 mmol/L. If you eat too many sweets, the excess will be stored in glycogen. And if you also overeat, the excess glycogen will be deposited in fat depots. That is, consuming a large amount of fast carbohydrates, you will only harm yourself. This can provoke the development of diabetes, atherosclerosis, vascular disease and senile dementia.

It is necessary to keep a balance and give preference to complex carbohydrates, which are slowly digested and help maintain the necessary level of glucose in the blood. Give preference to vegetables, dates, fruits, cereals, healthy sweets with high fiber content.