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Sugar causes all sorts of health problems, but hyperactivity isn’t one of them.

My own 6yo sugar expert made his PBS debut in this episode of Serving Up Science where I break down the #science behind a popular myth about the sweet stuff. https://youtu.be/TlHOLk-tV7g?si=bj7N6yI8D7T56ziS

in reply to Sheril Kirshenbaum

that video was cute as hell. Apollo's contributions were amazing.

I'm worried about the "sugar impacts are a myth" myth that seems to come around every few years.

The big truths are:
- sugar isn't related to adhd or other spectrum behavior things
- excessive sugar causes acute behavior changes that are specific to each person so double blind studies just prove that. Which we already see
- fructose-sugar and other sugars are processed and stored differently and are used a lot more these days in non-sweet products so it's sneakier. Not just cotton candy but breads and pastas and sauces are often way more sugar than one expects.

All of that's to say, the sugar lobby and corn / farming lobby have done huge damage to the country. They're killing more people than tobacco at this point. Spreading their deliberate conflations isn't a net benefit.

in reply to Sheril Kirshenbaum

I’ve never experienced a sugar crash. I plateau early and then it tapers off even slower ..
in reply to Sheril Kirshenbaum

Is the "no more than 200 calories from sugar a day" recommendation for kids or for adults?
What does that translate to in terms of teaspoons?
in reply to Sheril Kirshenbaum

This is irresponsible and unscientific.

Just because you found mixed results from historic studies doesn't prove there's no impact. You have done nothing to explain the metabolic chemistry involved here.

In persons with a healthy glucose metabolism (young children, athletes, keto diet) insulin response and glucose uptake are FAST and do result in a 'rush' feeling. In persons who have been overexposed to sugar, the insulin response and following uptake has become SLOW and no longer results in a 'rush' feeling. This is obvious to anyone who understands cellular glucose metabolism and observable to anyone with a healthy metabolism.

in reply to Sheril Kirshenbaum

Any findings in your literature search about artificial dyes and hyperactivity or similar responses? The EU has started labeling such foods as: “may have an effect on activity and attention in children”.

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