Sugar Addiction Update: Yes, it’s real

Why is sugar and junk food so difficult to avoid even when we know it’s bad for us…and why there is always room for dessert?

Dr. Phil Maffetone

For those who have tried giving up sugar, we know what it’s like. A new psychiatric classification system in the International Classification of Diseases has introduced sugar addiction as a behavioral addiction. 

Research shows that refined carbohydrates and sugars are engineered to create dependency. Furthermore, they override the brain's satiety signals, sabotaging the physical and psychological feeling of fullness that normally prevents overeating. That’s why there is always room for dessert. 

All refined carbs promote addictive behaviors through adverse neurochemical changes in the brain.This can negatively impact mental and physical health, risking eating, mood, and anxiety disorders and other stress-related conditions. This growing individual, social, and public health issue also connects refined carbs to reduced brain health and future disease. 

Addictive behaviors include bingeing, craving, and withdrawal, overconsumption, preoccupation, intense craving, and continued use despite awareness of adverse consequences. The mechanism is well understood: Sugar and refined carbs trigger the release of the brain’s natural dopamine and opioid systems similar to drug and other addictions. Animal studies show sugar is more addicting than cocaine.

Interestingly, refined carbs are particularly associated with addictive behaviors much more than the natural unrefined, unprocessed versions of these foods.

While not officially classified as an addictive substance, studies suggest sugar shares a variety of addictive properties with other addictive drugs. However, the sugar fix may not last as long as other drugs, so craving it again happens sooner. 

Many people don’t realize the amount of added sugar they consume or how much their taste buds, which help fuel addiction, have changed. This can reduce the enjoyment of  many healthy foods like vegetables that seem too bitter without the sweet taste. Artificial sweeteners, even those called natural, can also maintain taste bud addiction, and is another reason they can be as harmful as other sugars.

The drug-like analgesic effect—the feeling of sleepiness after eating carbs—makes sugar’s effect on the brain powerful enough to amplify morphine and other opiate pain-relieving drugs. In laboratory animals, sugar sedation is powerful enough to inhibit pain. In humans, it is the basis for giving sugar to babies to relieve crying and other pain-related sensations. 

The Sugar Addiction Survey

Note the items that apply to your relationship with sweets, sugar-containing foods and beverages, including all processed carbohydrates:

• Increased cravings.

• Impulsive buying or eating.

• Repeated attempts to control use.

• Continued use despite adverse health effects.

• Regular or daily use.

• Difficulty avoiding.

• Anxiety, depression or withdrawal symptoms when reduced or eliminated.

• Social issues around use.

• Poor tolerance.

• Binge eating.

• Consume when not hungry.

While one or two checked items may refer to lower risk, three or more can indicate a high risk of sugar addiction. You may have experienced some of these issues while performing the Two-Week Test…LINK…

The Addiction Hierarchy 

Very early in my clinical career working with patients addicted to various substances, an addiction hierarchy became evident: abusing certain addicting substances led to increased use of others. Of the various drug-dependent problems, from alcohol and caffeine to tobacco and illicit drugs, when individuals regularly used them, sugar appeared as the primary addiction. And, when treatment was first directed at eliminating sugar, eventually addressing other addictions was easier and more successful. As such, reductions, control or elimination of addiction itself may not occur while sugar addiction remains. Removing sugar may therefore be the most effective first step in treating any addiction.

Brain Mix

Here is an interesting song I recently wrote and just recorded called White Sugar Blues. It’s about sugar addiction. I wrote it one day while deep in writing a scientific research paper; and had to stop almost mid-sentence to pick up my guitar and allow this song to flow out. How does the brain do that?

The brain does not compartmentalize creativity because it operates as a self-organizing holistic system, using global network communication rather than isolated regions. When writing analytical materials and suddenly feeling a song pouring out, the brain is navigating a high cognitive load while shifting gears (i.e., states of consciousness). 

Essentially, the brain is designed to mix and match all information, especially from the subconscious mind which does it about a million times faster. The same neuro-machinery that helps formulate a research argument is capable of shifting to emotional/auditory creative bursts at a moment’s notice. 

Whatever is going on, keep it coming!

Listen to White Sugar Blues. This one will also be added to my Exercise and Dance  playlists .