Yes, you can be addicted to coke, says Dr. Damien Ringuenet, a psychiatrist at the Paul-Brousse Hospital in Villejuif. Caffeine, sugar and sweeteners are even responsible. This addiction can also hide other problems.
To be addicted to Coke, one must understand what is addictive.
The addiction to a product, be it tobacco, alcohol, heroin or any other drug, is defined according to certain criteria: a need to increase the dose, the fear of running out, loss of control of its consumption, obsessive search for the product at the expense of other activities ...
Some people who drink gallons of coke or other sodas daily are indeed in addiction.
It is true that caffeine, sugar and bubbles Coke have everything to make addict:
" Caffeine is a powerful psychostimulant which alters sleep, reduces appetite and increases basal metabolism. With caffeine, it burns more calories. Products containing it are favored by those seeking performance, " observes Dr. Ringuenet.
" Sugar active in the brain's reward circuits, those affected by drugs. Eg, cocaine acts directly on these circuits. But sugar, it goes through the back door, " he says.
As for sweeteners , sometimes replace sugar, "they also trigger stimulation of reward circuits and, in addition, they deceive the body. By raising insulin levels, they trigger an abnormal drop in blood sugar in the blood, may lead to hypoglycaemia. This only increased the need for sweet food. " So the desire to still drink more Coke, or to associate sweet foods. A real vicious circle.
Other disorders may be associated
This type of behavior can hide real disturbances in eating behavior, especially among the very people dissatisfied with their bodies and who are afraid to grow. "They fill the stomach with liquids to get a sense of satiety , with the idea they will have less desire to eat, " says the psychiatrist. Bubbles Coca contribute to accelerating this satiety more effectively than non-carbonated beverage.
The addiction to Coke can also hide another psychiatric disorder, potomania, which is characterized by an uncontrollable urge to drink ... water, or other liquid non-alcoholic. "Some people drink up to 25 liters per day, which can lead to serious medical complications, " says Dr. Ringuenet.
To be addicted to Coke, one must understand what is addictive.
The addiction to a product, be it tobacco, alcohol, heroin or any other drug, is defined according to certain criteria: a need to increase the dose, the fear of running out, loss of control of its consumption, obsessive search for the product at the expense of other activities ...
Some people who drink gallons of coke or other sodas daily are indeed in addiction.
It is true that caffeine, sugar and bubbles Coke have everything to make addict:
" Caffeine is a powerful psychostimulant which alters sleep, reduces appetite and increases basal metabolism. With caffeine, it burns more calories. Products containing it are favored by those seeking performance, " observes Dr. Ringuenet.
" Sugar active in the brain's reward circuits, those affected by drugs. Eg, cocaine acts directly on these circuits. But sugar, it goes through the back door, " he says.
As for sweeteners , sometimes replace sugar, "they also trigger stimulation of reward circuits and, in addition, they deceive the body. By raising insulin levels, they trigger an abnormal drop in blood sugar in the blood, may lead to hypoglycaemia. This only increased the need for sweet food. " So the desire to still drink more Coke, or to associate sweet foods. A real vicious circle.
Other disorders may be associated
This type of behavior can hide real disturbances in eating behavior, especially among the very people dissatisfied with their bodies and who are afraid to grow. "They fill the stomach with liquids to get a sense of satiety , with the idea they will have less desire to eat, " says the psychiatrist. Bubbles Coca contribute to accelerating this satiety more effectively than non-carbonated beverage.
The addiction to Coke can also hide another psychiatric disorder, potomania, which is characterized by an uncontrollable urge to drink ... water, or other liquid non-alcoholic. "Some people drink up to 25 liters per day, which can lead to serious medical complications, " says Dr. Ringuenet.
