Gorging on sweets? Beware!

An extremely high intake of sweets may shorten people's lives, says a study that recommends people give up sweets if they want a longer life.

The researchers fed worms with glucose as part of their diet and found that the worms died earlier than those who never ate glucose, reported consumer portal Food Consumer.

Sugars are commonly used in prepared sweets in many countries. Although all added sugars are not necessarily glucose, the majority will be converted into glucose, the researchers said.

The study found that restricting glucose increased the life span in worms by 20 percent. A lack of glucose boosted the levels of free radicals in their bodies, they said.

Free radicals are unstable oxygen molecules, which are a major factor in premature skin aging and skin cancer.

The findings in worms may be applicable to humans. It suggests that in healthy people, glucose may have negative effects on life span.

Giving up sweets may help us live up to at least 15 years longer, the researchers said. The study has been published in the journal Cell Metabolism.