This is the conclusion reached by scientists from the University of Constance, who found that glucose activates the body's stress system, even when a person subjectively feels rested.
German researchers conducted an experiment with 94 volunteers to understand how sweets affect the physiology of relaxation. Some of the subjects came to the laboratory hungry: some were given a glucose solution to drink, while others were given plain water. Then half of the group had a relaxing massage, the rest just sat quietly.
Throughout the experiment, experts have recorded the most subtle indicators of heart function - from rhythm variability to pre-release phases, which indicate the activity of two opposing systems: parasympathetic (responsible for rest) and sympathetic (for the "fight or flight" reaction).
It turned out that massage or just a relaxing pastime naturally included a parasympathetic circuit - the body calmed down, the pulse equalized. However, in those who drank a sweet drink, at the same time, the sympathetic system was unexpectedly activated.
That is, the body began to work on two fronts: one part of it relaxed, and the other remained in a state of combat readiness.
"A person may genuinely feel that the stress has gone away, but his internal organs continue to work in a mode of increased excitability," the authors explain.
It turns out a paradox: sugar really gives a quick energy boost, which helps to survive the acute moment. But the price for this short-term support is the inability to fully "switch off" after stress.
In the long term, scientists warn, regular abuse of sweets knocks down natural recovery mechanisms and increases the risks of hypertension, weight gain and heart disease. So the strategy of "eating anxiety with cake", which is familiar to many, is not self-care, but a hidden trap for the nervous system.
