If you’ve ever experienced a quick spike and subsequent crash after consuming sugary foods, you have a basic understanding of glucose spikes. But the acute effects of a momentary rise in blood sugar are minor compared to the potential cumulative damage of chronic, or ongoing, spikes in glucose to hormonal balance and general health.
And, while we hear about the dysregulation of blood sugar in relation to heart disease and diabetes, it can also have a major impact on healthy people.
Maybe your most recent physical exam and blood work indicated that your heart and metabolism look great. Maybe you’ve experienced some occasional or annoying mood swings, weight fluctuations, or lethargy without a clear culprit.
No matter your health status, keeping an eye on blood sugar – and minimizing blood glucose spikes – is an important tactic for health and supports hormonal balance. Are you wondering what causes blood sugar spikes, and why they can be harmful? Here’s what you need to know.
What is a Glucose Spike?
A glucose spike refers to the release of sugar into the blood in amounts that exceed the normal range. The process includes two main actors:
- glucose: U the simplest of sugarsglucose (aka blood sugar) is the body’s main source of energy from food. The word is derived from the Greek word Gleukosewhich means “sweet wine”.
- Insulin: Produced by the pancreas, this hormone directs the body – especially the cells in the muscle and liver – to accept glucose. Its function is to help convert food into energy.
When a high amount of carbohydrates consumed at one time is quickly digested and broken down into glucose and then absorbed, the blood sugar level can spike.
“This typically happens after eating, especially when you consume food that is high in sugar and carbohydrates,” says a registered dietitian nutritionist. Kimberley WiemannMS, RDN.
Why are glucose spikes harmful?
Under normal circumstances, a postprandial (after a meal) rise in blood sugar is routine and temporary. Over time, however, chronically high spikes in blood sugar can cause major disruptions to the body’s basic systems.
“Spikes in blood sugar can lead to reduction insulin sensitivitywhich can disrupt the balance of hormones, including estrogen,” he said Nicole Levine, MDa physician based in California.
Reduced sensitivity to insulin results when the pancreas produces more and more insulin to encourage reluctant cells to absorb glucose. If the cells do not respond proportionately – perhaps because they are already glutted with glucose – sugar can accumulate in the blood.
That accumulated glucose can be stored as fat, which is where small amounts of estrogen are produced. More fat in this case can disrupt estrogen levels.
“Research shows that insulin resistance caused by high blood sugar levels changes estrogen metabolism and disrupts hormonal balance,” says Levine.
Symptoms of Blood Sugar Spike
Chances are you’ve experienced a slump after a sugar rush. “Some common symptoms of blood sugar spikes are increased thirst, frequent urination, fatigue, blurred vision, headache, irritability and intense hunger,” says Levine.
Over time, however, chronic spikes in blood sugar, along with daily stress and lack of physical activity, can create hormonal imbalances. This can lead to symptoms including:
- Mood swings
- Brain fog
- Weight gain
- Sleep problems
- Slowed metabolism
- Reduction of sexual desire
- PMS
- Cravings
- Hot flashes
- Night sweats
- Bloating/gas
- Acne
If you believe you have the effects of high blood sugar, seek the care of a medical professional.
What Causes Blood Sugar Spikes?
Normally, when carbohydrates enter the body, glucose levels rise temporarily (for approx one to two hours). Food is converted into energy, and blood sugar levels return to baseline.
“It’s natural for the body’s blood sugar level to rise and fall throughout the day, with the elevation usually occurring at each meal,” he says. Dr. Candice Seti, a certified personal trainer and clinical psychologist who specializes in eating disorders.
But some triggers can cause blood sugar spikes.
1. Simple carbohydrates
Consider the way a match burns versus how wood burns.
Consuming your carbohydrates in their simplest form makes them faster to digest – a short burst of energy – so your blood sugar levels rise faster (and more strongly).
“White rice, pasta, and processed foods are more likely to cause a spike in blood sugar than healthy carbohydrates like whole grain breads and cereals,” says Seti. Of course, sweets, soda, and other sugary, high-glycemic Treats can also spike glucose.
However, more complex and fibrous carbohydrateslike those in whole fruits, vegetables and grains, they digest more slowly and more sustainably. This gives it a more gradual absorption and a flatter post-meal insulin curve as opposed to one that is spiked.
2. Stress
In response to stress, the adrenal glands release cortisol. This hormone directs the body to release glucose stored in the liver to have the energy to fight a perceived threat, whether it’s a charging lion or an impending deadline.
But the body does not distinguish between the two. So if you’re in a constant state of duress, it’s going to release a constant stream of cortisol—and, by extension, blood sugar—in response.
And since excess glucose is often converted into fat – and some of the body’s estrogen is produced in fatty tissue – High levels of stress can disrupt estrogen levels over time. High levels of estrogen can increase cortisol levels in the blood, causing increased reactivity to stress, further perpetuating the cycle.
3. Inadequate sleep
Sleep duration, quality and consistency have everything been found directly affects insulin sensitivity.
“A disruption in your sleep cycle can make it more difficult for the body to use insulin effectively,” says Seti.
While more study is needed, researchers have found a number of possible contributors to decreased insulin sensitivity resulting from insufficient sleep. Increases in inflammatory markers and biomarkers, disruptions in circadian rhythms, inadequate exposure to light, and elevated cortisol levels were all observed in the test subjects.
4. Dehydration
The overall volume of your blood is made up mostly of water. If you do not drink sufficient amounts, the part of the blood volume accounted for by water decreases, making the proportion of glucose higher in comparison.
As a result, dehydration can concentrate the amount of glucose in the blood. It can too affects hormones which influence blood sugar regulation.
5. Skip breakfast
Add to the list of reasons to nourish yourself first thing in the morning the correct regulation of blood sugar throughout the rest of the day.
“Waiting until noon to take your first bite can cause your blood sugar levels to rise after lunch and dinner“, says Seti.
Researchers are still hypothesizing the reasons why, but they found that skipping breakfast causes the liver to resist insulin while increasing glucose production. As a result, they observed high levels of blood sugar after lunch in those who skipped breakfast compared to those who did not.
How to reduce blood sugar spikes
There are a number of lifestyle changes you can make to limit glucose spikes.
Of course, some symptoms are more serious than others. If you are concerned about how your body processes blood sugar, you should consult a doctor.
Diet
The effort to prevent glucose spikes starts with eating a healthy and well-rounded diet. And that starts from limit added sugar and curating the types of carbs you choose for energy.
Remember: Simple carbohydrates burn quickly and can cause blood glucose to spike and crash. Complex carbohydrates and fiber digests more slowly, keeping postprandial blood sugar levels more stable and providing a more consistent source of energy.
Starting macros it helps too.
“When you consume carbohydrates, it is important to have a source of protein, fat, or fiber with it,” says Wiemann. “This can help slow down the absorption of sugar into the blood, thus preventing a spike in blood sugar levels.”
Levine agrees: “You can prevent blood sugar spikes stay hydrated and eat balanced meals with fiber and protein.”
Exercise
Making exercise part of your routine is also key to helping reduce blood sugar spikes, both long-term and immediate.
“Regular physical activity helps stabilize blood glucose levels in general improve insulin sensitivity,” says Levine.
This is why the more demands you make on your body, the more receptive it will be to the blood glucose needed to feed these demands. And the more muscle you build, the more tissue you will have with which it absorbs sugar into circulating blood.
Also, getting physical after eating can have instant benefits.
“Participating in some physical activity shortly after meals can help reduce blood sugar spikes“says Wiemann. “Exercise prompts the body to pull sugar from the blood into the muscles for energy.”
sleep
The researchers found that sleep duration, quality, and timing each have a significant impact on blood sugar, which already grow naturally in the last hours of sleep – a physiological response called the “dawn phenomenon” – to help you wake up.
To ensure that nocturnal fluctuations start at a healthy level, studies show that still getting about seven hours of sleep per night is associated with greater insulin sensitivity.
It is not a license to sleep like a college freshman; obtain too close it will immediately put you at risk. But add barely an hour of unconscious time per night can help improve blood glucose levels and regulation.
Supplement
A number of vitamins, minerals, herbs and other nutrients have been found to help support normal blood sugar and minimize the effects of post-meal glucose spikes. Some address dietary gaps, while others are difficult to obtain in sufficient quantities only from food.
Certain compounds, such as those found in Belle Vitale Daily Metabolism & Blood Sugar Support, can help boost your body’s natural ability to burn fat, support healthy metabolism, and keep blood sugar already in range normal:*
Other supplements can help positively impact blood sugar by addressing the role of stress:
These adaptogens, combined with other essential vitamins and minerals in Belle Vitale Daily Hormone & Stress Support, help combat the effects of stress, support healthy cortisol levels, and promote healthy hormones.*
*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.
