Fw: Sugar Is the New Heroin

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> Sugar Is the New Heroin

> By Tom s, -McCune.com

> December 12, 2008

>

> http://www.alternet.org/healthwellness/111801/

> http://www.alternet.org/module/printversion/111801

> http://www.alternet.org/story/111801/

>

> This story appeared first on -McCune.com.

>

> Chocoholism may no longer be a joke. A Princeton University

> psychologist yesterday presented new evidence that sugar can

> be physically addictive.

>

> Bart Hoebel, whose research focuses on behavior patterns,

> addiction and the functioning of the nervous system, has

> been studying the addictive power of sugar in rats for

> several years. His previous studies have demonstrated in the

> rodents one of commonly understood component of addiction: a

> pattern of increased intake followed by signs of withdrawal.

>

> In his latest studies, Hoebel and his colleagues at the

> Princeton Neuroscience Institute have identified another

> essential part of the addictive cycle: craving and relapse.

>

> In his most recent experiments, lab rats were allowed to

> binge on sugar, then denied the sweet substance for a

> prolonged period. When it was reintroduced into their diet,

> they ate more sugar than they had before – behavior that

> will sound familiar to many dieters.

>

> Ominously, the rats increased their consumption of alcohol

> after their sugar fix was cut off. They also showed extreme

> sensitivity to a tiny dose of amphetamine. Both findings

> suggest their bingeing changed the way their brains function

> – and not in a good way.

>

> “Craving and relapse are critical components of

> addiction, and we have been able to demonstrate these

> behaviors in sugar-bingeing rats in a number of ways,â€

> said Hoebel, who is presenting his findings at the annual

> meeting of the American College of Neuropsychopharmcology in

> sdale, Ariz. “We have the first set of comprehensive

> studies showing the strong suggestion of sugar addiction in

> rats and a mechanism that might underlie it.â€

>

> Hoedel’s data is in a paper that has been submitted to

> the Journal of Nutrition.

>

> His previous research has found that rats that binge on

> sugar provoke a surge of dopamine in their brains. After

> about a month, however, their brains begin to adapt to the

> increased dopamine levels by producing fewer of a certain

> type of receptor. Thus the animal had to ingest increasing

> amounts of sugar to get the same feeling of reward or

> satisfaction – a similar process to that seen in the

> brains of rats addicted to cocaine and heroin.

>

> If that sounds alarmist, consider that the rats suffering

> from sugar withdrawal exhibited some of the same behavior as

> junkies in need of a fix. These include chattering teeth and

> a tendency to stay in a small tunnel rather than explore

> their maze, which Hoedel considers a sign of anxiety.

>

> As usual, the research comes with a caveat that it’s too

> early to fully understand its implications for humans. Our

> relationship to food – which is simultaneously physical

> and emotional – is highly complex. Nevertheless, Hoedel

> notes that “It seems possible that the brain adaptations

> and behavioral signs seen in rats may occur in some

> individuals with binge-eating disorder or bulimia.â€

>

> In any event, the research is enough to give one pause

> before reaching for that plate of holiday cookies.

>

> Tom s is a veteran journalist with more than 20 years

> experience at daily newspapers. He has served as a staff

> writer for the Los Angeles Daily News and the Santa Barbara

> News-Press. His work has also appeared in the Los Angeles

> Times, Chicago Tribune and Ventura County Star.

>

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