Sugar: The First Addiction
- Christine Daecher, DO
- Sep 18
- 4 min read
As human beings, our very first addiction is often sugar. During my medical school rotations, I saw this firsthand in the labor and delivery unit. When circumcisions were performed, the doctor would dissolve a packet of cafeteria sugar into a small cup of water, dip a pacifier into it, and place it in the baby boy’s mouth. The calming and almost instant distraction was remarkable. For many of these newborns, this was likely their very first taste of sugar—and their intense latch was shockingly strong.
Sugar, Food Addiction, and Binge Eating
When it comes to food addiction and binge eating disorder, one common denominator repeatedly surfaces: sugar. Nearly every patient who struggles with overeating or bingeing reports that the foods they turn to are carbohydrate-heavy.
To illustrate this, I sometimes challenge patients: try to binge eat on pure fatty meat or plain eggs. Not chicken tenders (which are breaded) or barbecue-covered ribs, but foods made up of nothing but fat and protein. Inevitably, they discover that it’s impossible. After only a modest amount (approximately 3-4 eggs), the sensation quickly shifts from “fine” to uncomfortably full. In contrast, carbohydrate-rich foods seem to bypass those natural satiety signals, driving overconsumption.
Sugar, the Brain, and Addiction
Sugar intake stimulates the release of the body’s own opioids and dopamine, setting off a cascade of receptor changes. Over time, the brain develops tolerance, meaning more sugar is needed to achieve the same level of satisfaction. Eventually, this escalates into full-blown addiction, where the brain becomes wired for constant food seeking and heightened motivation to consume more sugar. In short: sugar behaves like a drug.
Animal research has supported this for decades. In one classic rat study, animals were given intermittent access to sugar water. After about a month, they displayed behaviors similar to those seen in drug abuse: binging, withdrawal symptoms (anxiety, depression, cravings), and compulsive seeking.1,2 Even though many of these studies are older, their findings remain strikingly relevant today.
When severely cutting carbohydrates from the diet, it is not unusual to experience what many describe as the “keto flu.” In reality, this is sugar withdrawal. Common symptoms include fatigue, headache, brain fog, irritability, muscle cramps, dizziness, nausea, and intense sugar cravings. These symptoms typically appear within 1–5 days of dietary change and may last anywhere from a few days up to about two weeks.
The Truth About Carbohydrates
What we need to remember is that all carbohydrates—whether simple or complex—ultimately break down into sugar. To me, carbs are sugar and sugar has powerful effects on the brain.
For a long time, I have questioned dietary recommendations in the United States regarding carbohydrate intake.
When we eat protein, a large portion is used immediately as energy, and the rest is repurposed by the body to build amino acids, enzymes, signaling molecules, and muscle tissue, among other vital functions. When we eat fat, the majority is also used for energy in the hours after it’s consumed, with a small amount stored. Fat is essential for making cell membranes, mitochondrial membranes, the nervous system, sex hormones, and cortisol. In other words, fat and protein both serve multiple roles beyond being mere fuel.
Carbohydrates, however, are different. The majority—often 99% or more depending on the type of carb (99% of fructose becomes adipose tissue)—are converted into body fat. This includes both subcutaneous fat (which is relatively benign) and visceral fat (which is metabolically harmful). Carbohydrates do not build bones, muscles, hormones, or tissues. They do not contribute to healing or regeneration. Instead, they are converted primarily into glucose and stored fat, and their metabolism can generate significant oxidative damage.
This raises an important question: If carbohydrates serve no essential structural or regenerative purpose, how important are they really in the human diet?
The Common Denominator: Carbohydrates
In my clinical experience, the true underlying factor in what is often labeled as food addiction or binge eating disorder is not “food” itself—it is sugar (carbohydrate) addiction. Patients who struggle with these conditions almost always report cravings for carbohydrate- and sugar-heavy foods.
That said, I do not view binge eating disorder or food addiction as distinct conditions. Instead, I believe both are best understood as sugar addiction combined with dietary fatty acid deficiency. In other words, what many call “food addiction” is really carbohydrate addiction.
When the body does not receive adequate dietary fat at the right time during meals, and carbohydrates are consumed instead, the body uses carbs as a poor substitute for fat. This mismatch fuels cravings and reinforces dependence on sugar.
Importantly, I do not view binge eating, carbohydrate addiction, or sugar addiction as a personal failing or a lack of willpower. Rather, sugar (carbohydrates) functions as a powerful, addictive substance that hijacks the brain’s reward system and drives compulsive behaviors.
Learn More About Sugar
One video that has truly stood the test of time is “Sugar: The Bitter Truth” by endocrinologist Robert Lustig, MD. Although it is technical, it has been viewed more than 25 million times on YouTube—and with good reason.
Colantuoni C, Schwenker J, McCarthy J, Rada P, Ladenheim B, Cadet JL, Schwartz GJ, Moran TH, Hoebel BG. Excessive sugar intake alters binding to dopamine and mu-opioid receptors in the brain. Neuroreport. 2001;12:3549–3552. doi: 10.1097/00001756-200111160-00035.
Spangler R, Wittkowski KM, Goddard NL, Avena NM, Hoebel BG, Leibowitz SF. Opiate-like effects of sugar on gene expression in reward areas of the rat brain. Brain Res Mol Brain Res. 2004;124:134–142. doi: 10.1016/j.molbrainres.2004.02.013.
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