Three out of four migraine sufferers may have reactive hypoglycemia, which may be contributing to their headaches. Reactive hypoglycemia is the so called sugar crash – a drop in blood glucose level after eating or drinking a large amount of sugar. The body’s reaction to the consumption of sugar is to produce insulin, but in those with reactive hypoglycemia too much insulin is produced and the blood sugar level drops below normal.
A recent study published in Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention and reported in the NY Times showed that high consumption of sugary drinks significantly raises the risk of endometrial cancer. The researchers at the National Institutes of Health who conducted this large study speculated that the wide fluctuations in sugar levels from very high to very low could play a role in the development of cancer.
Obviously, there are other reasons to avoid sugary drinks, such as to avoid weight gain which leads to more frequent migraine and other health problems, such as diabetes, heart disease, strokes, and other. For that matter it is not just sugary drinks, but sugar in any form. Many of my patients are often surprised that I would even advise against drinking orange juice, eating grapes, melons, or other very sweet fruit. These fruit have some redeeming properties, such as having vitamins and fiber, but they also contain too much sugar and can cause the same problems as refined sugar.
