Can too much sugar cause hormone imbalance?
Short answer – yes. Long answer – after the refined sugars rush into the bloodstream, blood sugar levels rise, pressuring the pancreas to release insulin, the hormone needed to escort these sugars into the body’s cells. Lots of insulin helps the sugar get used up rapidly, but then the blood sugar level plunges. The body hits a sugar low, also known as hypoglycemia or “sugar blues.” Now, just as insulin was released when the blood sugar was too high, other hormones are released when the blood sugar is too low. These stress hormones want to restore the blood sugar to normal levels, so they squeeze stored sugar from the liver, sending the blood sugar back up. These adjustments work better in some people than in others and better in some circumstances than others. Sugar-sensitive individuals experience the ups and downs of blood sugar levels as a roller-coaster ride, and their moods and behavior go up and down with their blood sugar.
