That chocolate cake seems so tempting.

Even though your voice inside tells you to stop getting near it, you find yourself indulging in it the next minute. And it's not just a piece of cake, but anything sweet that makes you crave it. Also, it’s not just for a day. This happens daily, less intense on good days and more intense on bad days. This is a sugar addiction. But the word “addiction” is supposed to be only for illicit drugs and unhelpful behavior, isn’t it? Then why do many experts say that sugar is more addictive than cocaine? (Yes, researchers say so.)

Let’s start with some history and science about sugar:

History first:

In the 19th century, sugar was a luxury product. Only the affordable population had access to it. And tooth decay was common in those people. However, in 1876, sugar production increased and it became available to all. 

However, in the 20th century, with the advent of the prohibition law against alcohol, sugar-infused sodas became popular. Since then, the sugar industry has boomed, despite a temporary crash during World War II. 

Sugar accessibility increased and it was consumed more by low-income people. Shoppers realized the low cost of sugar and how it increases the palatability of food. These people, who were using fruits to sweeten their food, switched to sugar, eliminating their wait for produce to be delivered. 

All of these lead to the proliferation of sugary beverages and processed food. With industrial spread, the idea and the food seeped into all parts of the world. ^[1,2]

But how do we get addicted to sugar?

Can we become addicted to sugar? To understand this, it is important to know how our body responds to sugar.

When we eat sugar, our body responds by releasing neurotransmitters. The neurotransmitters that play a key role here are dopamine and opioids. These neurotransmitters are involved in our pleasure and reward sensations.

Eating sugar activates the areas responsible for pleasure sensation through these transmitters. This is why you feel good when you eat sugar. It doesn’t stop there. These neurotransmitters are smart. They remember this pleasurable activity and store it as a memory in your brain. They do it with such precision that our brains know what should be done to repeat this activity that has just happened in our body. ^[3,4,5]

This is the circuit of addiction. Prolonged sugar consumption reinforces this circuit to the extent that your body reacts to even a small dip in sugar levels. Jessie Inchauspe, author of The Glucose Revolution, says that this dip is more pronounced after a highly sugary meal and it is what makes you crave sugar. ^[6] Thus, the sugar craving is not because of your mind. It is because your body is reacting to chronic sugar exposure. 

When you reduce your sugar consumption, it makes you crave it, causes withdrawal symptoms like irritation, anxiety, and insomnia, and leads to bingeing. This leads to dependence on sugar.

Is sugar more addictive than cocaine?

This is a highly debated statement. And it started with a 2007 study where rats preferred sweet saccharin-infused water over cocaine, even if they were addicted to cocaine before the sweet introduction ^[11]. In another 2007 study, researchers found that rats who were exposed to sugar intermittently produced dependency symptoms similar to those of substances like amphetamine and alcohol. ^[7] Another study published in 2013 stated that Oreo cookies stimulated more pleasure neurons than cocaine. ^[10]

And experts agree on this: sugar can be as addictive as cocaine. Some even stated that it can be more addictive than cocaine. ^[8,9] This conviction was based on the rat’s behavior and withdrawal symptoms from sugar, which were comparable to those of drugs.

But is it true? What are the arguments against this?

Though some agree with this statement, there are many who argue against it. 

The common opposing statements are:

1. There are no human studies claiming that sugar can be as addictive as cocaine.

2. If the rats had access to sugar only for two hours a day, they would have a greater possibility of developing addiction-like behaviors.

3. Sugar is a source of energy and animals are naturally more inclined towards sugar. ^[9]  

4. The sweet taste of sugar in itself can make it more alluring. ^[3]

5. Cocaine is not needed for survival. But sugar is needed as a source of energy. Thus, it couldn't be named a drug. ^[8]

Though both sugar and cocaine cause addiction behaviors through dopamine mechanisms and produce similar symptoms, cocaine’s action is more immediate and stronger. ^[4] A 2020 study done by Dr.  Ana Clara Bobadilla in South Carolina showed that cocaine activates a network of nerves that is completely different from that done by sugars. Also, several addiction research studies have shown that the addiction effects produced by cocaine have not been produced by the same amount of sugar. ^[12]

A simple comparison of cocaine and sugar addiction:

How cocaine works: When someone uses cocaine, the brain’s reward system is activated. The dopamine surge caused by this is significant and long-lasting. This means they don’t come back to normal soon and it is reinforced by everything that reminds the person of cocaine. As a result, this leads to strong compulsive behavior in cocaine users.

How sugar works: Sugar activates the natural reward system that also releases dopamine. However, this dopamine surge is short-term and comes back to normal levels soon. Moreover, the surge is caused mostly by bingeing large amounts of sugar. Thus, it causes cravings but not a compulsive behavior like cocaine. ^[12,13]

MedBound Times approached Dr. Joan Kent, author of Stronger than Sugar and a sugar addiction specialist, to shed light on the topic of sugar being compared to cocaine addiction.

Do we have to cut sugar from our lives?

Though the core of this article is about the comparison between cocaine and sugar addiction, it doesn’t become complete without some actionable steps. 

Overcoming sugar addiction 

Here are some steps to manage certain common scenarios.

Sugar Cravings: 

Sugar craving is a common symptom today, irrespective of addiction. Jessie Inchauspe, a scientist, in her YouTube video, clarifies the reasons for craving. The unsteady glucose levels that spike and crash and the dopamine release are the main culprits for sugar cravings, as she says. She has researched extensively on managing this unsteady glucose level without creating the need to give up on sugar. In that pursuit, she has come up with 10 hacks, out of which she highlights five important ones. They are:

• Eat dessert immediately after a meal, not on an empty stomach.

• Have a savory breakfast, not a sweet one.

• Drink a spoonful of vinegar mixed in a tall glass of water before a meal.

• Eat your carbs with either fat, protein or fibre.

• Eat food in the correct order: veggies first, protein next and carbs last. 

She has proved that this approach stabilizes glucose levels thus preventing cravings in large cohorts of people.^[6]

Triggers:

People with sugar addiction feel triggered to eat sugar. These triggers can be emotional, psychological, or environmental. ^[5]

• Emotional triggers can be negative emotional states like depression and anxiety that make you combat the state with sugar-induced dopamine release.

• Environmental triggers can be all the external factors like the festive season, shopping with an empty stomach, and family gatherings that make sugar easily accessible.

• Psychological ones are slightly different from emotional ones in the sense of what we believe about ourselves. If someone believes that they are not worth fixing their sugar addiction, they tend to be more triggered by sugar.

Managing these triggers individually is another important step one must take to overcome sugar addiction. Mindfulness can be an effective technique to manage these triggers. Choosing a natural sugar source like fresh fruits to satisfy the craving can help a lot says Oliver Rivers in her book, Sugar Cravings Conquered.

Abstinence: 

Quitting sugar is not just a trend but has become medical advice. Experts advise complete abstinence from sugar to regulate their sugar cravings. While Jessie Inchauspe, the Glucose Goddess, wants to help us eat the chocolate we love without getting into a craving cycle ^[6], it is not easy for all. Dr. Joan Kent cautions that it is possible to reintroduce small quantities of sugar. But if it leads to increased usage of sugar like before, then the person may land in full-blown addiction. 

Relapses and slip-offs:

It is common for people to slip off in their sugar control and some may even relapse into a full-blown addiction. But these people can easily come back to their no-sugar state. The different neural pathways involved can explain why sugar addiction is easier to overcome than other drug addictions. ^[12]