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Alcohol is naturally obtained by fermenting sugar, which is why alcohol and sugar trigger similar reactions in the brain. Both cause a release of dopamine, which causes happy feelings.
Besides inducing similar sensations, the two substances can also lead to overloading the liver when taken in excess. This can be dangerous for people dealing with alcohol addiction.
In this blog article, we discuss the connection between alcohol consumption and sugar cravings and what it does to your body.
Alcohol disrupts your body’s ability to manage blood sugar, which can cause reduced blood sugar levels, leading to sugar cravings. Alcoholics crave sugar because their bodies are used to the dopamine spike caused by drinking.
Besides increasing cravings, alcohol consumption affects blood sugar levels in multiple ways.
When you drink alcohol, your liver becomes preoccupied with metabolizing alcohol. While it’s focused on this, it cannot release enough glucose into the bloodstream. This causes blood sugar to drop temporarily.
Drinking alcohol also causes your pancreas to produce more insulin. Insulin is a hormone that lowers blood sugar levels. Drinking a lot over time also reduces the overall effectiveness of insulin in the body. This results in high blood sugar levels.
Dopamine is a neurotransmitter made in the brain and is released in response to a reward or pleasurable experience. Sugar tastes great, and eating or drinking it is rewarding since it causes dopamine release.
People who drink a lot become used to high levels of sugar. When they cut back or quit, their bodies crave the sugar rush they experienced when drinking.
Consuming too much sugar interferes with the body’s normal response to it, triggering changes in the brain. This can lead to the brain’s inability to shut off the desire to eat once caloric needs are met, which leads to compulsive overeating.1
Because of its effect on the brain, sugar can be as addictive as alcohol. Both stimulate the brain and cause dopamine release, which can lead to addiction. It’s also possible for sugar cravings to replace alcohol cravings.2
Alcohol initially boosts dopamine levels, which produces a feeling of relaxation and happiness. However, as a person drinks more and more over time, the brain adapts to the dopamine rush.
The brain starts producing less dopamine from alcohol consumption. Drinking also reduces dopamine receptors in the body and increases dopamine transporters responsible for carrying away excess dopamine.2
Without enough alcohol or sugar in your system to sustain dopamine levels, alcohol withdrawal symptoms will occur.
Yes, alcohol and sugar cravings are linked. Research shows that sugar consumption triggers dopamine release in the brain. The same thing happens when someone drinks alcohol. It’s possible for someone with a sugar addiction to develop a problem with alcohol eventually.3
There is also evidence that children of parents with alcohol use disorder (AUD) have a higher risk of developing sugar addiction. The genes they receive from their alcoholic parent(s) put them at greater risk of developing alcohol and sugar addictions.3
Craving sugar is common among people who quit alcohol. When they’re no longer getting their “sugar fix” from alcohol, they seek it elsewhere. Unfortunately, satisfying sugar cravings can prolong recovery and lead to other medical complications.
Diet and nutrition play a significant role in recovery as your body heals from addiction. People in recovery should focus on maintaining a healthy diet that provides the nutrients their bodies lack due to their addiction. The more you can do to support your body’s natural healing ability, the better.
Fulfilling your caloric needs with sugar instead of healthy, nutrient-dense foods to heal during and after detox means you aren’t getting what your body needs. Too much sugar negatively impacts your overall health and prevents your body from recovering.
Eating healthy foods provides your body with important nutrients it’s likely missing due to drinking. Besides eating healthy, it’s also best to avoid high-sugar products, such as highly processed foods.
Sugar poses a threat of relapse for someone in recovery. This is because your brain is used to the dopamine rush of alcohol, and sugar provides a similar rush.
Like alcohol, sugar is highly addictive since your brain reacts similarly to it. Some people turn to sugar to satisfy their craving for alcohol, swapping one addiction for another. This increases their risk of eventually relapsing and returning to alcohol use.
In addition to increasing the risk of relapse, eating too many sugary foods poses a risk of negative health consequences. For example, sugar consumption may:
Eating a balanced diet is one of the best things you can do to improve your health, regardless of whether you’re battling addiction. Healthy food choices are not just physically beneficial. It’s a form of self-care that helps you improve your self-esteem.
Besides adjusting your diet, there are several things you can do to manage sugar cravings during recovery. For example:
Craving sugar is common after drinking because alcohol contains sugar. Many people with alcohol use disorder (AUD), in addition to having an addiction to alcohol, also have a physical addiction to sugar.
Yes. Sugar is not healthy. It’s also substituting one addiction (sugar) for another (alcohol). The short-term physical risks are less with sugar. However, you’re still dealing with an addiction that can cause health problems in the long term.
Most people with alcohol addiction develop sugar cravings about 3 days after their last drink.
Sugar cravings are the most intense about a week after the last drink. From there, they taper off eventually, usually within a week or two. However, this depends on how much sugar one consumes during this time.
Consuming alcohol and sugar together might feel like it diminishes feelings of drunkenness. This is likely because sugar slows the body’s rate of gastric emptying.5 Because of this, less alcohol enters the bloodstream.
Additionally, sugary alcohol drinks increase dehydration compared to standard alcohol flavors. This worsens hangover symptoms.
There are several foods and vitamins that help recovering alcoholics, including:
B vitamins, including B1, B2, B3, B5, B6, B9, and B12
Vitamin C
Vitamin D3
Vitamin A
Whole grains
Milk
Eggs
Liver
Berries
Citrus
Peppers
Broccoli
Having a bit of sugar during recovery will unlikely set you back significantly. However, the more you’re able to avoid it, the better. Not eating sweets during recovery:
Helps you avoid developing a sugar addiction
Reduces the risk of health complications associated with consuming sugar
Eliminates the energy crashes that occur after eating sugar
Prevents sugar-related sleep problems
Experiencing sugar cravings is common for people with substance abuse issues. Sugar affects the brain’s neurotransmitters, similar to the dopamine rush caused by drinking. This can lead to medical complications, increasing the risk of type 2 diabetes and other cardiovascular diseases.
While it might be a relief to crave something else after quitting alcohol, sugar cravings must also be managed. Eating a healthy diet and recognizing that sugar addiction is a potential risk of a successful recovery can help you avoid transferring your addiction from alcohol to sugar.
If you or a loved one is struggling with alcohol use or you believe you’ve developed a sugar addiction in response to sobriety, support is available. Consult with a medical professional for more information on treatment options you can try.
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