IS SUGAR ADDICTIVE?
Le sucre rend-il accro ?
Dans le café, dans les sodas ou dans les gâteaux… d’origine animale, végétale, minérale ou synthétique, le sucre est partout. Consommé sans modération, il peut conduire au diabète, à l'obésité, et peut également déséquilibrer la régulation du taux de glucose dans le sang. Alors pourquoi en consommons-nous autant ? Etes-vous capable d’arrêter le sucre quand vous le voulez ? Découvrez les conclusions de cette chercheuse de l’Institut royal de technologie de Melbourne.
Some of us can definitely say we have a sweet tooth. Whether it’s cakes, chocolates, cookies, lollies or soft drinks, our world is filled with intensely pleasurable sweet treats. Eating sugary foods can become ingrained into our lifestyles and routines. That spoonful of sugar makes your coffee taste better and dessert can feel like the best part of dinner. If you’ve ever tried to cut back on sugar, you may have realised how incredibly difficult it is. For some people it may seem downright impossible. This leads to the question: can you be addicted to sugar? SUGAR ACTIVATES THE BRAIN’S REWARD SYSTEM 2. Sweet foods are highly desirable due the powerful impact sugar has on the reward system in the brain called the mesolimbic dopamine system. The neurotransmitter dopamine is released by neurons in this system in response to a rewarding event.
3. Drugs such as cocaine, amphetamines and nicotine hijack this brain system. Activation of this system leads to intense feelings of reward that can result in cravings and addiction. So drugs and sugar both activate the same reward system in the brain, causing the release of dopamine. This chemical circuit is activated by natural rewards and behaviours that are es-
sential to continuing the species, such as eating tasty, high energy foods, having sex and interacting socially. Activating this system makes you want to carry out the behaviour again, as it feels good.
SWEET ATTRACTIONS
4. The criteria for substance use disorders by the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM 5) cites a variety of problems that arise when addicted to a substance. This includes craving, continuing use despite negative consequences, trying to quit but not managing to, tolerance and withdrawal. Although sugary foods are easily available, excessive consumption can lead to a number of problems
similar to that of addiction. So it appears sugar may have addictive qualities. There is no concrete evidence that links sugar with an addiction/ withdrawal system in humans currently, but studies using rats suggest the possibility.
5. Dopamine has an important role in the brain, directing our attention towards things in the environment like tasty foods that are linked to feelings of reward. The dopamine system becomes activated at the anticipation of feelings of pleasure. This means our attention can be drawn to cakes and chocolates when we’re not necessarily hungry, evoking cravings.
QUITTING SUGAR LEADS TO WITHDRAWAL
6. Repeated activation of the dopamine reward system, for example by eating lots of sugary foods, causes the brain to adapt to the frequent reward system stimulation. When we enjoy lots of these foods on a regular basis, the system starts to change to prevent it becoming overstimulated. In particular, dopamine receptors start to down-regulate. Now there are fewer receptors for the dopamine to bind to, so the next time we eat these foods, their effect is blunted. More sugar is needed the next time we eat in order to get the same feeling of reward. This is similar to tolerance in drug addicts, and leads to escalating consumption.