Feeding your children too much sugar can increase their risk for drug addiction
Most Americans have no idea how much sugar they are consuming. The average American eats/drinks 500 calories of sugar EVERY DAY! That is equivalent to over 100 pounds of sugar per person per year. Sugar is added to everything from sweets to pasta sauce, dips, bread, and crackers. If you read the food labels it is difficult to find something without added sugar. The scariest part is, foods that are marketed to are children are filled with added sugar. Most “health bars” for kids are just glorified candy bars. Sugar provides empty calories which means our body craves more and more to feel satisfied. Watching parents fill their kids with sugar snacks all day breaks my heart.
Sugar is an actual physiological addiction. In fact, it is the most common addiction world wide. Similar to drugs, sugar stimulates the release of dopamine, a neurotransmitter associated with pleasure and reward. Consistent sugar intake leads to tolerance which means your body needs more and more to reach the same level of satisfaction. This is also means that, just like drugs, you will experience withdrawal symptoms when sugar intake is reduced making it extremely difficult to stop sugar cravings and intake.
The problem with sugar isn’t just weight gain. Sugar harms our body through multiple avenues. High sugar consumption is linked to cravings, mood swings, anxiety and depression. Sugar damages our gut health, promotes inflammation and increases risk for type 2 diabetes, multiple chronic diseases, heart disease, and even cancer. If that isn’t enough, high sugar intake is theorized to to increase risk of drug addiction. This is especially evident when sugar addiction begins at a young age. This link is very complex and still being studied. The following mechanisms shed light on this concerning connection.
1. Neurological Effects: As stated earlier, sugar consumption activates the brain's reward pathways by releasing dopamine. This mechanism is analogous to the response triggered by drugs of abuse such as cocaine or opioids. The repeated stimulation of the reward system by sugar can lead to alterations in the brain's chemistry, making individuals more susceptible to addiction.
3. Cross-Sensitization: Cross-sensitization occurs when exposure to one addictive substance enhances the individual's vulnerability to other addictive substances. Research suggests that excessive sugar intake can create cross-sensitization. This means that those who regularly consume high amounts of sugar may have an increased susceptibility to becoming addicted to other substances.
4. Impact on Brain Structure: Chronic sugar consumption has been found to have detrimental effects on brain structures, including reduced hippocampal volume and compromised memory function. These changes may further contribute to the overall vulnerability to drug addiction, as altered brain structures are often associated with addictive behaviors.
When we alter our childrens’ brain structure and reward pathways at a young age, we are setting them up for a lifetime struggle. Not just a struggle with sugar, inflammation, weight gain, and increased risk of chronic disease, but possibly a struggle with drug addiction as well.
Decreasing our sugar addiction is vital to living a healthy life style. It is also vital to creating a healthy gut microbiome and improving our overall health. If you need help cutting your sugar addiction, improving your gut health, and overall well being then book a private appointment with me or check out my gut health course here.
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