Can Sugar Make You Stupid? "High Concern" in Wake of Rat Study

Cheaper than table sugar, high-fructose corn syrup is commonly added to soft drinks, condiments, and other processed foods.

The average person in the United States consumes more than 60 pounds (27 kilograms) of it annually, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Consumption of cane and beet sugar, which also contain fructose, is only slightly lower.

"I'm not saying that fructose is bad—you don't want to single out one nutrient," Gomez-Pinilla said. "The big issue is excessive consumption.

"We also want people to think about their whole diets—also think about eating omega-3 fatty acids," which can be found in foods such as salmon, tuna, walnuts, and olive oil. 

"I was very shocked to see how strong an effect these diets could have on the brain—I have high concern that the foods people eat can really affect mood and cognition," Gomez-Pinilla said.

The next task for the team "is to determine whether the long-term effects of a poor diet are reversible," said physiologist Jill Barnes at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, who did not take part in this research.
Future research should also investigate the effects diet might have on aging and development. "For example, what happens in younger animals or humans when exposed to chronic high-sugar, low omega-3 fatty acid levels during growth?" Barnes asked.

In addition, study leader Gomez-Pinilla said, "we can look at how diet might affect disorders such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)" by adding stress to an already stressed brain. "Perhaps for someone who doesn't eat properly, the effects of PTSD might be much worse."


Source : National Geographic News