Variable blood sugar: From the basics of energy metabolism to the hidden threat of "hyperglycemia surges"

Fluctuating Blood Sugar

Under normal circumstances, the human body can regulate its blood sugar and maintain it within a fixed range. However, in disease conditions, blood sugar can exceed the normal range, causing hyperglycemia. This article extends the relationship between sugar intake and blood sugar, detailing the dangers and effects of abnormal blood sugar, using ample case studies to introduce effective methods for controlling blood sugar, and providing authoritative advice to remind you of the importance of paying attention. Does eating too much sugar cause high blood sugar? At Kang Daifu's health clinic, we often encounter questions like:

I've loved eating sweets since I was a child. Does eating too much sugar cause high blood sugar?

Is the sugar we eat and blood sugar the same kind of sugar?

The correct answer is that the sugar we eat and blood sugar have similarities and differences. Commonly consumed sugars are divided into white sugar, brown sugar, and rock sugar. White sugar is made by boiling sugarcane or beet juice and separating the molasses. Brown sugar is made by boiling sugarcane syrup and contains granulated sugar and molasses. Rock sugar is made by dissolving white or brown sugar in water to form a syrup, which is then evaporated and crystallized into blocks of sugar. Blood sugar refers to glucose in the blood. Glucose is an organic compound, colorless crystals, sweet in taste, and highly nutritious, serving as a primary source of energy for the human body. It can be obtained from the breakdown of sugars like white sugar, brown sugar, and rock sugar, or from other foods such as rice, noodles, sweet potatoes, potatoes, corn, and many dried fruits and seeds rich in starch. Starch is converted into glucose in the body through acid or enzymatic hydrolysis. Therefore, while both the sugars we eat and blood sugar are sugars, they are not the same type of sugar. Glucose is a monosaccharide, sucrose is a polysaccharide, and starch is a complex sugar. Monosaccharides can be absorbed without breakdown and should be controlled. Yes, blood sugar sources are not limited to white sugar, brown sugar, and rock sugar.

Other sources of blood sugar include starch in food, sugary fruits, and sugary vegetables. As mentioned earlier, rice, noodles, sweet potatoes, potatoes, corn, and many dried fruits are rich in starch, which is a type of sugar that is not called a sugar. This is a common question among people with high blood sugar. They believe they rarely consume white sugar, brown sugar, or rock sugar, and seldom eat sugary pastries or honey. Yet, they still experience varying degrees of high blood sugar. Disbelieving the test results, they go to other hospitals for follow-up examinations, only to find their blood sugar remains high. Faced with tests from multiple hospitals, they no longer doubt the veracity of the results, but they still can't understand why their blood sugar is high when they haven't eaten any sugar. For example, engineer Zhang, who has never liked sweets and never adds sugar to his coffee, says, "I drink coffee for its bitterness, why add sugar?" Even this gentleman has high blood sugar. When the doctor asked about his meal portions, he blushed and said, "I have a huge appetite; I eat at least six ounces at every meal. I always finish the last bite at banquets, earning me the nickname 'Zhang the Big Eater.'" Hearing this, the doctor humorously said that to lower blood sugar, "Zhang the Big Eater" should be changed to "Zhang the Little Eater," and he should also exercise more. The doctor said, "People with high blood sugar should eat between 300 and 400 grams of food per day, which is your current meal portion. You should reduce that to your daily portion. If you feel hungry, you can eat more vegetables."

Under the doctor's guidance, Mr. Zhang persisted with exercise and strictly controlled his diet, and his blood sugar really did come down. Now, even the best meals don't go to waste. He said that he didn't understand before and developed high blood sugar from overeating. Now that he understands, he has to control it. How can you do engineering without this kind of willpower? Let's return to the initial question: Does eating too much sugar cause high blood sugar?

① Sugar is one of the body's energy sources. The human body is an organic organism that needs energy to function. In the process of energy metabolism, the human body cannot utilize the light energy provided by the sun, nor can it utilize externally supplied electrical or mechanical energy. The only energy the human body utilizes is the chemical energy provided by food. Sugar is an important source of energy for the body; more than 70% of the energy required by the body comes from sugar in food. ② Liver glycogen maintains a constant blood sugar level. Sugars in food are broken down into glucose, which enters the bloodstream and is called blood sugar. Blood glucose is stored as glycogen. Glycogen stored in muscles is called muscle glycogen, and glycogen stored in the liver is called liver glycogen. Liver glycogen maintains a dynamic balance of blood glucose levels under the regulation of the neurohumoral system. Therefore, it's not true that eating too much sugar will necessarily lead to high blood sugar.

③ The kidneys also play a role in maintaining a relatively constant blood glucose level. Maintaining a certain level of glucose concentration in the blood is beneficial for metabolism and various functional activities. If the concentration is too high, glucose will be lost through the kidneys in urine.

④ Sustained high blood sugar may indicate diabetes. When the body's insulin secretion is absolutely or relatively insufficient, and target cells have reduced sensitivity to insulin, blood glucose increases. This type of high blood sugar is a common symptom in the four stages of primary diabetes. A timely diagnosis is crucial; one should not dwell on the question of whether it's due to excessive sugar consumption.