Addicted to sugar

124

Replies

  • lorib642
    lorib642 Posts: 1,942 Member
    psulemon wrote: »
    herrspoons wrote: »
    lefty421 wrote: »
    herrspoons wrote: »
    Sugar is not addictive.

    http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-edinburgh-east-fife-29126872

    Excuse making, however, is.

    Usually, when someone says "I have a sugar addiction" it is because they are looking for a solution, not making excuses.

    Sugar is not addictive. It is an excuse.

    The real problem people have is overeating. Once they address that instead of pointing the finger at whatever is the current bogeyman of the food world, then they stand a much better chance of making good, long term, sustainable progress.

    Otherwise the chances are that most of them will fall off the bandwagon at some point in the next year or two and end up back where they started.

    While I don't believe anyone is addicted to sugar because you dont seeing anyone eating fruit non stop, there are people who have developed unhealthy relationships with food which can cause binges. So I believe your perception of "it's an excuse" might not be entirely true. Now, I will note, that for some people, it is an excuse or an easy out, but there are plenty of people on here and in my personal life with ED's and it's more than an excuse, it's a disorder.

    Freelee?
  • Qskim
    Qskim Posts: 1,145 Member
    edited November 2014
    lefty421 wrote: »
    _SKIM_ wrote: »
    Yes, I've heard comments (RL) from people that basically mean they've given up in the belief they are addicted. They only have the access to popular social media, they aren't inclined to dig deeper (may not know how to either). Sometimes the gaps in their information are too wide to bridge in one conversation. And sometimes they simply don't want you to convey the truth. This is where it can be an excuse.

    I think you may be incorrectly assuming that when people say they are addicted to sugar, that means they've given up. I think quite the opposite is actually true.

    An addict usually denies he is an addict until he's ready to make a change. I think most people understand this and know it to be true.

    Additionally, someone who has "given up" is not likely to be using this web-site.

    Further, it's very insulting and condescending to say that "they" must only have access to popular social media, and that's why they think they have a sugar addiction.

    People who feel under compulsion to eat sugar (sweets) do indeed have many of the signs and symptoms of an addicted person:

    1 They continue abusing the substance even when they know their health is affected.
    2 They maintain a good supply at all times, even sacrificing their budget.
    3 They feel they need their fix in order to deal with their problems.
    4. They often abuse their substance in solitude and secrecy.
    5. They are in denial about their problem.
    6. They feel compelled to indulge even when it makes them feel sick.
    7. They continue abusing the substance even when relationships are affected.
    8. They try many times to change, but end up abusing again.
    9. Once they are "clean" they are happier, and regain a sense of personal power.

    Nora D Volkow is a well-respected researcher of substance abuse. She is the director of the National Institute on Drug Abuse, 2003 – present.

    In one journal article (not social media) she writes:

    “repeated exposure to certain foods (particularly those with a high fat and sugar content) in vulnerable individuals can also result in compulsive food consumption, poor food intake control, conditioning to food stimuli, and, over time, massive weight gain.”

    And also: “we propose that some forms of obesity are driven by an excessive motivational drive for food and should be included as a mental disorder”

    She says there’s an “urgent need to develop better therapeutic interventions that help mitigate the pathologically intense drive for food consumption.”

    http://journals.psychiatryonline.org/article.aspx?articleid=98310
    http://rstb.royalsocietypublishing.org/content/363/1507/3191.short

    Those who have never experienced an excessive, intense drive to eat have a difficult time understanding what that’s like, and may be tempted to demonize those with poor impulse control, or criticize them for making the “excuse” that they are addicted to sugar. You know the saying…until you’ve walked a mile in my shoes…

    On many MFP threads, we’ve seen people who say that eating sugary foods makes them lose control of their eating. They report that giving up sugar is incredibly hard, but when they stop eating sugar, the drive to eat excessively diminishes.

    Is there anyone reading these testimonies that would dismiss these very real struggles that people are having, and try to deny that their experiences are credible?

    We have to remember that the human body and the human brain are amazingly complex – beyond what scientists can yet understand. We don’t gain any new knowledge by being closed-minded. What is to be gained by saying there is no such thing as sugar addiction?



    Actually I think you missed my point or maybe I wasn't clear enough (probably...I do edit myself to quit typing so much). Not condencension at all either....from someone who ate spoonfuls of sugar from a bag and for a time relied on popular media for info simply because it never occurred to her to just "Google" and even then....
  • neanderthin
    neanderthin Posts: 10,222 Member
    edited November 2014
    It isn't any particular nutrient that people are addicted to, sugar for example, it's food addiction where high calorie sugary, carby and fat processed foods seem to be hard to resist. It's not sugar, if it was, sugar bowls would be the main target, but they aren't, and I'm sure there is the odd exception to that but it's the foods they are designed to entice that leads to overeating of these particular formulated recipes.



  • You all are crazy to think sugar addiction doesn't exist. Sugar is a drug, just like heroin is drug. Opium gets refined to morphine which is further refined to a white chemical called heroin. Sugar cane is refined down to molasses which then gets further refined down to.. yep, a white chemical called sugar. Both reek havoc on our brains & systems. Methadone is another drug created to (unsuccessfully) combat heroin addiction, just like Insulin is now replicated in a lab to (unsuccessfully) combat sugar addicition. Don't believe me? Start reading anything you can get your hands on about it, and see for yourself.
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  • MrM27 wrote: »
    ccb1128 wrote: »
    You all are crazy to think sugar addiction doesn't exist. Sugar is a drug, just like heroin is drug. Opium gets refined to morphine which is further refined to a white chemical called heroin. Sugar cane is refined down to molasses which then gets further refined down to.. yep, a white chemical called sugar. Both reek havoc on our brains & systems. Methadone is another drug created to (unsuccessfully) combat heroin addiction, just like Insulin is now replicated in a lab to (unsuccessfully) combat sugar addicition. Don't believe me? Start reading anything you can get your hands on about it, and see for yourself.

    Oh brother.

    Lustig, is that you?

    Ok, don't believe? Try giving it up. Do it for 3 days, and then tell me it was easy and that you didn't have any withdraw like symptoms & no cravings.
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,427 MFP Moderator
    ccb1128 wrote: »
    MrM27 wrote: »
    ccb1128 wrote: »
    You all are crazy to think sugar addiction doesn't exist. Sugar is a drug, just like heroin is drug. Opium gets refined to morphine which is further refined to a white chemical called heroin. Sugar cane is refined down to molasses which then gets further refined down to.. yep, a white chemical called sugar. Both reek havoc on our brains & systems. Methadone is another drug created to (unsuccessfully) combat heroin addiction, just like Insulin is now replicated in a lab to (unsuccessfully) combat sugar addicition. Don't believe me? Start reading anything you can get your hands on about it, and see for yourself.

    Oh brother.

    Lustig, is that you?

    Ok, don't believe? Try giving it up. Do it for 3 days, and then tell me it was easy and that you didn't have any withdraw like symptoms & no cravings.

    Considering your body runs on sugar/glucose, why would you give it up? The fact that you draw parallels between drugs which come with physical, mental and emotional depends and suggest that sugar have the same impacts is rather mind blowing. People aren't addicted to sugar.. they are "addicted" to palatable foods. If they were actually addicted to sugar, then a piece of fruit or veggies would make them binge. This isn't the case with people who have binge disorders.

    But if you are going to make a claim, at least back it up with some science instead of suggesting we should go look for it.

  • psulemon wrote: »
    ccb1128 wrote: »
    MrM27 wrote: »
    ccb1128 wrote: »
    You all are crazy to think sugar addiction doesn't exist. Sugar is a drug, just like heroin is drug. Opium gets refined to morphine which is further refined to a white chemical called heroin. Sugar cane is refined down to molasses which then gets further refined down to.. yep, a white chemical called sugar. Both reek havoc on our brains & systems. Methadone is another drug created to (unsuccessfully) combat heroin addiction, just like Insulin is now replicated in a lab to (unsuccessfully) combat sugar addicition. Don't believe me? Start reading anything you can get your hands on about it, and see for yourself.

    Oh brother.

    Lustig, is that you?

    Ok, don't believe? Try giving it up. Do it for 3 days, and then tell me it was easy and that you didn't have any withdraw like symptoms & no cravings.

    Considering your body runs on sugar/glucose, why would you give it up? The fact that you draw parallels between drugs which come with physical, mental and emotional depends and suggest that sugar have the same impacts is rather mind blowing. People aren't addicted to sugar.. they are "addicted" to palatable foods. If they were actually addicted to sugar, then a piece of fruit or veggies would make them binge. This isn't the case with people who have binge disorders.

    But if you are going to make a claim, at least back it up with some science instead of suggesting we should go look for it.

    You not wanting to be bothered doing the leg work of a simple search tells me plenty. Seems you haven't done the research to comment one way or the other.
    Anyway.. sugar does have a physical, mental and emotional impact.

    Obviously there is a plethora of info out there, but here are some easy ones. Here you go...

    Lustig (but you already know that)
    SUGAR BLUES by William Dufty
    http://chriskresser.com/is-refined-sugar-really-toxic
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OMWeRj77aWk
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tdMjKEncojQ
    robbwolf.com/2012/12/21/sugar-drug/
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  • lemurcat12
    lemurcat12 Posts: 30,886 Member
    edited November 2014
    ccb1128 wrote: »
    MrM27 wrote: »
    ccb1128 wrote: »
    You all are crazy to think sugar addiction doesn't exist. Sugar is a drug, just like heroin is drug. Opium gets refined to morphine which is further refined to a white chemical called heroin. Sugar cane is refined down to molasses which then gets further refined down to.. yep, a white chemical called sugar. Both reek havoc on our brains & systems. Methadone is another drug created to (unsuccessfully) combat heroin addiction, just like Insulin is now replicated in a lab to (unsuccessfully) combat sugar addicition. Don't believe me? Start reading anything you can get your hands on about it, and see for yourself.

    Oh brother.

    Lustig, is that you?

    Ok, don't believe? Try giving it up. Do it for 3 days, and then tell me it was easy and that you didn't have any withdraw like symptoms & no cravings.

    I've done it for longer than that. (I'm sure my body still made it, though.) It was easy and I had no withdrawal like symptoms at all.

    The hardest part was that I was in the habit of using food--and sweet treats were typically the most accessible for the purpose, as I can't generally find a steak or good cheese in the break room at work and I don't really like chips--as an emotional crutch. So I'd want to eat when feeling bad or stressed, etc., and wasn't able to. But that wasn't at all like a physical addiction (nor would insulin have helped, that's weird, liking sweets doesn't mean you are diabetic). It is why giving it up for a bit was, in fact, a useful strategy for me, similar to the kinds of things _SKIM_ has discussed.

    A more important part of that strategy, for me, was giving up using food for emotional purposes like that and most eating outside of set meal times.
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,427 MFP Moderator
    ccb1128 wrote: »

    You not wanting to be bothered doing the leg work of a simple search tells me plenty. Seems you haven't done the research to comment one way or the other.
    Anyway.. sugar does have a physical, mental and emotional impact.

    Obviously there is a plethora of info out there, but here are some easy ones. Here you go...

    Lustig (but you already know that)
    SUGAR BLUES by William Dufty
    http://chriskresser.com/is-refined-sugar-really-toxic
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OMWeRj77aWk
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tdMjKEncojQ
    robbwolf.com/2012/12/21/sugar-drug/

    Nah, I have done the research, but if you make the bold claim, then there is an expectation that you can back it up. Lustig is a joke in the fitness community and have been fully debunked in most of his biases research.

    http://www.alanaragonblog.com/2010/01/29/the-bitter-truth-about-fructose-alarmism/

    http://www.alanaragonblog.com/2010/02/19/a-retrospective-of-the-fructose-alarmism-debate/


    The plausibility of sugar addiction and its role in obesity and eating disorders - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20056521

    "There is no support from the human literature for the hypothesis that sucrose may be physically addictive or that addiction to sugar plays a role in eating disorders."

    Evidence for sugar addiction: Behavioral and neurochemical effects of intermittent, excessive sugar intake - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2235907/

    "The evidence supports the hypothesis that under certain circumstances rats can become sugar dependent. This may translate to some human conditions as suggested by the literature on eating disorders and obesity."


    And for fun here is an article which links to even more research: http://www.fitnessbaddies.com/your-problem-with-sugar-is-the-problem-with-sugar/


  • MrM27 wrote: »
    ccb1128 wrote: »
    MrM27 wrote: »
    ccb1128 wrote: »
    You all are crazy to think sugar addiction doesn't exist. Sugar is a drug, just like heroin is drug. Opium gets refined to morphine which is further refined to a white chemical called heroin. Sugar cane is refined down to molasses which then gets further refined down to.. yep, a white chemical called sugar. Both reek havoc on our brains & systems. Methadone is another drug created to (unsuccessfully) combat heroin addiction, just like Insulin is now replicated in a lab to (unsuccessfully) combat sugar addicition. Don't believe me? Start reading anything you can get your hands on about it, and see for yourself.

    Oh brother.

    Lustig, is that you?

    Ok, don't believe? Try giving it up. Do it for 3 days, and then tell me it was easy and that you didn't have any withdraw like symptoms & no cravings.
    Have you ever been addicted to heroin or cocaine or morphine? Can you tell me what it's like to kick that habit and how it's similar to sugar? Please be as descriptive as possible. And don't worry I will be able to relate personally from your description of being addicted one of them.

    Let me be clear, I do believe sugar is a drug, like heroin is also a drug, and I believe people (myself included) suffer withdraw symptoms when they quit. Not once did I compare the severity of symptoms between the two. As I said though, I do think sugar does wreak havoc on the brain & body & prolonged use will cause multitudes of medical issues.
  • Also, this is great..
    www.youtube.com/watch?v=MepXBJjsNxs

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  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,427 MFP Moderator
    ccb1128 wrote: »
    MrM27 wrote: »
    ccb1128 wrote: »
    MrM27 wrote: »
    ccb1128 wrote: »
    You all are crazy to think sugar addiction doesn't exist. Sugar is a drug, just like heroin is drug. Opium gets refined to morphine which is further refined to a white chemical called heroin. Sugar cane is refined down to molasses which then gets further refined down to.. yep, a white chemical called sugar. Both reek havoc on our brains & systems. Methadone is another drug created to (unsuccessfully) combat heroin addiction, just like Insulin is now replicated in a lab to (unsuccessfully) combat sugar addicition. Don't believe me? Start reading anything you can get your hands on about it, and see for yourself.

    Oh brother.

    Lustig, is that you?

    Ok, don't believe? Try giving it up. Do it for 3 days, and then tell me it was easy and that you didn't have any withdraw like symptoms & no cravings.
    Have you ever been addicted to heroin or cocaine or morphine? Can you tell me what it's like to kick that habit and how it's similar to sugar? Please be as descriptive as possible. And don't worry I will be able to relate personally from your description of being addicted one of them.

    Let me be clear, I do believe sugar is a drug, like heroin is also a drug, and I believe people (myself included) suffer withdraw symptoms when they quit. Not once did I compare the severity of symptoms between the two. As I said though, I do think sugar does wreak havoc on the brain & body & prolonged use will cause multitudes of medical issues.

    How specifically does sugar wreck havoc on the brain, especially since the brains runs off of glucose, aka sugar.
  • neanderthin
    neanderthin Posts: 10,222 Member
    ccb1128 wrote: »
    MrM27 wrote: »
    ccb1128 wrote: »
    MrM27 wrote: »
    ccb1128 wrote: »
    You all are crazy to think sugar addiction doesn't exist. Sugar is a drug, just like heroin is drug. Opium gets refined to morphine which is further refined to a white chemical called heroin. Sugar cane is refined down to molasses which then gets further refined down to.. yep, a white chemical called sugar. Both reek havoc on our brains & systems. Methadone is another drug created to (unsuccessfully) combat heroin addiction, just like Insulin is now replicated in a lab to (unsuccessfully) combat sugar addicition. Don't believe me? Start reading anything you can get your hands on about it, and see for yourself.

    Oh brother.

    Lustig, is that you?

    Ok, don't believe? Try giving it up. Do it for 3 days, and then tell me it was easy and that you didn't have any withdraw like symptoms & no cravings.
    Have you ever been addicted to heroin or cocaine or morphine? Can you tell me what it's like to kick that habit and how it's similar to sugar? Please be as descriptive as possible. And don't worry I will be able to relate personally from your description of being addicted one of them.

    Let me be clear, I do believe sugar is a drug, like heroin is also a drug, and I believe people (myself included) suffer withdraw symptoms when they quit. Not once did I compare the severity of symptoms between the two. As I said though, I do think sugar does wreak havoc on the brain & body & prolonged use will cause multitudes of medical issues.
    Probably a brain cloud, it happens all the time, I would talk to a physician.

  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,427 MFP Moderator
    ccb1128 wrote: »

    You not wanting to be bothered doing the leg work of a simple search tells me plenty. Seems you haven't done the research to comment one way or the other.
    Anyway.. sugar does have a physical, mental and emotional impact.

    Obviously there is a plethora of info out there, but here are some easy ones. Here you go...


    http://chriskresser.com/is-refined-sugar-really-toxic

    Did you actually read or listen to this videos because this one in particular goes against your beliefs:

    "White sugar and HFCS are not “toxins” in the sense that even small amounts are highly undesirable and potentially harmful. Excess refined sugar can have undesirable health effects, but its addictive power is not comparable to a drug, and HFCS isn’t that much different from table sugar. Some people may be highly sensitive to even small amounts of sugar, often due to severe gut dysbiosis, and in this case they’re justified in avoiding it vigilantly.

    But barring extreme sensitivity, there’s no evidence to indicate that refined sugar (or HFCS) is actually toxic in moderate amounts, and most people would be better off avoiding the stress that comes from being unnecessarily fearful of any food that has even a trace amount of refined sugar in it.

    Sugar is neither a toxin nor a replacement for real food. Ultimately, small amounts of sugar can fit into a whole foods, nutrient-dense, healthy diet, as long as you recognize it for what it truly is: a treat."
  • psulemon wrote: »
    ccb1128 wrote: »

    You not wanting to be bothered doing the leg work of a simple search tells me plenty. Seems you haven't done the research to comment one way or the other.
    Anyway.. sugar does have a physical, mental and emotional impact.

    Obviously there is a plethora of info out there, but here are some easy ones. Here you go...


    http://chriskresser.com/is-refined-sugar-really-toxic

    Did you actually read or listen to this videos because this one in particular goes against your beliefs:

    "White sugar and HFCS are not “toxins” in the sense that even small amounts are highly undesirable and potentially harmful. Excess refined sugar can have undesirable health effects, but its addictive power is not comparable to a drug, and HFCS isn’t that much different from table sugar. Some people may be highly sensitive to even small amounts of sugar, often due to severe gut dysbiosis, and in this case they’re justified in avoiding it vigilantly.

    But barring extreme sensitivity, there’s no evidence to indicate that refined sugar (or HFCS) is actually toxic in moderate amounts, and most people would be better off avoiding the stress that comes from being unnecessarily fearful of any food that has even a trace amount of refined sugar in it.

    Sugar is neither a toxin nor a replacement for real food. Ultimately, small amounts of sugar can fit into a whole foods, nutrient-dense, healthy diet, as long as you recognize it for what it truly is: a treat."

    I do understand that Chris Kresser doesn't believe it's addictive & not everyone does, but he does make really good points about it's effects.
    While I still believe it's addictive, I believe good research on the subject is important and I search it out when/where I can. I think Chris Kresser's research on nutrition is excellent & I thought it was worth sharing.
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  • psulemon wrote: »
    ccb1128 wrote: »
    MrM27 wrote: »
    ccb1128 wrote: »
    MrM27 wrote: »
    ccb1128 wrote: »
    You all are crazy to think sugar addiction doesn't exist. Sugar is a drug, just like heroin is drug. Opium gets refined to morphine which is further refined to a white chemical called heroin. Sugar cane is refined down to molasses which then gets further refined down to.. yep, a white chemical called sugar. Both reek havoc on our brains & systems. Methadone is another drug created to (unsuccessfully) combat heroin addiction, just like Insulin is now replicated in a lab to (unsuccessfully) combat sugar addicition. Don't believe me? Start reading anything you can get your hands on about it, and see for yourself.

    Oh brother.

    Lustig, is that you?

    Ok, don't believe? Try giving it up. Do it for 3 days, and then tell me it was easy and that you didn't have any withdraw like symptoms & no cravings.
    Have you ever been addicted to heroin or cocaine or morphine? Can you tell me what it's like to kick that habit and how it's similar to sugar? Please be as descriptive as possible. And don't worry I will be able to relate personally from your description of being addicted one of them.

    Let me be clear, I do believe sugar is a drug, like heroin is also a drug, and I believe people (myself included) suffer withdraw symptoms when they quit. Not once did I compare the severity of symptoms between the two. As I said though, I do think sugar does wreak havoc on the brain & body & prolonged use will cause multitudes of medical issues.

    How specifically does sugar wreck havoc on the brain, especially since the brains runs off of glucose, aka sugar.

    "Fructose-fed rats showed signs of resistance to insulin, a hormone that controls your blood sugar and synaptic function in your brain.

    Because insulin is able to pass through your blood-brain barrier, it can trigger neurological processes that are important for learning and memory. Consuming large amounts of fructose may block insulin's ability to regulate how your brain cells store and use sugar for the energy needed to fuel thoughts and emotions." Dr. Joseph Mercola
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,427 MFP Moderator
    ccb1128 wrote: »
    psulemon wrote: »
    ccb1128 wrote: »

    You not wanting to be bothered doing the leg work of a simple search tells me plenty. Seems you haven't done the research to comment one way or the other.
    Anyway.. sugar does have a physical, mental and emotional impact.

    Obviously there is a plethora of info out there, but here are some easy ones. Here you go...


    http://chriskresser.com/is-refined-sugar-really-toxic

    Did you actually read or listen to this videos because this one in particular goes against your beliefs:

    "White sugar and HFCS are not “toxins” in the sense that even small amounts are highly undesirable and potentially harmful. Excess refined sugar can have undesirable health effects, but its addictive power is not comparable to a drug, and HFCS isn’t that much different from table sugar. Some people may be highly sensitive to even small amounts of sugar, often due to severe gut dysbiosis, and in this case they’re justified in avoiding it vigilantly.

    But barring extreme sensitivity, there’s no evidence to indicate that refined sugar (or HFCS) is actually toxic in moderate amounts, and most people would be better off avoiding the stress that comes from being unnecessarily fearful of any food that has even a trace amount of refined sugar in it.

    Sugar is neither a toxin nor a replacement for real food. Ultimately, small amounts of sugar can fit into a whole foods, nutrient-dense, healthy diet, as long as you recognize it for what it truly is: a treat."

    I do understand that Chris Kresser doesn't believe it's addictive & not everyone does, but he does make really good points about it's effects.
    While I still believe it's addictive, I believe good research on the subject is important and I search it out when/where I can. I think Chris Kresser's research on nutrition is excellent & I thought it was worth sharing.

    I don't believe anyone here would dispute his claims that sugar shouldn't be a large part of a diet because it won't provide your body with a lot of nutrients. We are just dumbfounded how you can suggest we are all crazy for not believing that sugar can be addicting and is equivalent to cocaine and heroin. And then in a the same paragraph, you provide a reputable source that suggest the contrary.
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,427 MFP Moderator
    edited November 2014
    ccb1128 wrote: »

    "Fructose-fed rats showed signs of resistance to insulin, a hormone that controls your blood sugar and synaptic function in your brain.

    Because insulin is able to pass through your blood-brain barrier, it can trigger neurological processes that are important for learning and memory. Consuming large amounts of fructose may block insulin's ability to regulate how your brain cells store and use sugar for the energy needed to fuel thoughts and emotions." Dr. Joseph Mercola

    Link? But you do realize that Dr. Mecola is also under investigation for wrongful claims? It appears that your sources of information tend to be with extremist/alarmist and aren't supported by the fitness community at large.

    if you reference page 4 you will see several studies from other sources that will provide similar support with Kessler.

  • MrM27 wrote: »
    MrM27 wrote: »
    ccb1128 wrote: »
    MrM27 wrote: »
    ccb1128 wrote: »
    MrM27 wrote: »
    ccb1128 wrote: »
    You all are crazy to think sugar addiction doesn't exist. Sugar is a drug, just like heroin is drug. Opium gets refined to morphine which is further refined to a white chemical called heroin. Sugar cane is refined down to molasses which then gets further refined down to.. yep, a white chemical called sugar. Both reek havoc on our brains & systems. Methadone is another drug created to (unsuccessfully) combat heroin addiction, just like Insulin is now replicated in a lab to (unsuccessfully) combat sugar addicition. Don't believe me? Start reading anything you can get your hands on about it, and see for yourself.

    Oh brother.

    Lustig, is that you?

    Ok, don't believe? Try giving it up. Do it for 3 days, and then tell me it was easy and that you didn't have any withdraw like symptoms & no cravings.
    Have you ever been addicted to heroin or cocaine or morphine? Can you tell me what it's like to kick that habit and how it's similar to sugar? Please be as descriptive as possible. And don't worry I will be able to relate personally from your description of being addicted one of them.

    Let me be clear, I do believe sugar is a drug, like heroin is also a drug, and I believe people (myself included) suffer withdraw symptoms when they quit. Not once did I compare the severity of symptoms between the two. As I said though, I do think sugar does wreak havoc on the brain & body & prolonged use will cause multitudes of medical issues.
    Sugar wreaks havoc on our brain but yet it needs it? What is prolonged use and what are these multitude of medical problems? Can you tell us what those medical problems are?

    How do you know what a heroin withdrawal feels like that you can compare it to a "sugar withdrawl"? When you quit sugar did you have to call out from work because you couldn't stop vomiting or get rid of the body aches or cold sweats? Did you call out sick from work because you hadn't slept in days?

    CCB, address the questions above please.

    I actually did at 11:30, this was my response.

    "Let me be clear, I do believe sugar is a drug, like heroin is also a drug, and I believe people (myself included) suffer withdraw symptoms when they quit. Not once did I compare the severity of symptoms between the two. As I said though, I do think sugar does wreak havoc on the brain & body & prolonged use will cause multitudes of medical issues."

    My symptoms, while not the severe symptoms you described above, included cravings, mood swings, irritablity etc.
    As far as medical problems go, I don't think it's any secret it leads to obesity, diabetes, etc. I'm not going list references for that though.. we've all seen it.
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,427 MFP Moderator
    ccb1128 wrote: »

    I actually did at 11:30, this was my response.

    "Let me be clear, I do believe sugar is a drug, like heroin is also a drug, and I believe people (myself included) suffer withdraw symptoms when they quit. Not once did I compare the severity of symptoms between the two. As I said though, I do think sugar does wreak havoc on the brain & body & prolonged use will cause multitudes of medical issues."

    My symptoms, while not the severe symptoms you described above, included cravings, mood swings, irritablity etc.
    As far as medical problems go, I don't think it's any secret it leads to obesity, diabetes, etc. I'm not going list references for that though.. we've all seen it.

    To be clear though, so newbies don't get confused or people who are just reading this.. these views are personal and not founded by science (youtube blogs and John Oliver who are hilarious are not scientific sources).

    And obesity is caused by too many calories. Diabetes is caused by obesity and genetics.
  • psulemon wrote: »
    ccb1128 wrote: »

    "Fructose-fed rats showed signs of resistance to insulin, a hormone that controls your blood sugar and synaptic function in your brain.

    Because insulin is able to pass through your blood-brain barrier, it can trigger neurological processes that are important for learning and memory. Consuming large amounts of fructose may block insulin's ability to regulate how your brain cells store and use sugar for the energy needed to fuel thoughts and emotions." Dr. Joseph Mercola

    Link? But you do realize that Dr. Mecola is also under investigation for wrongful claims? It appears that your sources of information tend to be with extremist/alarmist and aren't supported by the fitness community at large.

    if you reference page 4 you will see several studies from other sources that will provide similar support with Kessler.

    Here:
    http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2012/09/02/fructose-affects-brain-health.aspx

    I'm also not in the least suprised he is under investigation being that he is very critical of Big Pharma.
  • lorib642
    lorib642 Posts: 1,942 Member
    psulemon wrote: »
    ccb1128 wrote: »

    I actually did at 11:30, this was my response.

    "Let me be clear, I do believe sugar is a drug, like heroin is also a drug, and I believe people (myself included) suffer withdraw symptoms when they quit. Not once did I compare the severity of symptoms between the two. As I said though, I do think sugar does wreak havoc on the brain & body & prolonged use will cause multitudes of medical issues."

    My symptoms, while not the severe symptoms you described above, included cravings, mood swings, irritablity etc.
    As far as medical problems go, I don't think it's any secret it leads to obesity, diabetes, etc. I'm not going list references for that though.. we've all seen it.

    To be clear though, so newbies don't get confused or people who are just reading this.. these views are personal and not founded by science (youtube blogs and John Oliver who are hilarious are not scientific sources).

    And obesity is caused by too many calories. Diabetes is caused by obesity and genetics.

    Just a little more specific:
    http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/diabetes/basics/risk-factors/con-20033091

    Risk factors for prediabetes and type 2 diabetes

    Researchers don't fully understand why some people develop prediabetes and type 2 diabetes and others don't. It's clear that certain factors increase the risk, however, including:

    Weight. The more fatty tissue you have, the more resistant your cells become to insulin.
    Inactivity. The less active you are, the greater your risk. Physical activity helps you control your weight, uses up glucose as energy and makes your cells more sensitive to insulin.

    Family history. Your risk increases if a parent or sibling has type 2 diabetes.

    Race. Although it's unclear why, people of certain races — including blacks, Hispanics, American Indians and Asian-Americans — are at higher risk
    .
    Age. Your risk increases as you get older. This may be because you tend to exercise less, lose muscle mass and gain weight as you age. But type 2 diabetes is also increasing dramatically among children, adolescents and younger adults
    .
    Gestational diabetes. If you developed gestational diabetes when you were pregnant, your risk of developing prediabetes and type 2 diabetes later increases. If you gave birth to a baby weighing more than 9 pounds (4 kilograms), you're also at risk of type 2 diabetes
    .
    Polycystic ovary syndrome. For women, having polycystic ovary syndrome — a common condition characterized by irregular menstrual periods, excess hair growth and obesity — increases the risk of diabetes.

    High blood pressure. Having blood pressure over 140/90 millimeters of mercury (mm Hg) is linked to an increased risk of type 2 diabetes.

    Abnormal cholesterol and triglyceride levels. If you have low levels of high-density lipoprotein (HDL), or "good," cholesterol, your risk of type 2 diabetes is higher.
    Triglycerides are another type of fat carried in the blood. People with high levels of triglycerides have an increased risk of type 2 diabetes.
  • psulemon wrote: »
    ccb1128 wrote: »

    I actually did at 11:30, this was my response.

    "Let me be clear, I do believe sugar is a drug, like heroin is also a drug, and I believe people (myself included) suffer withdraw symptoms when they quit. Not once did I compare the severity of symptoms between the two. As I said though, I do think sugar does wreak havoc on the brain & body & prolonged use will cause multitudes of medical issues."

    My symptoms, while not the severe symptoms you described above, included cravings, mood swings, irritablity etc.
    As far as medical problems go, I don't think it's any secret it leads to obesity, diabetes, etc. I'm not going list references for that though.. we've all seen it.

    To be clear though, so newbies don't get confused or people who are just reading this.. these views are personal and not founded by science (youtube blogs and John Oliver who are hilarious are not scientific sources).

    And obesity is caused by too many calories. Diabetes is caused by obesity and genetics.

    Agreed about the personal views.
    We disagree again about obesity and "too many calories" thing. That's another debate altogether.
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  • Sounds like my mother trying to convince me that fruit is bad for me because it's all sugar.

    Ignorance is bliss they say.

  • SingRunTing
    SingRunTing Posts: 2,604 Member
    Sounds like my mother trying to convince me that fruit is bad for me because it's all sugar.

    Ignorance is bliss they say.

    Seriously. My mom once told me that eating pineapple was exactly the same as eating a chocolate bar. Yes, pineapple has a lot of sugar in it, but its not "exactly the same".