‘Sugar fatigue’: Why you feel tired after eating (even if you think you’re eating healthily)
Feeling drowsy, irritable, or hungry shortly after eating can be more than just tiredness: it could be sugar fatigue, an increasingly common metabolic imbalance caused by sudden spikes and drops in blood glucose.
This phenomenon, which affects even people who play sports or follow seemingly healthy diets, can accelerate aging and increase the risk of diabetes and hypertension, warns Satoru Yamada, a physician and Doctor of Medicine in Japan, and a specialist in internal medicine and diabetes, in an interview with Europa Press Salud Infosalus.
“Sugar fatigue is a problem caused by sudden spikes and drops in blood glucose levels due to excessive carbohydrate consumption, even in foods we consider healthy. Common symptoms include feeling drowsy or tired after eating. Other symptoms include feeling hungry again quickly, even after eating enough, or easily losing concentration , becoming irritable, or experiencing heaviness in the back of the neck. Ignoring these episodes can increase the risk of premature aging and developing conditions like diabetes or hypertension,” she explains.
This is a problem that “is steadily but silently increasing in our society,” as this specialist warns, adding that it’s a problem that affects us all very closely, but, “curiously, no one believes it directly affects them.” Furthermore, and surprisingly to him, he acknowledges that many people who exercise regularly, even professional athletes, also suffer from postprandial hyperglycemia.
SEEMINGLY HEALTHY HABITS THAT ARE NOT
Furthermore, according to experts, everyday habits like eating fruit for breakfast or drinking energy drinks are behind this sugar “roller coaster” that depletes your body without you even realizing it. Dr. Satoru Yamada, author of ‘Sugar Fatigue’ (Neko Books), warns that fruit, for example, is rich in fructose and other sugars. “And fructose itself is converted into triglycerides, which facilitates the development of obesity and fatty liver,” he explains.
It also points out that a habit that may seem healthy at first glance, but actually isn’t, is drinking smoothies or juices for breakfast , as this causes glucose spikes: “The main drawback of fruit is its high fructose and other sugar content. Although it provides fiber and vitamins, these nutrients can also be obtained from vegetables. When a label indicates ‘X% sugar,’ this means that there are X grams of sugar in 100 grams of the product, although it’s often used as a flavor claim.”
Furthermore, Dr. Yamada emphasizes that biological rhythms cause blood glucose levels to tend to rise in the early hours of the day. “Therefore, the habit of eating sugary foods for breakfast promotes an additional increase in blood sugar at a time when the body already has naturally higher levels . To avoid a sharp rise in glucose, it is recommended that breakfast, more than any other meal, be low in carbohydrates and consist mainly of protein and fat,” this expert points out.
Likewise, it warns about the consumption of some low-fat yogurts, since they often contain a large amount of sugars and fructose, which can cause an increase in triglyceride levels and produce postprandial hyperglycemia.
SAY NO TO PERFORMANCE-ENHANCING DRINKS
It also warns that another habit that seems healthy but isn’t is the consumption of energy drinks to improve performance, since, as it points out, a standard energy drink contains about 27 grams of carbohydrates per 250 milliliters.
“When you drink it before starting your day, you usually notice an increase in energy or enthusiasm, but shortly afterward, postprandial hyperglycemia occurs, followed by a feeling of tiredness resulting from excess sugar. Without realizing it, we may feel the initial effect disappear and reach for another drink , repeating the cycle. If after drinking an energy drink you first experience euphoria and then exhaustion, you are experiencing exactly what we’ve been talking about: ‘sugar fatigue’,” this doctor insists.
In summary, this diabetes expert explains that if we consume more sugar than the body needs, there is a rapid rise in glucose, accompanied by an insulin response, and finally a sudden drop in glucose, which can lead to drowsiness, fatigue, or that sudden hunger.
“This causes a metabolic imbalance that can manifest as fat accumulation , chronic inflammation, or the development of insulin resistance, among other things. In turn, these processes can cause everyday symptoms and increase the risk of metabolic diseases and premature aging,” concludes Dr. Satoru Yamada.
