Sugar rush or sugar crash? A meta-analysis of carbohydrate effects on mood

This 2019 systematic review/meta-analysis evaluated the relationship between acute carbohydrate consumption and mood, since the effect has been “much debated” and is regarded important to validate given the recent rise in global intake of sugar-sweetened products. Mantantzis et. al (2019) examined the time-course of carbohydrate (CHO)-mood interactions while also considering the role of moderator variables which could potentially affect the CHO-mood relationship. From 31 studies including 1259 participants in total, 176 effect sizes were analysed to reveal no evidence of CHO inducing a positive effect on any aspect of mood at any time-point following ingestion. Instead, the review discovered that CHO consumption was associated with higher fatigue levels and less alertness when compared to placebo (within the first hour following intake). These findings challenge the idea that CHO can improve mood (which some researchers have previously reported), and can potentially aid health policies in informing them to decrease sugar consumption and promote healthier alternatives. [NPID: sugar, processed food, carbs, mood, fatigue, alertness]

Year: 2019

Reference: Mantantzis, K., Schlaghecken, F., Sünram-Lea, S. I., & Maylor, E. A. (2019). Sugar rush or sugar crash? A meta-analysis of carbohydrate effects on mood. Neuroscience and biobehavioral reviews, 101, 45–67. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neubiorev.2019.03.016

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