Do You Need a Sugar Detox?
Today's post is the seventh article in a series about sugar and all things sugar.
The first post, Carbohydrates Vs. Sugar is here.
The second post, Natural Vs. Added Sugars is here.
The third post, Healthier Sugar Alternatives is here.
The fourth post, What are the Types of Added Sugars (Sugar Aliases), is here.
The fifth post, Low Down on Low-Calories Sweeteners, is here.
The sixth post, What are Sugar Alcohols, is here.
Do you need to go through a "sugar detox"?
To fully understand detoxing, let's start with what a toxin is.
According to MedlinePlus, the NIH National Library of Medicine,
"Toxins are substances created by plants and animals that are poisonous (toxic) to humans. Toxins may also include some medicines that are helpful in small doses, but poisonous in large amounts.
Most toxins that cause problems in humans come from germs such as bacteria. For example, the symptoms of cholera are caused by a toxin made by cholera bacteria.
Other toxins that cause problems include metals, lead, and certain environmental chemicals."
Now, some people do a detox regularly even though they aren't consuming high amounts of these toxic substances and aren't sick day-today.
First, I have to share that I work at a "detox" facility and teach classes to people transitioning and anticipating leaving the facility to live independently. The individuals I am working with are those who are gone through the process of withdrawal from alcohol, heroin, methamphetamines, and other "illicit" drugs.
Never once has anyone revealed they were there for sugar withdrawal.
Not once have I known someone who ruined their life, having destroyed a family and job loss, and experienced homelessness due to sugar. But I haven't asked everyone.
Can One Be Addicted to Sugar?
The American Society of Addiction Medicine defines addiction as:
"Addiction is a treatable, chronic medical disease involving complex interactions among brain circuits, genetics, the environment, and an individual's life experiences. People with addiction use substances or engage in behaviors that become compulsive and often continue despite harmful consequences.
Prevention efforts and treatment approaches for addiction are generally as successful as those for other chronic diseases."
The DSM-V no longer uses the term addiction, but the term Substance Use Disorder.
And the DSM-V defines Substance Use Disorders as follows:
"Substance use disorders occur when the recurrent use of alcohol and/or drugs causes clinically and functionally significant impairment, such as health problems, disability, and failure to meet major responsibilities at work, school, or home. According to the DSM-5, a diagnosis of substance use disorder is based on evidence of impaired control, social impairment, risky use, and pharmacological criteria."
Note: sugar is not part of this criteria.
While people like to talk about how they are addicted to sugar or need to detox from sugar, is this a "thing," or is it disrespectful to those with substance use disorders?
We can live without alcohol.
We can live without nicotine.
We can live without caffeine.
We can live without opioids, cocaine, and THC.
We cannot live without sugar – it is necessary to fuel our cells.
So can we be addicted to something we need to live?
Isn't Too Much Sugar Harmful?
Of course, too much of pretty much anything is harmful.
We need sunlight, but too much can contribute to cancer.
We need water, but we can die from too much water, also known as hyponatremia.
We need fat, but too much can contribute to heart and liver disease.
We need protein, but too much can contribute to kidney issues.
We need glucose (aka sugar), but too much can contribute to poor health.
But we need to consider the overall diet and lifestyle.
Many years ago, a 30-year-old woman died from a heart attack. The coroner determined that "excessive Coca-Cola consumption was probably a substantial factor in her death."
But let's consider factors: she reportedly drank 2.2 gallons of Coca-Cola daily and would go through withdrawal symptoms if she didn't have it. So, I must ask whether that was the sugar or the caffeine. And, while I cannot find the reference today, the media reported that she also smoked a significant amount daily.
So, 2.2 gallons a day of anything, even water, is just absurd. Come on!
And what was missing from the diet that contributed to her death?
Consider that one 12-ounce can of Coca-Cola has 39 grams of sugar, and there are 128 ounces in one gallon; that would mean two gallons of Coca-Cola would have 832 grams of sugar which are about 1.8 pounds!
So, yes, too much sugar is harmful, but most people aren't consuming nearly two pounds of it per day.
Excess added sugar without other nutrients can be problematic, but is it a substance that requires withdrawal and detox? It isn't a drug. It just isn't.
