Is Dextrose Bad for You?

You have probably already heard numerous times that sugar in big amount is not healthy for you. As a type of sugar, which we can find in different foods, Dextrose is something we can’t really avoid. Being in many various products these days, it is almost impossible to avoid this sugar. It’s rush is well known to every one of us, since it is a regular component of almost every processed food these days.

So is it actually good or bad for us to have it? We will research this topic closely in this article.

What is Dextrose?

This is actually a simple sugar, that is similar to glucose in many ways. It is chemically almost the same as glucose, and it is usually made from corn. We use it our cooking quite often and it comes in different forms, but usually as a syrup or as a powder.

Dextrose is made from starchy foods. Foods like corn and rice are processed and made into Dextrose (or Dextrose is extracted from these plants). We can find it artificial sweeteners and in many different products on our market. It is actually a substitution for sugar and acts just like it.

The only difference is that Dextrose, as a simple sugar, gets into our blood stream more quickly. This gives us higher energy kick, and quicker as well. That is why Dextrose is so popular in food industry. It provides to us, as customers, a faster and higher amount of energy than other food products that don’t contain Dextrose.

Besides being used as a sweetener, Dextrose also helps dough to rise and become brown, and it extends the life of processed foods we find in supermarkets.

So, overall, it is an artificial sweetener used for many different purposes in food industry. We can find in a lot of products, even in the ones we could never guess that they contain it.

Dextrose-medical use

Besides being used as a food addition, Dextrose is used in medicine as well.

These simple sugars are of vital importance for people who are suffering from diabetes. When they feel weak, and their blood sugar gets too low, Dextrose is given to them intravenous to get the level of sugar back to normal. It is also used as a gel and as a pill, and in this form we can buy it in any pharmacy as a over the counter medicine.

The higher the amount of Dextrose in any of these medications, the bigger the kick will be. So, bigger amounts are usually used for saving lives, and the smaller doses can be used by people who don’t suffer from diabetes but rather feel weak due to low blood sugar.

If the person is suffering from diabetes, then alongside with IV Dextrose, other medicines will be prescribed as well. And those are usually amino acids and vitamins. These injections can only be given by professionals and can’t be used by the patient. When the patient has high levels of potassium, insulin will also be given with Dextrose to get the blood sugar in order.

Dextrose gel and tablets are a must with people who are suffering from diabetes. They need to have something with them, to take in case their blood sugar gets dangerously low.

Dextrose should be used carefully of course. It should be avoided if a person is suffering from high blood sugar.

Also, if the patient has high potassium amount it is best to ask for advice from a professional, and find another way to help yourself if the weakness strikes in. Dextrose should be avoided as well, if the person is suffering from edema, especially peripheral or pulmonary type.

These medications are only meant for those situations when you feel weakness coming in or any other symptom of low blood sugar. So, it is not recommended to take them as a precaution.

Dextrose is useful for everyone with kidney disease as well. Unlike fructose, dextrose didn’t cause any complications in patients that had this condition. It was easier for them to process it, and it didn’t speed up the progression of this condition.

Dextrose in fitness

Another use of Dextrose is, as a part of fitness lifestyle. Since this simple sugar helps our body to break down energy cells, it is very popular in bodybuilding. To gain in bodybuilding, means you have to take certain supplements and eat clean as much as you can. So these supplements like Dextrose powder, can help with muscle gaining and weight gaining as well.

The biggest help they get from Dextrose powder, is fat burning effect. This simple sugar will help with getting rid of those extra fat cells in no time, without harming your body as much as other supplements.

Protein shakes made from Dextrose are usually recommended after workouts. This way our body can restore the energy it has lost during training. Insulin kick will also make you feel less fatigue. If you can avoid using these supplements, it would be for the best, but if it is a part of your lifestyle, then Dextrose is not the worst option. Some side effects are expected, of course, since our body can’t consume or doesn’t need that much sugar. That is why Dextrose is mostly recommended to people with low blood sugar, and unnecessary to those who don’t have this condition.

Side-effects of Dextrose

Dextrose is very significant for people with diabetes. They need it simply to stay alive. In form of a gel or tablet, Dextrose must be carried around everywhere they go, in case their blood sugar gets significantly under the limit. Since their bodies need Dextrose, it can only be beneficial to them. Other who don’t have this condition can also take Dextrose, as a part of their fitness routine or in case they feel their blood sugar is too low but they don’t have diabetes.

Symptoms that can be produced after consuming Dextrose include fruity breath, digestion problems, feeling weakness, urination that is very frequent, confusion and many more.

This is all due to the fact that their bodies don’t require that much sugar. Since it is being put into our blood that fast it is causing us nothing but trouble. Take this in consideration while thinking about consuming it, but also it is still a better option than some other food supplements.

Overall, Dextrose has many uses. From food industry sweetener to medical uses. In all of them it represents a high kick of energy to our blood stream, and raise of insulin in our blood as well. For people with diabetes it is crucial to have this medication around, and since it has some portable options (gel and tablets), it makes it the perfect medication. As a food addition that is used in food industry, we can find it in many different products.

Unlike regular sugar, this gives the products chance for a higher kick of energy for the consumers, so it is ideal for all those foods that seem to keep us full for only a short while. From candies to pasta, and almost anything you can name, Dextrose is in it. Since there are other more dangerous additions to our processed foods, Dextrose is only a mild risk.

In fitness lifestyle it is important to remember that Dextrose is meant for people who are lacking levels of sugar. But if you are looking for a way to boost your energy after exhausting training, Dextrose is not the worst thing you can take. Be moderate of course, and try to replace it with other food options as much as you can.

In the end, Dextrose is something we can’t avoid even if we try. Leading a completely organic life in these hectic days is almost impossible, so processed foods come as a salvation in this case and alongside with them, comes Dextrose as well.

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