Is sugar addictive?

In preparation for this blog post today I’ve read dozens of research articles and compared different internet articles from popular press. The idea that sugar is addictive is a popular one, as a quick internet search with prove. But, what’s it based on?? In my best news anchor voice, *stay tuned as the results may shock you*.

Addiction is defined as “not having control over doing, taking or using something to the point where it could be harmful to you”. Certain research studies have linked this term to sugar, claiming it is “more addictive than opioid drugs, with withdrawal symptoms such as depression and behavioral problems. Hm.

A review published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine, and another in the European Journal of Nutrition, both draw this conclusion. Who were their subjects? They had to be humans in order to draw such a elicit conclusion, right?? Nope. It was rats. Lol. (Side note: I have not found a SINGLE study not focused on animals)

What were the findings? 

The studies found a significance between sugar and “drug-like effects” like craving, binging, withdrawal, tolerance, and dependence. Withdrawal symptoms were “present when a person gave up sugar completely” and from an associated dopamine deficiency. They even went so far as to link sugar consumption to be a cause of ADHD and depression. An author, DiNicolantonio said “dopamine deficiency can be temporarily relieved by eating more sugar”.

The research also notes that cravings for both sugar and drugs activate the nucleus accumbens. This brain region is considered the interface between action and motivation. It plays a key role with stress-related, sexual, feeding, drug self-administration behaviors, etc. Dopamine is released as part of the neural circuit for reward-seeking in response to reward-predictive cues. However, different parts of the nucleus accumbens are activated. While food releases a dopamine response in rats, this effect wanes during a long meal and disappears with repetition. Strike 1.

Dopamine is a chemical important in “motivation and reward”. After repeated administrations of sugar, this dopamine release is quickly returned to original levels. This was not seen in rats for cocaine. Strike 2.

We also need to talk about the experimental conditions. In the dozens of studies I found, another thing they all had in common was this: food deprivation. Think about it this way, food is a biological necessity for ALL living creatures. As humans, it is in our best interest to have an inherent desire to eat for survival. Strike 3.

So, is sugar addictive or not? 

The research basically says: People feel happy (i.e. release of dopamine) eating food they enjoy and sad when it was restricted. We have been conditioned to feel guilty for having the urge to eat, especially when it comes to less nutrient dense foods. You will not always want to eat an apple or chicken and broccoli. Just the same as you are not always going to want sugar. We eat because food is enjoyable, connection, comfort, celebration, nourishing, and so much more.

In our caveman days, if we couldn’t hunt or forage for food we would die. Although we live in a much more advanced world, our hunger mechanisms are the same. We are more likely to binge or become overly full when we reach levels of hunger close to, or at, starving. Our body does not know the difference between a diet, eating disorder, or lacking access to food. To our body, restriction is restriction. It doesn’t know if it is a conscious choice or famine. A binge can be life saving by providing your body is nourishment and energy. In these studies, the rats were deprived of food, with sugar as their only source of nutrition. Eating “a lot” of sugar in one sitting and an increase in dopamine makes sense under these circumstances.

Think about it like this 

I didn’t grow up with a trampoline in my backyard. My best friend did. So whenever I went over to her house I was OBSESSED with going on the trampoline. I thought it was the best thing ever. However, my friend would get bored with it quickly or would offer a different activity. She had 24/7 access and permission to the trampoline. It didn’t have the same ‘wow’ factor for her as it did for me. The same is with food. The more we have access to and permission to eat food, the less ‘addictive’ or ‘obsessed' we are with food. These studies show that after repeated access to sugar, the rats became less enthralled or ‘addicted’ to it. When we let down our mental and physical restrictions with food it all becomes emotionally equivalent.

So, no. Sugar is not addictive. If your thoughts feel preoccupied with sugar, I encourage you to ask yourself: “What is my relationship with sugar like? Do I give myself unconditional permission to eat sugar? Why or why not?”. Need help navigating this?

Apply TODAY and feel free with food

Your dietitian bff, Abbey

On IG @abbeyroberts_ _ _ _

Citations because you need those:

1. Ahmed SH, Guillem K, Vandaele Y. Sugar addiction: pushing the drug-sugar analogy to the limit. Curr Opin Clin Nutr Metab Care. 2013;16(4):434-439. doi:10.1097/MCO.0b013e328361c8b8

2. Mark GP, Blander DS, Hoebel BG. A conditioned stimulus decreases extracellular dopamine in the nucleus accumbens after the development of a learned taste aversion. Brain Res. 1991;551:308–10.

3. Lenoir, M., Serre, F., Cantin, L., & Ahmed, S. H. (2007, August 1). Intense sweetness surpasses cocaine reward. PloS one. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1931610/

4. Rada P, Avena NM, Hoebel BG. Daily bingeing on sugar repeatedly releases dopamine in the accumbens shell. Neuroscience. 2005;134(3):737-744. doi:10.1016/j.neuroscience.2005.04.043

5. Greenberg, D., & St Peter, J. V. (2021). Sugars and Sweet Taste: Addictive or Rewarding?. International journal of environmental research and public health, 18(18), 9791. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18189791

6. Lenoir M, Serre F, Cantin L, Ahmed SH. Intense sweetness surpasses cocaine reward. PLoS One. 2007;2(8):e698. Published 2007 Aug 1. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0000698

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