Blood Glucose Level Affects Decision Making: Study

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Blood glucose levels affect a person's decisions about present and future rewards, says a new study.

Participants were asked a series of questions about whether they'd prefer to receive a certain sum of money tomorrow or a larger amount at a later date. The questions were asked before and after drinking either a regular soda or a diet soda with an artificial sweetener, United Press International reported.

Those who drank a regular soda and had a higher blood glucose level were more likely to decide to receive a larger amount of money at a later date, while those who drank a diet soda and had a lower blood glucose level tended to take the smaller amount of money immediately.

The University of South Dakota researchers said their findings suggest that higher levels of blood glucose are associated with more future-oriented decisions, UPI reported.

The study appears in the journal Psychological Science.