Is it true that … consuming too much sugar can make you hyperactive?

There is no solid scientific proof, but it would do us all good to cut back on sweet treats

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t’s a warning passed down the generations: give a child too many sweets and they’ll be bouncing off the walls. But is there any scientific proof that sugar sends us into overdrive? Not yet, says Amanda Avery, an associate professor in nutrition and dietetics at the University of Nottingham.

She says there are theories linking sugar to behavioural changes. One stems from how sugar activates the body’s reward system, triggering a burst of dopamine – the “feelgood” neurotransmitter. “Increases in dopamine levels can be linked to behavioural changes, which can include periods of hyperactivity,” says Avery.

Another theory focuses on how eating lots of sugar can cause blood glucose levels to spike and then drop quickly, which is known as reactive hypoglycaemia. This can cause behavioural changes, some of which could be interpreted as hyperactivity.