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Huberman Lab
Controlling Sugar Cravings & Metabolism with Science-Based Tools
Mar 21, 2022
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01:55:12
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Quick takeaways
- The brain has two parallel pathways related to sugar seeking: conscious perception and the nutritive component of sugars.
- Dopamine release when eating sweet foods creates pleasurable sensations and motivates us to seek more, but it can also lead to subsequent cravings.
- The perception of sweet tastes triggers cascades in the brain that make us want more sweet things, contributing to our cravings.
- Subconscious circuits in our body drive us to seek out sweet foods and foods that increase blood glucose levels, operating below our conscious awareness.
- Tools like lemon juice, cinnamon, and berberine can be helpful in reducing sugar cravings and managing blood glucose levels.
Deep dives
Parallel Pathways in Sugar Seeking
The brain has two parallel pathways related to sugar seeking. One pathway is based on conscious perception, where sweet tastes activate reward pathways and increase dopamine levels. The other pathway is related to the nutritive component of sugars and the increase in blood glucose levels. These pathways explain why we seek out sweet foods and crave more of them.
The Pleasure-Pain Balance of Dopamine
Dopamine is released in the mesolimbic reward pathway when we eat sweet foods, creating pleasurable sensations and motivating us to seek more. However, this increase in dopamine levels can also lead to subsequent cravings and a desire for more sugar. Dopamine pathways have a pleasure-pain balance, and engaging in behaviors that increase dopamine can make us want more and more.
The Power of Sweet Perception
The perception of sweet tastes triggers cascades within the brain that make us want more of sweet things. This conscious pathway for sugar perception leads us to seek out sweet foods and find them more appetizing. Dopamine is released, contributing to the desire for sweet things.
The Post Ingestive Reinforcing Properties of Sugar
There are subconscious circuits in our body that drive us to seek out sweet foods and foods that increase blood glucose levels. These circuits operate below our conscious awareness and contribute to our cravings for sugar. They demonstrate the power of subconscious cues in driving our sugar seeking behavior.
Neuropod cells and the post-ingestive effect
Neuropod cells in the gut detect the presence of sugar and, through electrical signals, communicate with the brain via the vagus nerve. This connection triggers the release of dopamine and activates the mesolimbic reward pathway, contributing to the preference for sweet foods. The post-ingestive effect, which occurs about 15 minutes after ingesting sweet foods, also plays a role in sugar preference. Even if individuals cannot taste the sweetness, the post-ingestive rewarding properties of sugar-containing foods still influence their desire to consume more sweet foods.
Glycemic Index and its impact on blood glucose
The glycemic index measures how quickly blood sugar levels rise after consuming certain foods. Consuming foods with a lower glycemic index, or combining sweet foods with fiber or fat to lower the glycemic index, can help reduce blood glucose spikes. Lemon juice and lime juice, when ingested before or during the consumption of sugary or carbohydrate-rich foods, can help blunt the blood glucose response. Cinnamon can also slow gastric emptying and adjust the rate of glucose entry into the bloodstream, thus reducing blood sugar spikes.
Other tools for controlling sugar intake
Beyond the common kitchen ingredients, more advanced tools like berberine can also aid in controlling sugar intake. Berberine, derived from tree bark, has been found to have glucose-lowering effects. However, caution should be exercised to ensure safe dosage levels are not exceeded. These tools, including lemon juice, lime juice, cinnamon, and berberine, can be helpful in reducing sugar cravings and managing blood glucose levels.
Artificial sweeteners and their effects on insulin and glucose levels
Artificial sweeteners have been a topic of controversy, particularly regarding their impact on insulin and glucose levels. One study had to be stopped due to the detrimental effects observed in children who consumed artificial sweeteners without glucose-increasing foods. The study highlighted the importance of individual decision-making regarding the safety of artificial sweeteners. While animal studies show disruptions to the microbiome and potential adverse effects, human studies like the work by Dana Small provide parallel evidence. The study suggests that conditioned flavor preferences develop not only for sweet foods but also for flavors associated with glucose spikes, potentially influencing our desire for glucose-elevating foods.
Sugar consumption, attention issues, and the role of omega-3 fatty acids
People with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) or focus and attention issues may need to be wary of a disregulated sugar appetite system. High sugar consumption, especially highly refined sugars, is considered detrimental for individuals with attentional issues. However, the impact of sugar consumption on causing ADHD is still debated. Supplementation with omega-3 fatty acids, specifically eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), has been shown to be beneficial for individuals with ADHD. It is important to consult with healthcare professionals before making any changes to your diet. It's also worth noting that controlling blood glucose levels through approaches like berberine, metformin, and quality sleep can potentially reduce sugar cravings and regulate sugar metabolism.
1.
Introduction
4min
2.
The Sponsors of Today's Podcast
2min
3.
Thesis Neutropias - The Best Neutropics for Your Health
2min
4.
How Does Sugar Impact Your Brain?
3min
5.
What Happens When We Eat?
4min
6.
How Important Is Glucose for Brain Function?
2min
7.
Orientation Tuned Nurons Are the Building Blocks of Your Visual System
2min
8.
Is the Sharpness of Tuning Dependent on Blood Glucose Level?
2min
9.
Neurons Love Glucose
3min
10.
How to Get the Right Glucos in Your Body
3min
11.
The Concentration of Fructos in Fruit
2min
12.
Is Fructos a Good Thing for Your Appetite?
2min
13.
Is Fructos a Good Fuel Source for Weight Loss?
4min
14.
The Nervous System and the Appetite for Sugar
2min
15.
How Do Parallel Pathways Work?
2min
16.
How to Reducing Sugar Cravings
3min
17.
Dopamin, a Neuromodulator, Can Change Your Perception of Food
2min
18.
Dopomine Release in the Stratum
2min
19.
The Pleasure Pain Balance
4min
20.
Dopomine Is Not Evil, It's Not Bad
4min
21.
Post Ingestion Rewarding Effects of Sugary Foods
2min
22.
Why Do We Need Hidden Sugars?
3min
23.
Dopomine Plain Pain Pleasure Balance
2min
24.
Is There a Third Parallel Pathway to Sugary Foods?
2min
25.
Is Your Nervous System a Glucos Consuming Machine?
3min
26.
The Glycimic Index of Food
2min
27.
How to Short Circuit the Dopomine Release in Response to a Sweet Food
3min
28.
Dopamine and Sugar Cravings
3min
29.
Is It Safe to Insist on Sugary Drinks?
4min
30.
I Injest Artificial Sweeteners
3min
31.
Artificial Sweeteners Are Not Dangerous, but You Have to Decide for Yourself
2min
32.
Is There a Constrained Flavor Preference in Sugar Appetite?
2min
33.
88 Year With Attentional Issues
2min
34.
Is Sugar Consumption Really Bad for ADHD?
3min
35.
Omega Three Fatty Acids Can Help With a Dh D
2min
36.
Can Fish Oil Reduce Sugar Cravings?
4min
37.
Can Gludomine Reduce Sugar Cravings?
2min
38.
How Lemon Juice and Lime Juice Affect Blood Glucos
3min
39.
How Lemon Juice and Lime Juice Affects Blood Glucose Levels
2min
40.
The Lemon Juice, Lime Juice Effect on the Taste of Sweet Foods
2min
41.
Is Cinnamon a Good Tool for Controlling Blood Sugar?
2min
42.
Using Berberine to Lower Blood Glucose
2min
43.
The Effects of Burberine on Blood Glucose
2min
44.
How to Control Blood Glucose With Berberine
2min
45.
The Role of Sleep in Sugar Metabolism
3min
46.
The Importance of Getting Quality Sleep to Regulate Appetite
2min
47.
The Huberman Lab Podcast
2min
I explain how to blunt sugar cravings through fundamental knowledge of how sugar is sensed, metabolized, and utilized within the body. I explain how sugar is processed through the digestive tract and nervous system and how both the taste and nutritive components of sugar can lead to specific appetite changes and cravings. I discuss the connection between sugar, dopamine, and cravings and outline many tools to curb sugar cravings, specifically craving highly processed refined sugars.
For the full show notes, visit hubermanlab.com.
Thank you to our sponsors
AG1 (Athletic Greens): https://athleticgreens.com/huberman
LMNT: https://drinklmnt.com/huberman
Supplements from Momentous
https://www.livemomentous.com/huberman
Timestamps
(00:00:00) Sugar & Physiology
(00:02:41) Sponsors: AG1, LMNT
(00:07:40) Sugar & the Brain
(00:10:06) Appetite & Hormones: Ghrelin & Insulin
(00:14:17) Glucose & Brain Function
(00:24:19) Glucose & Physical Activity
(00:26:16) Fructose vs. Glucose
(00:32:41) When to Eat High-Sugar Foods?
(00:35:01) Sugar’s Taste vs. Nutritive Pathways, Sugar Cravings
(00:41:46) Tool: Sugar & the Dopamine, Pleasure – Pain Dichotomy
(00:48:43) Subconscious Sugar Circuits, Hidden Sugars in Food
(00:58:03) Glucose Metabolism in the Brain
(01:03:00) Tool: Glycemic Index, Blunting Sugar Cravings
(01:12:08) Sugary Drinks, Highly Refined Sugars
(01:14:33) Artificial Sweeteners
(01:22:36) ADHD, Omega-3s
(01:30:18) Tools: Reduce Sugar Cravings with EPA Omega-3s & Glutamine
(01:35:15) Tool: Blunt Sugar Peaks & Craving with Lemon Juice
(01:43:09) Tool: Reduce Sugar Cravings & Spikes with Cinnamon
(01:45:10) Berberine, Sustained Low Blood Glucose Levels
(01:51:24) Tool: Sleep & Sugar Cravings
(01:56:33) Zero-Cost Support, YouTube Feedback, Spotify, Apple Reviews, Sponsors, Instagram, Twitter, Supplements, Neural Network Newsletter
Title Card Photo Credit: Mike Blabac
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