Sugar Addiction

Most people think of the term �sugar addiction� as a joke, an endearing term to give to the friend of family member with a particularly strong sweet tooth. But, in all seriousness some scientists believe that such an dependency is possible. Laboratory-controlled studies about the subject have, for the most part, been limited to lab animals, so it has yet to be fully tested in animals.

But, indications show that even people are susceptible to power of sugar in their system. Sugar is a substance capable of releasing the brain�s natural opioids (such as endorphin), and as such the brain isn�t actually getting obssessed to sugar so much as it�s getting dependent to the chemicals it releases itself each time sugar is ingested. Sugar is just the best way it knows how to release those chemicals. Sure, it is nowhere near on the same level of intensity as things such as nicotine or heroin addiction, but it�s enough to raise some eyebrows in the medical community.

Now comes the big question: So what? What�s the big deal if you�re obssessed with sugar? It�s not like you�re taking narcotics. Who really cares? For starters, you should. Sugar, especially in higher doses, can have adverse effects on your health, causing fatigue (we�ve all experienced that post sugar-buzz low), obesity, immune-system suppression, and can even lead to diabetes.

The good news is, other than a rabid craving for sweets, cutting sugar from your diet will have no adverse side effects. No headaches or irritability like with caffeine, and certainly no cold sweats and vomiting like some elicit drugs.

If understood further, the findings on sugar dependency could hold larger implications for other food addicts such as compulsive overeaters and binge eaters.