8 ways sugar harms your health | members only

8 WAYS SUGAR CAN HARM YOUR HEALTH Sugar places an increased burden on an already aging body, says Dorothy Chiu, a postdoctoral scholar at the UCSF Osher Center for Integrative Health and

coauthor of the UCSF study. Getting older puts us at greater risk for disease, she says, but “sugar is the icing on the cake.” Here’s what sugar can do: 1. RAISES DEMENTIA RISK Excessive

amounts of sugar can increase inflammation and weaken the blood-brain barrier, which can trigger cognitive decline, Serra says. In one study, researchers found that in older adults (average

age 79), consuming more sugar may double the risk of developing dementia later in life. “People at highest risk got 32 percent of their calories from sugar versus the low group consuming

only 17 percent of calories from sugar,” says Puja Agarwal, assistant professor of internal medicine at the Rush Alzheimer’s Disease Center at Rush University Medical Center and lead author

of the study. “This study tells us consuming higher sugar or calories from sugar may impact risk for dementia.” 2. MAKES YOUR BELLY BIGGER When you eat excess sugar, your liver metabolizes

the fructose compound and converts it to fat, which accumulates in the liver. You gain weight when your liver stores excess fat instead of burning it off as energy. Fat accumulation can lead

to higher cholesterol, insulin resistance and cardiovascular disease. 3. HAMPERS YOUR NUTRITIONAL STATUS As we get older, our need for calories declines, so to maintain the same body weight

we need to eat less, says Alice H. Lichtenstein, senior scientist at the Jean Mayer USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging at Tufts University. “Consuming a diet high in sugar makes

it challenging to also include enough healthy foods so that we balance calorie needs and meet our nutrient needs.” 4. DAMAGES YOUR LIVER High sugar intake, especially fructose, can lead to

nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, which is an excessive amount of fat in the liver that is associated with an increased risk of developing liver cancer. 5. INCREASES YOUR RISK OF HEART

DISEASE AND STROKE Added sugar can elevate your blood pressure, promote chronic inflammation and increase levels of triglycerides, a type of fat that builds up in the bloodstream and

increases your risk of heart disease. Excessive sugar intake damages the arteries and puts stress on the heart. 6. UPS YOUR DIABETES RISK Sugar causes rapid spikes in blood sugar levels,

which can contribute to insulin resistance, a precursor to type 2 diabetes, and drives other major chronic diseases in older adults. In addition to aging and stress, sugar “can wreak havoc

on insulin sensitivity and through various pathways accelerate aging in the body’s systems,” says UCSF’s Epel. “This is one of the most important metrics of health and aging.” 7. WORSENS

MENOPAUSE SYMPTOMS Postmenopausal women are more vulnerable to the effects of sugar because they have lower levels of estrogen and progesterone and become more insulin resistant. Some

studies show that high sugar levels are also associated with more hot flashes in menopausal women. It may be because they cause spikes in blood sugar and dramatic drops. “It’s reasonable to

conclude that reducing sugar may help reduce hot flashes for some individuals, but it has not been tested,” Epel adds. 8. PROMOTES TOOTH LOSS Sugar can foster bacterial growth in the mouth,

which, in turn, can produce acid that erodes the enamel on your teeth, causing cavities. Excess sugar can also lead to inflammation of the gums, leading to gum recession and tooth loss.

Bottom line: The occasional sugar indulgence isn’t harmful, but “be selective and only indulge when the option is your favorite,” Lichtenstein says. So yes, have the slice of birthday cake.

But don’t have a party every day, OK?