A recent study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition adds further weight to speculation that people can be just as addicated to certain food as they can drugs. Researchers at the Oregon Research Institute concluded that cravings for dessert – ice cream in particular – were similar to those experienced by drug addicts.
Co-author Dr Kyle Burger said overconsumption of high-fat or high-sugar foods may change how the brain responds to these foods in a way that lowers the “reward” aspect, and perpetuates further intake. He explained:
“This down-regulation pattern is seen with frequent drug use, where the more an individual uses the drug, the less reward they receive from using it. This tolerance is thought to increase use, or eating, because the individual trying to achieve the previous level of satisfaction. Repeated, overconsumption of high-fat or high-sugar foods may alter how the brain responds to those foods in a way similar to drug addiction.”
In the study, 151 teenagers, aged 14 to 16, were given chocolate milkshakes made with Häagen Dazs ice cream. The teens were all of “healthy weight,” and recorded their recent eating habits and cravings of certain foods. Their brans were scanned with an fMRI machine while being shown a picture of a milkshake, and then given a milkshake. They found that all the teens wanted the real shake, but those who ate the most ice cream over the previous few weeks enjoyed it less. Burger explain that this is similar to drug addiction because despite wanting the milkshake, pleasure that should be sent to the brain was blunted, possibly due to low levels of domamine being released in the brain. These teens had to eat more of the ice cream to feel the same euphoric effect.
“Some individuals may frequently eat ice cream or other high-fat/high-sugar foods and show no characteristics of addiction, while others may develop an addictive like relationship with food. Some people will try smoking, drinking or gambling, but not develop an addiction. We often joke and say ‘I wouldn’t say food is addictive, but I hear some people can’t live without it.”
More research is needed, but one thing seems certain: Food addiction is real! The more junk you eat, the more you need to eat to enjoy it as much. Sure, that pretty much applies to anything – the more you eat it the less you enjoy it. But it’s especially true with high-fat, high-sugar foods, and that means excess calories and excess bodyfat. So if this sounds like you, perhaps it’s time for a detox from the junk!
