Sugar's Double-Edged Role: Energy Boost or Health Hazard?

Sugar Is Essential for Energy but Can Harm Health and Lead to Addiction, Expert Warns

Sugar is vital for replenishing energy—it boosts physical activity and helps the body "switch on" more quickly, according to Andrei Kondrakhin, a medical candidate and senior lecturer at the Department of Pharmacology at the Pirogov Russian National Research Medical University's Institute of Pharmacy and Medical Chemistry under the Russian Ministry of Health. However, excessive consumption can damage health and even lead to dependency.

On one hand, sugar has beneficial properties. A morning cup of tea or coffee with sugar provides fast-acting carbohydrates that rapidly stimulate the brain, sharpening mental focus. Muscles also become more active, as they rely on glucose for energy. Thus, sugar is necessary for the body—but only in moderation. On the other hand, when consumed in excess, sugar is stored as fat, a natural defense mechanism in which the body stockpiles surplus nutrients. The result? Weight gain.

"As body mass increases, insulin function is disrupted—its levels become insufficient, and receptors lose sensitivity, leading to insulin resistance," Kondrakhin explains. "This triggers further fat accumulation and a state in which the body experiences glucose deficiency at the cellular level, demanding even more of it."

A vicious cycle emerges: insulin levels fall short, hunger intensifies, and the pancreas ramps up insulin production to its limit—until it can no longer keep up. Insulin levels drop further, while the craving for sugar grows. Over time, this can progress to type 2 diabetes, the expert warns.

Kondrakhin also notes that the sugar we commonly consume is a processed product. In nature, simple carbohydrates were far less abundant, with honey being the most accessible source. The advent of refined and cane sugar, however, revealed its harmful effects: rapid habit formation, heightened taste sensations, and a tendency toward overconsumption.

Zoya Oskolkova, Moscow

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