How does refined sugar suppress the immune system?

Question

I came across this list of "why sugar is bad for you" at this link
http://ezinearticles.com/?Why-is-Refined-Sugar---Known-As-White-Sugar---Bad-for-You?&id=119462

But I don't ususally accept a piece of knowledge unless I really understand it.

Can anyone please tell me the biochemistry behind this claim(the more scientifically detailed, the better)? Thanks.

Answer 1

Anything in excess is unhealthy and can be toxic to the body, sugar and water included.

In the case of excess or high blood-sugar, many studies have linked a weakened immune system with diabetes. I am not 100% positive of the biochemistry involved, but my guess would be that increased sugar intake over a long period of time can lead to insulin insensitivity, which compromises the ability of cells to take in sugar in the form of glucose. Basically all the food you eat is broken down into its macromolecule counterparts, which eventually get modified into the a-D- isomer of glucose. If you compromise the ability of cells to take in glucose (e.g. insulin insufficiency from pancreatic disease or insulin insensitivity from type II diabetes mellitus), those cells will not be happy cells. Not surprisingly, your immune cells are highly active cells that are constantly making protein products (e.g. plasma cells making antibodies, macrophages cleaning muck up) and they have a high energy demand - if they dont get their glucose, things would seem rather bleak indeed.

Another interesting thing to consider is that cells use sugar moieties on their cell surface as recognition and signaling markers. Im not sure what happens in the case of diabetes and these cells surface markers - it could be that they become even more glycosylated and this could interfere with proper immune cell function. I know for a fact however that the adult form of hemoglobin (Hb A1c) can be glycosylated and that this is a clinically valid sign of diabetes disease.

If you are really interested, try doing some searches on PubMed and Web of Science, this is a very interesting question you posed and I'm sure we'll learn more about this very interesting phenomenon as scientists tweak out the mysteries of the cell.

Answer 2

1

Answer 3

The Krebs cycle is extremely important in extracting energy from fuel molecules. Kreb`s cycle reactions are instrumental in generating energy (ATP). Inhibition of these decarboxylation reactions prevents synthesis of ATP, and of acetyl CoA needed for the synthesis of, for example, fatty acids, cholesterol, and other important compounds, and results in the accumulation of pyruvate, lactate, and a-ketoglutarate in the blood.
Intake of refined sugars in large quantities suppress ATP reduction in WBC

The Kreb`s cycle takes place in all nucleated cells of the body including WBC.
WBC lose energy by becoming incapable of breaking down ATP.
They become "IMMUNO INCOMPETENT".
So people who take too much refined sugars and those who are diabetics have less than optimum immunity.