Oct. 16 (UPI) -- Diets high in sugar may increase a person's risk for developing attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, bipolar disorder and aggressive behaviors, according to a report published Friday by the journal Evolution and Human Behavior.Researchers from the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus suggest that fructose, a component of sugar and high-fructose corn syrup, and uric acid, a fructose metabolite, may work to bring about the onset of these disorders in those genetically predisposed to them.
By lowering energy in cells, fructose "triggers a foraging response similar to what occurs in starvation," which effectively stimulates behaviors such as risk taking, impulsivity, rapid decision making and aggressiveness, the researchers said.
This foraging response shares similarities with behavioral disorders such as ADHD, as well as bipolar disorder and aggressive behavior, they said.