Sugar like a drug, says neuroscientists

December 14, 4:04 PMNutrition ExaminerAnnie Kay

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Candy hangover? Source

Anyone who's ever scored big at Halloween then overindulged in candy as a kid knows what a sugar hangover feels like. We've all been there, right?

Well, hangover is exactly the way to describe it.  While it may be no news to those with a sweet tooth, the addictive qualities of sugar got some attention from the science community last week. Research presented at the American College of Neuropsychopharmacology detailed how rats respond to sugar binges just like they would to morphine, alcohol or cocaine.

"Our findings with lab rats show that intermittent access to sugar can lead to changes in the brain and behavior similar to those caused by drugs of abuse," said Bart Hoebel, PhD, Professor of Psychology at Princeton University and the study's lead investigator. "In certain models, sugar-binging causes long-lasting effects on the brain and increases the inclination to take other drugs of abuse, including alcohol."

Sugar has long been credited with undermining health in a variety of ways, like contributing to cavities, and offering no nutritive value (unless you need extra calories) to the diet. If you follow nutrition news, you know that there's been a debate raging about the role of simple carbohydrates (sugars) in the obesity epidemic, as our nutrition environment is currently awash in the stuff. 

This research adds yet another layer to the question of just how sugar operates in the body. And if you needed one, it gives yet another reason to ease off the cookies and candy this sugar coated season.