Effects of Corn Syrup on Mental Anxiety

Corn syrup is a refined sweetener that's synthesized from cornstarch, water and a chemical enzyme. It is a prevalent ingredient in foods like salad dressings, sauces, juices and sweet snacks. The production of corn syrup varies, and the amount of processing determines how much glucose is produced in the end product.

Glucose is a simple sugar that acts as the body's primary source of energy, fueling physical and mental activity. Commercially manufactured corn syrups do not have a uniform concentration of glucose, but corn syrup with higher levels of glucose will have a more pronounced effect blood sugar levels, and ultimately impact mental anxiety.

Triggering Mental Anxiety

• Due to its sugar content, consumption of corn syrup can induce conditions like mental anxiety. In 2004, noted clinical researcher Malcolm Peet published a study in "The British Journal of Psychiatry" that analyzed the relationship between diet and emotional health. After examining the eating patterns and mental hygiene of an international subject pool, Pete found that high sugar intake increases the risk of psychological illness. Pete's results are likely attributed to the body's natural physiological response to sugar. When consumed, sugar sets off a sequence of bodily chemical reactions that promote inflammation (an immune response to infection). While inflammation encourages blood flow, excessive stimulation from sugar intake can interfere with normal immune system function and confuse the brain. A processed substance like corn syrup can also trigger inflammation, exerting the same influence over the body as table sugar. Inflammation can provoke mental anxiety and stress, and chronic inflammation can precipitate acute mental illness like depression and schizophrenia.

Increasing Mental Anxiety

• When discussing Peets' study, "Psychology Today" contributor Stephen Ilardi, Ph.D., explains another possible mechanism by which a refined sugar substance like corn syrup can have a adverse effect on mental health. Sugar suppresses the activity of BDNF (Brain-derived Neurotrophic Factor), an essential growth hormone in the brain that supports the health of neurons and the formation of neural pathways. Perpetually low levels of BDNF can actually shrink regions of the brain and bring about mental illnesses like depression and schizophrenia, both conditions which are symptomized by mental anxiety. Since corn syrup contains the sugar glucose, it has the same potential to disrupt neural activity and permanently impair it over time. The hippocampus area of the brain plays a significant role in memory and spatial navigation. When neural circuitry in this region is compromised, individuals react to any ambiguous stimuli with a full-fledged fear response. As a result, individuals with this impairment are predisposed to mental anxiety. The condition can escalate as neural health deteriorates. Regular consumption of sugar substances like corn syrup facilitates this brain damage and boosts mental anxiety.

Decreasing Mental Anxiety

• Associates of the Hypoglycemic Health Association of Australia maintain that individuals can also experience mental anxiety if they are deprived of sugar substances like corn syrup. If the body gets no sustenance from glucose, blood sugar levels can become abnormally low and produce a condition known as hypoglycemia. When people are hypoglycemic, their levels of adrenaline spike. Adrenaline is a stress hormone that normalizes blood sugar levels by breaking down glycogen into glucose. While sudden secretion of adrenaline can be life-saving, it can also induce attacks of mental anxiety. The brain signals the release of adrenaline because it interprets low blood sugar as a threat, and a sensation of panic ensues. Because corn syrup contains glucose, it can alleviate hypoglycemia and the mental anxiety that follows. When blood sugar levels plunge, ingesting a food like corn syrup can supply the brain with enough glucose to suspend activity of the adrenal gland.