12 Signs You’re Eating Too Much Sugar

5. Cravings for Sweets

If you’re craving sweets, you may be addicted to the feel-good effects that sugar has on your brain. Sugar targets the brain’s reward center, triggering a rise in the hormone dopamine, Cording says. Dopamine helps reinforce behavior that brings you enjoyment.

This pathway in the brain plays a significant role in the food choices we make, including cravings for sugar.

Put simply, eating sugar increases dopamine, and the dopamine rise itself can increase cravings for sugar, leading to a vicious cycle, according to research.

6. High Blood Pressure

If you’ve been diagnosed with hypertension (high blood pressure), too much added sugar in your diet could be a contributor.

Research shows that consuming sugar-sweetened beverages has a significant association with high blood pressure and a higher incidence of hypertension.

On the other hand, Li notes, a direct cause-and-effect relationship between sugar and hypertension hasn’t been found. What scientists do know is that high levels of glucose can damage the lining of our blood vessels, making it easier for lipids like cholesterol to stick to the walls of the blood vessels. “When that happens, you get hardening of the blood vessels. When your blood vessels get hardened, your blood pressure goes up,” Li says.

7. Acne and Wrinkles

If you’re battling acne, it may be worthwhile to consider how much added sugar you’re eating.

“Glycemic control [the process of keeping your blood sugar levels in a healthy range, not too high or too low] plays a significant role in skin health and acne,” Cording says.

For example, one study suggested that insulin resistance is linked to an increased risk of acne.

Insulin resistance is when the cells in your liver, muscles, and fat don’t respond as they should to insulin, a hormone in the body that helps keep your blood sugar levels steady. A diet high in added sugars is a risk factor for insulin resistance.

Too much sugar can also make your skin more prone to wrinkles as you age. When you eat too much sugar, it can cause your body to produce what’s known as advanced glycation end products, which are products of excess sugar. These products encourage skin aging, noted one study.

8. Joint Pain

If you notice pain in your joints, it may not be age alone. Consuming too much sugar can lead to systemic inflammation, which may lead to joint pain, Cording says. That said, there are several potential causes of joint pain, so improving your diet by cutting back on the sweet stuff may not be a magic bullet, Cording says.

9. Sleep Issues

If you’re having trouble falling or staying asleep, you may want to take stock of what you’re eating. There’s some evidence that diets high in sugar may be linked to poor sleep quality.

Our sleep cycles and the quality of sleep are regulated by the light and the temperature of the room, as well as glycemic control. “For someone who is chronically consuming excessive amounts of added sugar, it can absolutely mess with their sleep cycle and sleep quality,” Cording says.

10. Digestive Issues

If you’re having stomach pain, cramping, or diarrhea, there may be many causes to blame, and your doctor can help you get to the bottom of your symptoms. Too much sugar, a known gut irritant, is one of the possible culprits, Cording says.

If high-sugar foods are replacing fruits, vegetables, and whole grains, which offer fiber, constipation can be a problem, too.

11. Brain Fog

Problems with mental clarity, focus and concentration, and memory could be a result of consuming too many added sugars.

Although glucose is the brain’s primary source of fuel, excess amounts can cause hyperglycemia, or high blood sugar levels, and have an inflammatory effect in the brain and a negative impact on cognitive function and mood, Cording says.

The combination of type 2 diabetes and hyperglycemia, or high blood sugar, is linked to cognitive problems, including impairments with information-processing speed, working memory, and attention, one research review showed.

Research suggests the same is true for those without diabetes. A systematic review and meta-analysis of 77 studies found that added sugar was linked to an increased risk of cognitive impairment in people without diabetes.

12. Cavities

The bacteria in our mouths like to feed on simple sugars, so if your dentist is finding more cavities, or if you’ve been diagnosed with gum disease, it could be due in part to too much added sugar.

Drinking unsweetened coffee and tea, eating fiber-rich fruits and vegetables, and chewing sugarless gum may prevent cavities and promote dental health.

Although cutting back on added sugars is a good idea, if you’re going to consume a high-sugar food, brush your teeth afterward or at least swish water around your mouth.

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