Sugar is the most consumed Addictive Substance in the world!

How Do You Get SUGAR ADDICTION?

When you consume excessive amount of sugar, your

brain releases a feel-good hormones-Dopamine. Because of

this, you feel happy, excited or energetic. After some

time, this Dopamine level will fall. With it,

you feel mild depression, sadness, not able to

concentrate on the work you are doing. You obviously

want to feel happy, excited or energetic once again. So,

what do you do? You take

the sugary food once again to feel the same high. But this

high is again followed by the depression. This cycle of

feeling high and feeling low continues. You tend to

consume sugary food repeatedly and Compulsively. Interestingly,

this same mechanism is responsible for addiction of

drugs like MARIJUANA OR COCAINE. According to some

studies, sugar is even more addictive than cocaine!

Sugar Tolerance

When your brain gets repeated episodes of

dopamine release, the brain needs to

protect itself from overstimulation. And,

to prevent overstimulation, your brain

down-regulates some of the dopamine receptors. In

simple words, because of this mechanism, next time

you will need to consume even more

amount of sugar to gets the

same level of feeling high. You become

sugar tolerant. This also is similar to

tolerance in drug addicts and it leads to

consumption of even more sugar more frequently.

Quitting Sugar & Withdrawal Syndromes:

Just like addictive drugs, when you stop

taking excessive sugar, it also can give you

withdrawal symptoms (unpleasant effects) likes:

That all for today.

Next week we will discuss about 4 ways by which

you can cut the sugar in your child’s diet.

Till then, take care, & watch out your sugar intake!

Providing simple solutions for the complexities of life.

Dr. Bhumita Makwana

Your Dietitian & Cosmetic Clinician