Page 64 - Today's Dietitian (March 2020)

Research Briefs

Refined Carbs May Increase Insomnia Risk

An estimated 30% of adults experi- individuals over time, it’s unclear whether They found that the higher the
ence insomnia, and a new study by a diet that’s high in refined carbs triggered dietary glycemic index—particularly
researchers at Columbia University the onset of insomnia or insomnia caused when fueled by the consumption of
Vagelos College of Physicians and Sur- individuals to eat more sweets. added sugars and processed grains—
geons in New York suggests diet may One way to determine whether carb the greater the risk of developing
be partly to blame. intake is causing sleep problems is to insomnia. They also discovered that
The study found that postmeno- look for the emergence of insomnia in women who consumed more vegeta-
pausal women who consumed a diet people with different diets. bles and whole fruits (not juices) were
high in refined carbohydrates—particu- For the current study, Gangwisch and less likely to develop insomnia.
larly added sugars—were more likely to his team gathered data from more than “Whole fruits contain sugar, but the
develop insomnia. 50,000 participants in the Women’s Health fiber in them slows the rate of absorp-
Women whose diet included higher Initiative who had completed food diaries. tion to help prevent spikes in blood
amounts of vegetables, fiber, and The researchers looked at whether women sugar,” Gangwisch says. “This sug-
whole fruit (not juice) were less likely to with a higher dietary glycemic index were gests that the dietary culprit triggering
develop problems with insomnia. more likely to develop insomnia. the women’s insomnia was the highly
“Insomnia is often treated with cogni- Different kinds and amounts of carbo- processed foods that contain larger
tive behavioral therapy or medications, hydrates increase blood sugar levels to amounts of refined sugars that aren’t
but these can be expensive or carry side varying degrees. Highly refined carbo- found naturally in food.”
effects,” says the study’s senior author hydrates—such as added sugars, white Since most people, not just post-
James Gangwisch, PhD, an assistant pro- bread, white rice, and soda—have a menopausal women, experience a rapid
fessor at Columbia University Vagelos higher glycemic index and cause a more rise in blood sugar after eating refined
College of Physicians and Surgeons. rapid increase in blood sugar. carbohydrates, the authors suspect
“By identifying other factors that lead “When blood sugar is raised quickly, that these findings may also hold true
to insomnia, we may find straightforward your body reacts by releasing insulin, in a broader population.
and low-cost interventions with fewer and the resulting drop in blood sugar can “Based on our findings, we would
potential side effects,” he says. lead to the release of hormones such as need randomized clinical trials to
The findings are published in The adrenaline and cortisol, which can inter- determine if a dietary intervention
American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. fere with sleep,” Gangwisch says. focused on increasing the consumption
Previous studies have explored a possi- The researchers hypothesized that of whole foods and complex carbohy-
ble link between refined carbohydrates and the rapid spikes and troughs in blood drates could be used to prevent and
insomnia, but results have been inconsis- sugar after eating refined carbs may treat insomnia,” Gangwisch says.
tent. And because the studies didn’t follow trigger insomnia. SOURCE: COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY IRVING MEDICAL CENTER

64 TODAY’S DIETITIAN • MARCH 2020