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Human Body & HealthFunding

Sugar is more addictive than cocaine and the food industry knows it

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Priya NairPosted Mar 31
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Peter KavanaghFunderApr 5

I stopped putting sugar in my tea six months ago and I still think about it. I don't know what that proves but it feels relevant.

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TM

The rat studies behind this claim (Lenoir et al.) are real but the extrapolation to humans is much shakier. Rats given intermittent access to sugar show bingeing behaviour, but intermittent access is itself abnormal - it's the restriction and re-access cycle, not the sugar per se, that drives the compulsive behaviour.

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Priya NairOPApr 4

The intermittent access critique is valid and worth including in the review. What I think is understudied is the industry intervention angle - tobacco industry consultants were directly hired by food companies in the 80s. That history affects what research got funded and what didn't.

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JK
Jordan KimFunderApr 2

the title says cocaine so now I have to comment

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