Ep. 127 | Sugar Is Killing Your Gains: How Ultra-Processed Sugar Destroys Muscle, Strength, Sleep, and Health

In this powerful episode, Trenton Sweet uncovers how ultra-processed sugar is sabotaging your fitness goals—from your workouts to your waistline. Learn how America went from consuming 40 pounds of sugar per year in 1900 to over 150 pounds by the early 2000s—and why it matters more than ever today.

Trenton breaks down:

• How sugar disrupts muscle growth, testosterone, and strength development

• The link between sugar, poor sleep, elevated cortisol, and reduced recovery

• Why ultra-processed sugar fuels fat gain, chronic stress, and disease

• The addictive nature of sugar and how it rewires your hunger signals

• Simple steps to eliminate hidden sugars and optimize your performance

This episode is for anyone who wants to build real muscle, burn fat, and fuel their body with integrity. Sugar isn’t just empty calories—it’s an enemy to your health, hormones, and hard-earned gains.

Connect with Trenton Sweet:

Instagram: @trentonsweet

Podcast: Awakened Warriors

Studio: Energy Fitness Studio

Citations:

1. U.S. Department of Agriculture. (2021). Per capita sugar consumption in the United States, 1900–2020. USDA Economic Research Service.

2. Lustig, R. H. (2013). Fat Chance: Beating the Odds Against Sugar, Processed Food, Obesity, and Disease. Penguin Books.

3. Bray, G. A., Nielsen, S. J., & Popkin, B. M. (2004). Consumption of high-fructose corn syrup in beverages may play a role in the epidemic of obesity. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 79(4), 537–543.

4. Te Morenga, L., Mallard, S., & Mann, J. (2013). Dietary sugars and body weight: Systematic review and meta-analyses. BMJ, 346, e7492.

5. DiNicolantonio, J. J., Lucan, S. C., & O’Keefe, J. H. (2018). Added fructose: A principal driver of type 2 diabetes mellitus and its consequences. Mayo Clinic Proceedings, 93(3), 339–347.

6. Walker, R. W., Dumke, K. A., & Goran, M. I. (2014). Fructose content in popular beverages made with and without high-fructose corn syrup. Nutrition, 30(7-8), 928–935.

7. Kandiah, J., & Saiki, D. (2012). Sleep and eating behaviors among college students: A preliminary study. Sleep and Biological Rhythms, 10(3), 235–236.