We know that too much sugar is bad for us. But do you know the effects it can have on your mood, your energy and even your hormones?
It is common for women to experience sweet cravings during specific points in their cycle. But eating too much sugar can have a cascade effect on your hormones that can contribute to PCOS, endometriosis, infertility, anxiety and more.
That’s why it’s essential that you know exactly what sugar does to your body.
What does sugar do in the body?
There are several key effects that sugar has on the body:
- Initiates the insulin response – when glucose enters the body, insulin is produced to buffer it and keep it at a healthy level. But over time, excess insulin can cause a problem for the hormone cascade.
It encourages the body to convert progesterone into testosterone or oestrogen. This can lead to symptoms such as acne, hair growth and PCOS as a result of testosterone, or oestrogen dominance symptoms due to higher oestrogen levels. - Provides energy in the form of glucose – if your body becomes used to this, it can lead to ups and downs in energy. It’s common to become reliant on snacks to keep your energy levels steady.
- Excites the brain and releases dopamine – sugar excites the brain, which leads to the release of stimulating brain chemicals.
Dopamine is triggered, which is why you feel good when you eat it. But this can also lead to sugar ‘addiction’, as your body keeps trying to get a hit of dopamine. - Inhibits GABA – GABA is a calming brain chemical. During the luteal phase, our GABA levels can drop, leaving us vulnerable to anxiety and insomnia.
Sugar can further reduce GABA levels and trigger anxiety symptoms. This drop in GABA can also lead to pain flare-ups and more symptoms in women with autoimmune conditions. - Influences PMDD symptoms – sugar causes progesterone to funnel too quickly into allopregnanolone. This can lead to depression, fatigue and common PMDD symptoms such as suicidal thoughts.
If you have PMDD, you’ll want to keep insulin and glucose levels moderate to avoid this, particularly during the luteal phase.
Different people will process sugar differently. But if you are experiencing any symptoms during your luteal phase or are trying to conceive, reducing sugar is in your best interests.
Tell-tale signs that sugar is a problem
There are a few ways that your sweet cravings can be an indication of a deeper issue. Each have their own tell-tale signs that there is a problem.
Blood glucose dysregulation
- Waking up at 2am
- Never satisfied after a meal – you feel the need for a sweet treat after every meal
- Fungal infections – glucose can feed fungus
- Eating carbs lead to weight gain around the tummy area
- Energy slumps throughout the day, particularly around 10am and 2pm
- Sudden mood swings – your temper flares up like a toddler’s, but quickly dissipates
- Feeling ‘hangry’
PCOS, elevated cortisol and elevated testosterone can all be exacerbated by too much sugar. If you have any of these concerns, you want to make sure you’re balancing your blood glucose levels throughout the day.
Low serotonin
If you have issues that indicate a reliance that is more ‘reward’ based, it’s likely the problem is with serotonin.
Low serotonin levels can cause specific symptoms such as:
- Needing sugar all day
- Sneaking sugar – having a secret stash or buying it and eating it in the car
- Eating sweet treats when you’re alone – you wouldn’t feel comfortable eating it with others
- Feeling depressed when you’re not eating sweet foods
- When you eat something sweet, you feel happier or a form of release
If serotonin is an underlying issues, you may also experience sadness, anxiety and ruminating thoughts. You can learn more about addressing low serotonin here.
Candida
An overgrowth of candida is another common cause of sweet cravings. Signs that candida is an issue can include:
- Needing sugar straight after a meal – even if it’s a nourishing meal with enough calories to sustain you
- Other candida symptoms such as coating on the tongue, thrush and a thick white vaginal discharge
- Symptoms and cravings that become worse mid cycle – from ovulation onwards
Withdrawal symptoms do happen!
It is not all in your head. If you’re having sugar regularly, you’ll feel the effects when you cut it out.
Many of the withdrawal symptoms are due to lower dopamine. You may experience:
- Headaches
- General aches and pains – this is because your pain perception heightens
- Muscle cramps
- Low moods
- Greater cravings for sugar and carbohydrates
- Fatigue
- Insomnia
- Flu-like symptoms
These will usually last around 3 days, but it can vary. If you eat a lot of sugar, you may want to reduce your intake slowly before cutting it out completely.
3 approaches to addressing your sugar intake
If you want to take control of the sweet cravings and their effect on your body, you have three options. The right fit depends on you, your concerns and your preference.
Reduce it
The first option is simple – reduce your overall intake. Start by cutting out some of your common sugar sources.
For example, you might cut the added sugars to your tea and coffee. Or instead of 3 Oreos a day, you might stick to just one with your morning coffee.
Swap it
If you’ve been eating a fair amount of sugar, you might prefer to start with swapping. Instead of cutting it out, switch your sweet treats for wholefood versions.
For example, you might switch your chocolate to a 70% cacao option that uses coconut sugar. Or you could swap your favourite sweet snacks for a piece of fruit spread with some nut butter.
This way, you don’t experience the severe withdrawal symptoms.
Quit it
For many, the best option is to just quit it cold-turkey. There are often short-term withdrawal symptoms, but it can also lead to the greatest improvements in your health concerns.
What you don’t want to do
One mistake I often see women making is deciding to give up sugar, but then self-sabotaging.
This comes down to the argument between your pre-frontal cortex and reptilian brain. Your pre-frontal cortex is the decision maker – it knows that you’re going to benefit from doing so.
But the reptilian brain doesn’t like change, and it’s the strongest part of the brain. It tries to convince you into just having one little sweet treat, and then another. This can be exhausting!
The key is to make your decision and stick by it. Be specific about what you will and won’t have – for example, you might decide to remove sugar except for 1 piece of Dark Lindt chocolate every day. If that’s your choice, stick by it and don’t sabotage it!
Don’t know what to eat during your luteal phase if it’s not all sweet treats?
You can eat in a way that supports your hormone balance! I’ve created a meal plan that is designed to:
- Balance blood sugars
- Support progesterone production
- Prevent bloating
- Improve your mood
Sound like what you need? Grab my Hormone Support Meal Plan here.
