Physiotherapist on how giving up sugar affects our bodies

What happens to your body when you consume sugar

First, what is sugar? Sugar is a carbohydrate, a simple carbohydrate composed of monosaccharides and disaccharides. Now, how about buckwheat? It's also a carbohydrate, but a complex one - a polysaccharide.

Volodymyr explains that chocolate is a fast carbohydrate that causes a rapid spike in blood sugar levels, with some of it getting stored as excess weight.

"By the way, the energy boost from such carbohydrates happens very quickly," notes Tkachenko.

On the other hand, buckwheat is a complex carbohydrate that leads to a moderate increase in blood sugar, without any excess storage in your body. The difference lies in the complexity of these compounds.

And the same glycemic index - a measure of the impact of carbohydrates on blood glucose levels - helps us understand what carbohydrates we consume and the corresponding effects.

How sugar affects our bodies (Freepik)

We have our red blood cells, these cells contain iron, giving them their red hue. Hemoglobin, an iron-containing oxygen-transport metal protein, is also part of red blood cells. Its function is to transport oxygen to tissues and remove carbon dioxide from them.

"There's a blood test for diabetes that shows how much sugar is present in hemoglobin, and accordingly, a scale determines blood sugar levels or diabetes," Tkachenko says.

Body's response to sugar

Red blood cells should easily transport oxygen throughout the body. However, when there's an excess of sugar on them, they become sticky, leading to blood clotting. This poses a risk for clot formation.

Additionally, blood has a harder time moving through blood vessels and capillaries, impairing the delivery of oxygen to tissues. Oxygen deficiency creates an environment for pathogens, various inflammatory processes, and immunity problems.

"In general, you become less productive because any physical activity requires oxygen! By the way, tissues and nerves die without oxygen, which is exactly what happens when diabetics often say they feel tingling in their limbs," the physiotherapist noted.

Volodymyr also pointed out a phenomenon called diabetic retinopathy. The eye's retina is a neurological tissue that relies on the vascular system for oxygen. Ever heard of glaucoma or cataracts? These are also consequences of sugar.

Kidneys, on the other hand, are equipped with many small filters that clean the blood. But with a high sugar intake, damage can occur. Yet, kidneys also produce erythropoietin, a hormone that stimulates the production of red blood cells in the bone marrow.

So, consuming excessive sugar prevents the production of an adequate number of red blood cells, leading to anemia.

Two weeks without sugar

If you give up sugar for at least two weeks, your skin will look better, you'll have more energy, and you'll generally feel much better. Moreover, your body will rid itself of excess burdens, and your organs will function better.

This material is for informational purposes only and should not be used for medical diagnosis or self-treatment. Our goal is to provide readers with accurate information about symptoms, causes, and methods of detecting diseases. RBС-Ukraine is not responsible for any diagnoses that readers may make based on materials from the resource. We do not recommend self-treatment and advise consulting a doctor in case of any health concerns.