The relationship between Sugar and Alcoholism

The user, Finewine seemed to get upset over a small piece of information I posted from the internet in this thread: http://www.calorie-count.com/forums/post/9722 .html, which stated, "Sugar can lead to alcoholism". I think the key word in that statement is, "can" and not the use of the word "will". It is possible that sugar addiction can potential lead to a dependency on alcohol. Just like it is possible that one day cute pink fluffy bunnies can rain down from the sky. The statement regarding sugar is not the only thing that can potentially lead to alcoholism, there are many factors that can come into play and it is definitely dependent on each individual and the choices they make in their own life. I challenged Finewine to do some research and post his findings in the forums, instead of being negative and whining. Well, here is what I found about the relationship between sugar and alcoholism. All I am doing is sharing the data, please read at your own discretion and form your own opinions regarding the information. If you have more information to add, please back it up with links to the resource. Please don't make speculations and whine about the information, just because you don't agree with it. There is a reason why doctors have a profession and the average Joe, like most of us here on this site, can't possible even begin to understand some of the science behind it. So if you want to debate the topic, back up your statements with references and don't be a jerk. Thanks! Now, on to the data:

"Sugar has often been considered the bio-chemical root cause of alcohol addiction."

ARTICLE: Does a Sweet Tooth Mean Alcoholism?


An affinity for sweets appears to be a marker for those at risk of developing alcoholism. This could be because both sugar and alcohol affect the same pleasure area of the brain.
By:Colin Allen

Sugar-addicts beware; an affinity for sweets appears to be a marker for those at risk of developing alcoholism. While previous studies have found a sugar-alcohol link in both humans and animals, this study finds that sugar addiction may predict alcoholism.

Lead author Alexei Kampov-Polevoy, an assistant professor of psychiatry at Mount Sinai School of Medicine, recruited 163 college-age social drinkers. Half of the participants had a paternal history of alcoholism while the other half did not.

Kampov and colleagues asked each participant to rate a series of sugar solutions that increased in concentration. They judged each for sweetness and palatability. Our hedonic reaction -- how much we enjoy sugar -- is something we are born with, not something we learn later in life, notes Kampov.

Participants with a paternal history of alcoholism were 2.5 times more likely to enjoy sweets. Also, they were more likely to dislike the most diluted sugar solutions. Kampov suggests that the opioid system -- the part of the brain impacted by both sugar and alcohol -- is oversensitive in these subjects.

Researchers say in the future a simple test may help identify who is at risk for developing alcoholism long before one takes his first drink. The study was published in Alcoholism: Clinical & Experimental Research.

REFERENCE: http://www.psychologytoday.com/articles/pto-2 0031120-000003.html

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RESOURCES:

http://www.the101program.com/news05may.html

http://alcoholism.about.com/library/weekly/aa 001218a.htm

http://www.reutershealth.com/wellconnected/do c56.html

http://www.naturalfamilyonline.com/2-h&w/ 46-treat-alcoholism-naturally.htm

http://www.health4youonline.com/nutrition_fac ts_alcoholism.htm

http://www.healthyplace.com/Communities/Eatin g_Disorders/comorbidities_4.asp

http://www.psychologytoday.com/articles/pto-2 0031120-000003.html

http://www.madsci.org/posts/archives/nov2000/ 973532923.Bc.r.html

http://www.liferesearchuniversal.com/candidia sis2.html

http://home.earthlink.net/~astrology/alcohol. htm

http://www.soberrecovery.com/forums/archive/i ndex.php/t-596.html

http://www.three-peaks.net/annette/Processed- Sugar.htm

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sugar_alcohol

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/diabetes-man agement/DA00005

http://smartrecovery.infopop.cc/eve/forums/a/ tpc/f/222101295/m/619002256

http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?ter m=alcohol

http://www.robertperkinson.com/alcoholism_sta tistics.htm

http://www.gurney.co.uk/drinksense/factsheets /effects.htm

Hey, I posted this yesterday and saw it kind of got buried. Lots of good information in those links, if you are curious about the relationship between sugar and alcohol.

I am so confused by the information about dieting and alcohol. Is it ok to add a few glasses of wine here and there, or a gin and diet tonic?

I love my red wine, and certain days I look forward to that glass, maybe two, but never in excess.

Is it ok to have two alcoholic drinks a few times per week if you add them to your calorie intake???

Just remember, everything in moderation.

as a recovering alcoholic who spent 30 yrs drinking as a chronic alkey and sunk to consuming after-shave by the time i was 28 i can fairly safely say that i have a bit of hands on experience and am also a trained relapse prevention worker and qualified counsellor. after 5 years total sobriety i relapsed and nearly died 10 months and a week ago. in my work and amongst my peers i was always asked about wether alcoholism was a disease, an illness, hereditary or what. ive read a lot and a good deal of interesting stuff appears. for me though the reason for the alcoholism is less important than the fact that "ive got it". if i live another 25 years dry i'll still die an alcoholic albeit sober, because that is what i am, and the reason i dont drink now, one day at a time is because it is for me, a mental and physical problem. i know ive gone away from the sugar question but just felt like i wanted to share that...god bless u all. uk geoff

there are several studies suggesting that alcohol, in moderation (1 or 2 glasses) is benefitial.  there is research suggesting that moderate alcohol use is negatively associated coronary heart disease (as # of drinking per day increase, the likelihood CHD will decrease to a point, then increase again as the # of drinks = >4), wine has iron, manganese and other important trace minerals, "dry non-sweet wines and diluted distilled spirits have been recommended in the treatment of diabetes, and it has been suggested that alcohol may improve glucose tolerance and blood glucose response to ingested carbohydrates."  Furthermore, the Harvard School of Public Health states, "gallstones and type 2 diabetes were less likely to occur in moderate drinkers than in nondrinkers."

As ix says, its all about moderation.

Work Cited

C. Baum-Baicker (1985). The health benefits of moderate alcohol consumption: a review of the literature. Drug Alcohol Dependancy. ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/a lcohol.html

Ciabates,

Any of the health benefits from wine come from the fact that concorde grapes are rich in antioxidants and also contain some vitamins and minerals.  This being so, I say just eat the grapes and don't concern yourself so much about how much wine you can have to still be in the healthy range. Alcohol needs to be consumed in moderation period. Its not a natural food, the natural food source is the grapes its made of.

Alicia

www.transformationalhealthcounselor.com