6 signs of joint pain due to excessive sugar consumption

Regularly eating sugar-rich foods can cause many health complications, including joint and bone pain. This unhealthy effect of sugar occurs when you eat sugary foods, such as donuts, ice cream, and desserts, and due to the regular consumption of processed foods with hidden sugar. Joint pain typically occurs gradually and can progress if one continues to have sugar-rich foods. Thus, here are a few poor signs of joint pain due to excessive sugar.

Excessive swelling
When you eat a lot of sugary foods over a long period, your body’s metabolism is affected. The metabolic disorder increases the level of inflammatory mediators in your body and also increases the production of proinflammatory cytokines in the tissues. These cytokines are substances released by the immune system. The high level of inflammation due to these factors affects the joints, leading to swelling and pain.

Stiffness of joints
Since the high sugar intake causes inflammation in the body, the joints are also inflamed. As a result, the affected joints have reduced mobility. A lack of movement in these joints over time leads to stiffness, exacerbating joint pain.

Reduced range of motion
Another notable poor sign of joint pain due to excessive sugar is a reduced range of motion. The decreased range of motion and restricted movement occurs due to stiffness and inflammation in the joints. Thus, you may find it difficult to do certain activities, such as bending, stretching, and so on.

Increased tenderness in joints
When you eat foods containing processed sugars, inflammatory substances are released in the body. This processed sugar is mostly present in pre-packaged meals, packaged snacks, sugary beverages, baked goods, and certain desserts. The inflammatory substances released can irritate the tissues around the joints, resulting in sensitivity or tenderness. So the areas around the joint feel tender to the touch and may also feel warmer than the surrounding areas.

Aggravated pain after physical activities
Excessive sugar consumption can aggravate joint pain, and pain intensity increases when doing physical activities. For example, you may feel that your joints hurt more while doing certain exercises involving the affected joints. Sometimes, lifting a heavy object may also intensify the pain due to sugar-induced inflammation.

Constant fatigue
Experiencing joint pain due to sugar overload also causes a reduction in your energy levels. The constant pain, stiffness, and decreased range of motion may always make you feel exhausted. Whether you have an active or sedentary lifestyle, the fatigue is persistent. Sometimes, the fatigue doesn’t go away even after resting for a while.

How to avoid poor signs of joint pain due to excessive sugar
Lowering sugar intake is one way to avoid the effects of joint pain. However, it is not possible to completely eliminate sugar from meals since certain things that you eat contain natural sugars. But you can take a few steps, such as eating healthier and following regular exercise routines to ensure your joint health gets better and not worse with time.