"glucose" news and stories

The obesity epidemic in the US has been well documented, but could it be caused, at least in part, by thinking? There's a new study out that indicates thinking could contribute to an expanding waistline.

Researchers split participants into three groups: one group just rested, one had to read, the last one had to complete mental tests on a computer. Then all the participants were allowed to eat whatever they wanted to. Even though they only used about three more calories, the groups who were using their brains ate 200 (the readers) and 250 (the computer test takers) more calories. Through extensive blood sample-taking (before, during, and after the experiment), the researchers found wide variations in blood glucose levels from different phases of the experiment.

They concluded that "the body reacts to these fluctuations by demanding food to restore glucose, a sugar that is the brain's fuel. Glucose is converted by the body from carbohydrates and is supplied to the brain via the bloodstream. The brain cannot make glucose and so needs a constant supply. Brain cells need twice as much energy as other cells in the body. "

They cautioned that people who have intellectually demanding jobs should keep this in mind when they're choosing what and how much to eat. I think we all need to keep this in mind, as well as get out of the office to go for a walk.

I recently read an article about researchers in Glasgow examining how sugary sodas may help increase brain function and boost memory. Researchers gave test subjects sugary beverages and examined how well they performed memory based exercises such as remembering lists of words and letters. Those that drank the equivalent of two cans of cola did about 20 percent better than the non-soda drinkers. To my layman's understanding, this is because our brains need glucose (sugar) to function properly, whether it comes straight from a soda or gets processed from carbohydrates. Researchers hope to combat dementia from Alzheimer's with glucose supplements and also help younger bodies learn to use glucose more efficiently. I've always been told that using a burst of glucose from a soda or candy bar was a short term solution, however. Some people experience a "crash" afterwards and excessive soda drinkers often run the risk of developing type 2 diabetes. The Franklin Institute Online has a detailed yet accessible section about this sort of brain chemistry. I suggest reading through that in addition to the Glasgow article.