by ChewyOf all the things we can form an addiction to, sugar has to be one of the more pleasant dependencies. So it never comes as any surprise to me when a new study concludes that our cravings for chocolate, cake, cookies, etc are in fact enslaving addictions. In past blogs I have contemplated the vagus nerve and the hormone gherlin and sugar’s impact on both. Real chemistry folks. If that wasn’t enough proof of the drug like quality of sweets, along comes ANOTHER study that deals with pleasure centers in the brain.
Researchers at the Oregon Research Institute hypothesized that if something gives pleasure like a drug, creates cravings like a drug and requires more of said substance over time to reach same effect like a drug, then it must be just as addictive as drugs. Here’s the scientific explanation of this phenomenon: over time, the constant stimulation lowers the “density of specific versions of cellular receptors for the brain chemical dopamine.” This results in the blunting of the ability to enjoy. Unthinkable!
The study included 151 adolescents of healthy weight. They were questioned as to their recent eating habits and how much specific foods were craved. Brains were scanned in an MRI machine while being shown a cartoon featuring a milkshake. Those who had consumed the most ice cream over the recent past weeks had lowered activity in the reward centers of their brains. Kyle S. Burger (researcher) explains that “over consumption of these foods down regulate reward processes. That may, in turn make you eat more” as you strive to create the same pleasure you once did. This could legitimately explain why that ½ cup of ice cream before bed has turned into a full quart with ½ gallons looking more appealing as time passes and ultimately ending in the purchase of a Baskin Robbins franchise.
So can foods REALLY be addictive? Yale psychology PhD candidate, Ashley Gearhardt, agrees that “hyper-rewarding foods cause changes in the brain akin to what we see with tobacco and alcohol.” However, she concludes that the case for food addiction “is not open and shut.”. Burger goes on to state that he personally does “not say food is addictive.” but then goes on to add that “high sugar food can elicit neural responses during consumption that parallel those seen in drug addiction.”, i.e. addictive -like properties.
These studies prove to me that the human body, both physically and mentally, is a complex thing that requires endless examination and that these assessments often end in more questions asked than answered. Will this study change my indulgence in confections? Not one iota. But if you hear I am scouting to buy a bakery, candy shop, or ice cream store, you may want to organize an intervention!
