So, let’s talk about sugar addiction…

I bet I’m getting some eye rolls out there.  Seriously though, I believe sugar addiction is a real thing.  There is growing research that sugar is likely more addicting than cocaine, or heroin. 

Again, I’m sure I might be getting more than a fair number of you looking at this skeptically, so please bear with me…

The American Psychiatric Association describes addiction as:

“Addiction is a complex condition, a brain disease that is manifested by compulsive substance use despite harmful consequence. People with addiction (severe substance use disorder) have an intense focus on using a certain substance(s), such as alcohol or drugs, to the point that it takes over their life. They keep using alcohol or a drug even when they know it will cause problems. Yet a number of effective treatments are available, and people can recover from addiction and lead normal, productive lives.”

So, let’s break this down…

Addiction is a brain disease which manifests in compulsive substance use despite harmful consequence.

• Opiates: The harmful consequences of opiate abuse are too numerous to list.  We are in the middle of an opiate abuse crisis in the United States.  
• Nicotine: Tobacco use is well known to cause Lung Cancer, yet people still smoke.  
• Alcohol: Alcohol is well known to have destructive effects on families, jobs, and lives.  Many homeless individuals are Alcoholics, or poly-substance abusers.
• Sugar: Excess sugar consumption is known to cause Obesity, and Type 2 Diabetes, and leads to complications such as cardiovascular disease, which is normally considered a separate cause of death. 

People with addiction have an intense focus on using certain substances to the point that it takes over their lives.

• Opiates: Opiate addicts will go to amazing lengths to obtain their next “fix” including criminal activities such as robbery, theft, prostitution, etc.…
• Nicotine/Alcohol: Ok, we don’t have always commit crimes to obtain tobacco or alcohol. However, if an addict is under the legal purchasing age they have to either steal from someone who legally obtained the product or convince someone buy it for them.
• Sugar: Readily available. No need to commit any crime to obtain sugar.  There are virtually no limits on the availability of sugar, regardless of age or income.

They keep using alcohol or a drug even when they know it will cause problems.

• Opiates/Alcohol: As a Pharmacist, I have assisted in the treatment of numerous addicts.  The common theme I have heard many times is that “I just can’t stop.” “I know it’s wrong…” “I’ve lost my kids, my family, my job, I’ve lost everything.”
• Nicotine: I once had an elderly patient with Chronic Obstruct Pulmonary Disease(COPD) and Emphysema who continued to smoke.  She knew the cigarettes were killing her, yet she still smoked.  In order to be able to breathe and still smoke, she had to turn off her oxygen tank.  If she didn’t, it could explode, she at least knew she didn’t want to die immediately.  However, she would purchase an Albuterol inhaler at the same time she purchased a carton of cigarettes.  Coincidentally, the inhaler had 200 puffs of medication, and a carton of cigarettes contains 200 cigarettes.
• Sugar: In the USA, and I’m sure many other countries, we use sugar as a reward. We know it causes obesity, yet we, as a culture, not just individuals, use it as a reward.  Think about this for a second.  We KNOW it causes Obesity, Type 2 Diabetes, High Blood Pressure, Cardiovascular Disease, including elevated cholesterol, and triglycerides.  We do this to our children, setting them up for failure by associating sugar with having done something good.

Yet a number of effective treatments are available, and people can recover from addiction and lead normal, productive lives.

• Opiates/Alcohol/Nicotine: There are numerous support groups available for each of these substance addictions.  The support groups urge complete abstinence from their drug of choice in order to not relapse.
• Opiates/Nicotine: Both of these addictive substances have medical means by which to assist in the detoxification process.  Methadone or Buprenorphine/Naloxone (Suboxone) https://www.suboxone.com/ are used for the detox process for Opiates.  Various forms of nicotine replacement products are used to assist in the treatment of Tobacco addiction.
• Sugar: Well, this is where it gets a bit dicey…  I can’t claim there aren’t any support groups for Sugar addiction.  The options are there, however, historically, they have not produced appreciably positive results.  Our Obesity/T2D Pandemic has steadily marched forward, largely unabated.  Lastly, there is no reliable medical means to assist in the detoxification process of weaning off sugar addiction.

So, is sugar a drug? Is Sugar Addiction Real?

After walking you through the breakdown of addiction as described by The American Psychiatric Association. I think many would be hard pressed to refute my assertion that Sugar is an addictive substance.

Back before it was truly understood how addictive Opiates were, they were included in many different “Medicinals.”  Heroin/Morphine was widely advertised as a cure-all by Bayer, the aspirin company in the 1800’s and early 1900’s.  Needless to say that doesn’t happen anymore… Well, maybe not, we had the big Oxycontin push in the 1990’s to 2000’s which created the Opiate crisis we have today.

In the 1950’s and 1960’s, in the USA, we openly advertised Tobacco products to all ages.  We have since restricted advertising in this area.  Advertising of Alcoholic beverages still persists, but there are many restrictions.  Sugar, and its evil brother High Fructose Corn Syrup.  It seems you can’t shake a stick without hitting some of that stuff?

Conclusion:

Sugar addiction is endorsed, and even encouraged by our culture in the USA.  There are holidays that seem to have been completely co-opted by the concept of providing candy to children: Valentine’s Day, Easter, and Halloween come immediately to mind.  Frequently, the centerpiece of birthday celebrations is “Cake and Ice Cream.”  We all gather around the table eagerly anticipating our reward for completing another successful journey around the sun. 

We have mobilized significantly against Opiates, Alcohol, and Nicotine, but we have done precious little in the fight against the deaths caused via Sugar addiction?  As can be seen above, Sugar can be attributed to double the deaths from Lung Cancer, over 10 times the deaths from Alcohol, and fully 20 times more deaths than opiates annually, yet where is the outcry?   

I can’t help but wonder why, and when will we come to our senses about Sugar Addiction???

In retrospect, I’m guessing I should have started the post with the following: “Hi, I’m Todd, and I’m a Sugar Addict.  I’m not sure how long I’ve been sober, it seems as though sugar is hiding in everything we eat.”

-Todd

Please check out some of my other posts:

1. The Mirror Tells No Lies…
2. A-Ha! Moment #1
3. To Fry, or Not to Fry…

And my Recommendations page!