Flourish Health & Wellbeing eMag - Latest Edition - Flipbook - Page 33
Have you ever reached
for a sugary snack in
the afternoon only to
feel energised for a few
minutes before suddenly
crashing and craving
another pick-me-up? That
familiar rise and fall in
energy isn’t imagined, it’s
your blood glucose (blood
sugar) at work.
Glucose is the body’s main
fuel source, particularly
for the brain and muscles.
Ideally, it enters the
bloodstream gradually,
providing steady energy
across the day. However,
when glucose rises and
falls too quickly, it can
result in noticeable energy
spikes followed by sudden
crashes. Understanding
the science behind these
昀氀uctuations can help you
make nutrition choices
that support more stable
energy and better longterm health.
What happens when you eat?
When you eat
carbohydrates, they are
broken down into glucose
and released into the
bloodstream. This rise
in blood glucose signals
the pancreas to release
insulin, a hormone that
helps move glucose from
the blood into the body’s
cells to be used for energy
or stored for later use. In a
balanced response, blood
glucose rises modestly
after a meal and gradually
returns to baseline within
a few hours.
Problems arise when
foods high in added
sugars or re昀椀ned
carbohydrates are
consumed. These foods
digest very quickly,
causing glucose to
surge rapidly into the
bloodstream. In response,
the body releases a large
amount of insulin, which
can remove glucose too
ef昀椀ciently, resulting in
blood sugar dropping
rapidly afterwards,
setting the stage for
an energy crash.
Why spikes lead to crashes
A glucose spike is often
followed by an equally
sharp decline because
insulin overshoots the
body’s needs. This
rapid drop, sometimes
referred to as reactive
hypoglycaemia, can cause
symptoms such as fatigue,
shakiness, irritability,
dif昀椀culty concentrating
and sudden hunger.
During this low-energy
phase, the body seeks
quick fuel, which often
leads to cravings for
sugary or re昀椀ned
carbohydrate foods.
This can perpetuate a
cycle of repeated spikes
and crashes throughout
the day.
