Clues You’re Consuming Too Much Sugar—And How to Fix It Fast
Your Energy Feels Like a Broken Roller Coaster
Ever notice how you feel absolutely wired after finishing that donut, only to crash harder than a Windows computer thirty minutes later? That’s your body screaming at you about sugar overload. A 2019 study found that 1 hour after sugar consumption, participants felt tired and less alert than a control group. Think of your blood sugar like a hyperactive kid on a sugar rush—it shoots up fast, then crashes down even faster. Sugar delivers a rapid energy boost, but its effects are temporary. The resulting energy fall can leave you permanently fatigued. This isn’t just about feeling sleepy; it’s your body’s way of telling you that you’re feeding it the wrong fuel. Short-term decreases in added sugar can also help you avoid sugar crashes and reduce sugar cravings overall, “making it easier to maintain energy and healthier habits in the long term,” says Goodson. When you constantly ride this energy roller coaster, you’re essentially training your body to expect and crave more sugar throughout the day.
Your Skin is Aging Faster Than Your Grandmother’s Photo Album
That expensive anti-aging cream you bought? It’s probably fighting a losing battle if you’re drowning your body in sugar. Advanced glycation end products (AGEs) are compounds formed by reactions between sugar and protein in your body. They are suspected to play a key role in skin aging. Consuming a diet high in refined carbs and sugar leads to the production of AGEs, which may cause your skin to age prematurely. Think of AGEs as tiny rust particles that literally corrode your skin from the inside out. AGEs damage collagen and elastin, which are proteins that help the skin stretch and keep its youthful appearance. When collagen and elastin become damaged, the skin loses its firmness and begins to sag. Another side effect of inflammation is that it may make your skin age faster. Excess sugar attaches to proteins in your bloodstream and creates harmful molecules called “AGEs,” or advanced glycation end products. You’re basically paying for wrinkles with every sugary snack—and that’s one investment that never pays dividends.
Your Mood Swings Like a Wrecking Ball
If your friends have started walking on eggshells around you, your sugar intake might be the culprit. Irritability: Sugar highs and lows also cause mood swings and irritability. “Those dips in energy can worsen stress or increase symptoms of disorders like anxiety and depression,” Franklin notes. One of the latest showed that men who ate more than 66 grams of sugar a day — almost double what’s recommended — were 23% more likely to be diagnosed with anxiety or depression than men who ate 40 grams or less. Your brain is like a high-performance car that runs best on premium fuel—when you feed it sugar instead, it sputters and backfires. High sugar consumption has been linked to cognitive impairments, memory problems, and emotional disorders like anxiety and depression. Researchers believe that chronic systemic inflammation, insulin resistance, and a disrupted dopaminergic reward signaling system — all of which can be caused by increased sugar consumption — may contribute to sugar’s detrimental impact on mental health. Too much sugar could fuel depression through swelling, or inflammation, in your brain, which is more common in people with depression.
You’re Always Thirsty Like You Live in a Desert
When you find yourself constantly reaching for water but never feeling satisfied, that’s your body waving a red flag about sugar overload. A diet high in sugar can cause several symptoms, such as headaches, increased thirst, exhaustion, and frequent urination. If a person has high blood sugar, or hyperglycemia, they may feel unusually thirsty and urinate more than usual. However, high blood sugar levels can cause a range of symptoms. Your kidneys are working overtime trying to flush out all that excess sugar, which means they’re stealing water from everywhere else in your body. Anyone who experiences tiredness, increased thirst, frequent urination, or weight loss should consult a doctor, as these symptoms could indicate diabetes or another health concern. It’s like your body is playing a cruel joke—the more sugar you consume, the thirstier you get, but regular water doesn’t seem to hit the spot because your blood sugar is still through the roof.
Your Face is Breaking Out Like a Teenager
Thought you left acne behind in high school? Sugar might be bringing it back with a vengeance. Acne: “Eating a lot of sugar leads to a spike in the production of insulin, the hormone that brings down levels of blood sugar,” Franklin explains. Unfortunately, insulin can also increase the production of oil in the skin, leading to acne breakouts. Sugar is fine for you in small amounts, but too much can lead to weight gain, acne, type 2 diabetes, and can increase your risk of several serious medical conditions. Your skin is essentially your body’s largest organ, and it’s often the first to show signs of internal chaos. When you overload on sugar, your hormones go haywire, and your pores become little factories pumping out oil. In some people, sugar may cause tiredness or acne. Long-term, eating too much sugar can contribute to type 2 diabetes and heart disease. Think of it as your face literally crying out for help—those pimples aren’t just cosmetic issues, they’re your body’s way of showing you what’s happening inside.
You’re Getting Sick More Often Than a Daycare Kid
If you’re catching every cold that walks by and your immune system seems to have gone on permanent vacation, sugar might be the saboteur. According to a study published in the journal Nature Communications, consuming a diet high in sugar might prevent the proper functioning of people’s immune systems. And a weak immune system is followed by an unhealthy body which can cause various health issues. High sugar consumption can weaken the immune system, increasing the risk of colds and flu. Sugar essentially turns your white blood cells into lazy security guards who’d rather take a nap than fight off invaders. Inflammation: A diet high in refined sugar causes increased inflammation throughout the body. And chronic inflammation is linked to a host of problems, including diabetes, cancer, heart disease and autoimmune diseases. Your immune system needs all hands on deck to keep you healthy, but when it’s busy dealing with the inflammatory chaos that sugar creates, it can’t focus on its main job of protecting you from actual threats.
Your Memory is Foggier Than London in December
Can’t remember where you put your keys? Struggling to focus during meetings? Your sugar habit might be turning your brain into mush. Overconsumption of sugar can cause cognitive impairments such as forgetfulness or difficulties concentrating. Limiting sugar intake before a test may also help you think more clearly as there’s evidence that sugar hinders one’s ability to focus—plus additional research showing it can block memory receptors in the brain. Preclinical research has also suggested cognitive and memory impairment in rodents fed high concentrations of fructose or sugar. Sugar consumption impacts brain diseases or disorders, such as anxiety, depression, neurogenesis, fear, and changes in molecular and neurochemical expression. Think of sugar as static interference for your brain’s radio signal—the more sugar you consume, the harder it becomes to tune into clear thoughts. Your brain is essentially swimming in a syrupy mess, making it difficult for neurons to communicate effectively.
You’re Tossing and Turning Like a Rotisserie Chicken
When you’re lying in bed at 2 AM staring at the ceiling, your evening dessert might be the real culprit behind your insomnia. Eating sugar food, especially at night, could lead to a rush of energy at a time when we should focus on slowing down and preparing the body to rest. According to a study published in August 2019 in the American Journal of Lifestyle Medicine, poor sleep quality is significantly related to higher consumptions of added sugars. Poor sleep: “A lot of research shows a connection between added sugar and sleep quality,” Franklin says. A high-sugar diet can lead to tossing and turning at night, resulting in daytime fatigue. Additionally, a recent observational study noted that higher intakes of added sugar were associated with an increased risk of insomnia in postmenopausal women. Sugar is like that annoying friend who shows up uninvited and keeps the party going when everyone else wants to go home—it gives you energy when your body desperately needs to wind down. If you’re struggling to stop making high sugar food choices, getting better sleep may help you regain some control.
Your Joints Ache Like You’re Eighty Years Old
If you’re walking around feeling like the Tin Man from Wizard of Oz, sugar-induced inflammation might be rusting your joints from the inside. If you have joint pain, here’s more reason to lay off the candy: Eating lots of sweets has been shown to worsen joint pain because of the inflammation they cause in the body. Plus, studies show that people who eat or drink a lot of sugar may be more likely to develop rheumatoid arthritis. Some studies have linked regularly having high sugar intake to arthritis in women possibly due to inflammation. So the joint pain is also one of the side effects of consuming high sugar. You may know that you can get this painful arthritis from eating too much red meat, organ meats, and lobster. But some researchers say another white crystal — sugar — may be a more worrisome culprit. Sugar essentially turns your body into a battlefield where inflammation runs wild, and your poor joints become collateral damage. Every sugary treat you consume is like adding fuel to a fire that’s already burning in your joints, making them stiff, painful, and aged beyond their years.
Cut the Liquid Candy Habit Cold Turkey
The fastest way to slash your sugar intake is to ditch the liquid sugar bombs that are probably sitting in your fridge right now. Avoid liquid sugar, Schmidt said. “Focus on reducing or cutting out sugar-sweetened beverages, such as sodas, sports drinks, energy drinks, fake juice pouches,” she said via email. “These are by far the largest source of added sugars in the American diet, especially for children, and have no nutritional value.” Schmidt noted that liquid sugar can easily become a habit that leaves you consuming large amounts without really noticing. To reap the benefits of giving up sugar, start by identifying where you may be consuming too many added sugars. “By far the most important step is to avoid soda or other sugar-sweetened beverages—or have them only occasionally,” advises Willett. A single can of sugar-sweetened soda contains up to 40 grams (around 10 teaspoons) of free sugars. Many popular drinks have more than half of your recommended daily sugar intake. For an average 2000 calorie a day diet, 10% is about 12 teaspoons. Replace soda and juice with healthier options like low-fat milk, carbonated water, or unsweetened iced tea. Water with some added flavoring from sliced lemons, cucumbers or mint is a great option, too. Think of sugary drinks as sugar delivery systems that bypass your body’s natural “I’m full” signals—you can consume hundreds of calories without feeling satisfied, then wonder why you’re still hungry an hour later.
