A leading doctor has revealed on TikTok what happens to your body just two weeks after cutting out sugar—and the video has quickly struck a chord with viewers.
Dr Saurabh Sethi, a Harvard-trained gastroenterologist who posts gut health advice to more than 500,000 followers under the handle @doctorsethimd, told his audience that giving up sugar can have surprisingly rapid effects.
‘Your face will likely shift from looking rounder to a more natural shape,’ he claimed in the clip, which has already racked up more than 10,000 views.
‘Any puffiness or fluid retention around your eyes will also reduce. You will also see a reduction in belly fat as the fat in your liver begins to decrease.’
He went on to explain that eliminating sugar can restore a healthier gut microbiome—the trillions of microorganisms that live in the digestive tract and play a key role in breaking down food and absorbing nutrients.
‘Lastly, if you have acne or red spots, your skin should improve and look clearer,’ he added.
The advice echoes recent research. A 2019 study of more than 8,000 students in China found that high-sugar soft drinks ‘significantly’ increased the risk of acne.
Other research has linked excess sugar to liver fat accumulation and inflammation.
A leading doctor has revealed cutting out sugar for just two weeks can improve your facial skin
Dietitians have long highlighted how cutting out sugar—which can trigger drug-like cravings—can boost health, fitness and even performance at work.
Dr Samantha Coogan, a lecturer at the University of Nevada, has previously described the effects of quitting the sweet stuff.
Withdrawal symptoms such as headaches, stomach aches and bowel changes may last for days or even weeks, but once the body adjusts, she said people often see sharper brain function, fewer sick days and more energy for exercise.
According to Dr Coogan, hair, skin and nails also improve, sleep becomes more restful and weight loss is ‘inevitable’ when high-calorie snacks are eliminated.
Cutting sugar further reduces the risk of serious diseases, with excess intake widely linked to type 2 diabetes, heart disease and cancer.
‘Sugar is an addictive substance for some people, so it really is necessary to approach it in a similar manner to drug or alcohol detoxification,’ she wrote in a recent article.
Experts warn that the type most people overconsume are so-called ‘free sugars,’ found in sweets, chocolate, fizzy drinks and many processed foods.
But some naturally occurring sugars also count as ‘free sugars’ like those in honey, syrups, nectars, unsweetened fruit juices and smoothies.
Meanwhile, sugar that occurs naturally in milk, fruit and vegetables is not counted as ‘free sugar,’ according to the NHS.
To cut down, the health service recommends simple swaps such as replacing fizzy drinks or sugary squash with water.
It also warns that even unsweetened fruit juices and smoothies contain high levels of sugar, advising people to limit intake to no more than 150ml a day.
For those who take sugar in hot drinks like tea or coffee, the NHS suggests gradually reducing the amount or switching to a sweetener.
The advice comes amid a sharp rise in type 2 diabetes cases in the UK, a condition that places immense pressure on the NHS.
Earlier this year, government figures estimated that 3.6 million people in England are now living with type 2 diabetes, based on an analysis of diagnosed and undiagnosed cases in each local authority.
Helen Kirrane, head of policy and campaigns at the charity Diabetes UK, previously said: ‘Without the right treatment, it can lead to dangerously high blood sugar levels and this can cause life-altering diabetes-related complications.’
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