Study: How Eating Candy Can Save Your Relationship

Low blood sugar can lead to a litany of symptoms and side effects, but can it also lead to heartache?

A new and unique study conducted by Ohio State University explored how low blood sugar can impact conflict within a relationship, feelings about one’s partner and the emotions at play.

Using voodoo dolls meant to simulate their partners, more than 100 participants were asked to stick pins in the doll every night for three weeks while their blood sugar levels were monitored.

What researchers found was the lower a participant’s blood sugar level, the more likely he or she was to insert more pins into the voodoo doll.

In fact, those with the highest levels were found to use only half the number of pins than those with the lowest sugar levels. In other words, the higher a person’s blood sugar level was, the more pins they were likely to use.

“The lower a participant’s blood sugar, the

more pins he or she inserted into a voodoo doll.”

The study suggests the results do not necessarily suggest anger directed at a spouse. The touchiness sometimes associated with low blood sugar is more akin to a side effect than an emotion.

In fact, seven out of 10 participants chose not to insert any pins into their dolls on most nights. However, three people did insert the maximum number of pins provided (51).

Psychologist Brad Bushman led the study and said, “What we conclude is that glucose is the food for the brain that we need to exercise self-control, and when people’s glucose levels are low, they are poorer at exercising self-control.”

The study even goes so far as to recommend couples split a chocolate bar in anticipation of a serious conservation. Could a bit of candy solve your relationship problems? Maybe not, but this is one hypothesis that seems pretty sweet for couples to try!

The results were reported in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

From npr.org